Jewellery repair that didnt work

MoneySeeker1

I've got a gold neckchain that broke recently and took it to the only local jeweller (an independent one) to have repaired. I paid my money and took it back only weeks ago. It has just broken again.

1. I presume that, though there was no guarantee period stated for the repair, that I have a guarantee period of at least one year? Can anyone clarify on that please. The reason being it has just broken again and I need to either get my money back or give them the chain back for a second attempt at repair. I've decided I want my money back.

2. I am looking for someone else to repair it next time obviously and am wondering who would be best for a "repair that works". I would have to travel rather further to get to a chain jewellery shop (like Samuels), but see they have a guaranteed low length repair time of 1 year, so presume they would do a better standard repair. Does anyone know how good their repairs are?

3. Is there a national address for a firm that can do good-quality jewellery repairs that anyone can recommend?

lincroft1710

There is no mandatory guarantee period, any guarantee or warranty on purchases or repairs are at the whim of retailer/repairer. The repair failed because either poor workmanship on the part of the repairer or there is an inherent fault in the chain.

Go back to the repairer and start a dialogue, you should give him the opportunity of trying to repair it again. I doubt Samuels or similar are necessarily going to be any better

MoneySeeker1

The repair has failed in literally a matter of days. I've had the chain for years.

Hence, I don't wish to give them the chain back for a repeat repair and want my money back and will try again elsewhere.

I shouldn't think there will be any problem with them being fair on that. They do have a Facebook page and decent Google reviews, so they should be alright.

lincroft1710

At least take the chain back to the repairer and let him have a look at it first.

Nearlyold

Is this a link chain?

Has it broken in exactly the same place - the repairer should know as its usual practice for them to measure how far along the break is on the chain? If its broken in a different place that's not down to the repairer - they will only have repaired the link that was broken originally they won't have touched the other links.

Many High Street Jewellers Independent or otherwise do not do the repairs themselves but get the work completed by a jobbing jeweller usually local to them (but not always - there used to be a jobbing jeweller in Brighton that collected work from shops all over the country) - so if you took it to another Jeweller it could end up back at the same repairer.

The chain may be wearing out, you can easily check this yourself on a linked chain.

Undo the chain and stretch it fairly firmly out straight in a line on a hard smooth surface, put your finger on the chain about half way along then put a finger from your other hand on the chain about 6-8 inch away. Pressing gently down on the chain with both fingers move one of your fingers towards the other pushing the chain along, if the links seem locked together and form a zig zag of straight lines then the chain is wearing, if you look at the links closely you'll see they are grooved where the links rub together. If the chain just folds up (like a piece of string would) with no locking together then links are ok.

MoneySeeker1

Thanks - I'll check that out.

I think it's the same repair all over again and not a "new" one. Thanks for the tip about measuring and I'll do that for the repeat repair. I think, by eye, that it's the same spot and wish I'd known to measure in advance the first time.

I don't think this shop will try to say it's a different repair, rather than "same repair again".

It was obviously a jobbing jeweller that did this and I would imagine he/she covers a pretty wide area here. So any other local shop would probably use the same person.

Hence my thinking that I need to get this re-repair done some distance away (like an Internet service) in order to ensure I get someone different.

pramsay13

I don't think you are reading the replies properly.
The jeweller won't refund your repair money without being given the opportunity to have a look at the issue.
If the break is in a different place they certainly won't refund. If it is in the same place I'm pretty sure they will look for an opportunity to try and fix again.
A local independent jeweller is probably going to be better than a large chain and certainly than a random internet repair service so your thinking is flawed.

Angus_Og

MoneySeeker1 wrote: »

Thanks - I'll check that out.

I think it's the same repair all over again and not a "new" one. Thanks for the tip about measuring and I'll do that for the repeat repair. I think, by eye, that it's the same spot and wish I'd known to measure in advance the first time.

I don't think this shop will try to say it's a different repair, rather than "same repair again".

It was obviously a jobbing jeweller that did this and I would imagine he/she covers a pretty wide area here. So any other local shop would probably use the same person.

Hence my thinking that I need to get this re-repair done some distance away (like an Internet service) in order to ensure I get someone different.

So you are just guessing?

You say you have had the chain for years, which may suggest it is just worn out.

MoneySeeker1

Re-phrase - it was a jobbing jeweller. The shop said so to me.

The point I was making about "had it for years" was that it was bought long enough ago that I think it was pre the era of very flimsy gold jewellery sold in more recent years.

EDIT; Been checking re what the style of it is called. I can (just about) see the chain seems to be a lot of little joined v-shapes. I think it's probably what is called a "wheat necklace" on the Samuels jewellers website (there is a similar one at product code 6138772) and the way the break was (before the repair-that-wasnt) and now is a "spike" of metal is poking out from the main body of the chain.

I'm wondering if it's a style that can be fixed - as it's not one link/next link/and so on (eg as per chain gate fence) iyswim.

After the "repair" I could feel "something" (bit lumpy so to say) at the point where it had been mended. There is no "lump" now on either the left or right side of the break and the new break is at the point where this "lump" had appeared after the "repair". So - definitely in the same spot.

Angus_Og

Find an independent jeweller that does the work himself (not Samuels etc) and ask his opinion.

He could say easy fix or he may say sorry I can't repair that or this is all a bit tricky because of xyz.

That is the only way you will know.

MoneySeeker1

Update on thread =

I managed to get my money back for this. The shop tried to say:
a. It was at a different spot on the chain. It wasn't (thanks to this thread I was aware that they might say that).
b. I had worn it. Well that is what one buys gold jewellery for and I had been wearing it for years prior to this.
c. I must have snagged it on something. I hadn't.

So there was some "heated" exchange of views. But I managed to get my money back.