Industry Overview
Purchasing a fine piece of jewelry for someone special makes everyone feel happy. When that piece of jewelry or watch breaks, finding a qualified and/or authorized repair service is important. Repairing a watch, especially a Swiss brand name watch, can only be done by the watch company if it is still under warranty. Repairing jewelry takes the knowledge of stones, metals and anything else that the jewelry might have. Knowledge is important because a piece might have to be made to replace one that is broken beyond repair or missing completely.
Working with the local business directory should help you find a jeweler to assist you. The Jewelers of America and the Jewelry Council that regulates the industry both agree that while other retail businesses were losing income, jewelers were not. The statistics behind this are simple; jewelry repair held up in the sense that when you can’t buy new, repair the old. The multi-million dollar industry sells several million dollars worth of repairs every year.
New York’s Jewelry District is one of the few places where you can trace a piece of jewelry back to its origins. Cities like Philadelphia do not have a diamond or jewelry district, but do have some of the best artisans in jewelry repair in the East.
Current Trends
The latest equipment for cleaning and polishing jewelry can be found in almost every jewelry store. Retail jewelers can make an old piece of jewelry look like new with steam cleaning machines.
Precious stones are now being substituted for semi-precious stones, thanks to their color and sparkle.
Brand Name Repairs
Signet Jewelers Llc, Zale Corp, Tiffany and Co. are among the most famous brand name stores to be found.