Jewellery Repairs, Watch Batteries & Bespoke Design in Blyth

Looking for jewellery repairs, a watch battery or a bespoke piece near you? Northumberland Goldsmiths looks after all of it at our family-run workshop at 3-5 Bowes Street, Blyth: ring resizing, chain repair, watch batteries, rhodium plating, engraving, pearl restringing, and bespoke jewellery made for you. Pop in Monday to Saturday for a free, no-obligation look at what you have in mind.

We’ve been working with gold, silver and platinum in Blyth for over 35 years, and customers come to us from across Northumberland: Cramlington, Ashington, Morpeth, Whitley Bay, Hexham and Newcastle among them. Every job goes through the hands of a jeweller who knows what they’re looking at, and we’ll always tell you honestly what’s involved, how long it will take and whether it’s worth doing.

Jewellery Repair in Blyth

A ring that doesn’t fit any more, a chain with a snapped link, a stone that’s gone missing from its setting: our workshop mends, resizes and restores jewellery every day. It doesn’t matter whether the piece came from us, another jeweller or your gran’s drawer. If it’s genuine gold, silver or platinum, we can very likely help. No appointment is needed. Bring it in and one of our jewellers will look at it there and then.

Ring Resizing

Rings change fit for all sorts of reasons: knuckles change shape, weight goes up and down, or you’ve inherited a ring a couple of sizes out. We resize rings up or down in most metals. We measure your finger on a proper sizing mandrel, tell you whether the ring is a good candidate, and give you a free estimate on the spot. Resizing is done in our own workshop, and we take care to protect the hallmark wherever the job allows. Full eternity rings, very thin bands and rings with stones set right round the band are trickier, and we’ll tell you honestly before we start if yours isn’t a good candidate.

Chain & Bracelet Repair

Snapped links and worn-through sections are the repairs we see most, on everything from a fine gold pendant chain to a heavy silver curb or a charm bracelet. We’ll match the metal so the repair doesn’t stand out. If a chain has worn thin in several places we’ll say so rather than charge you for a repair that won’t last. Many of the chains we mend carry a cross or crucifix, and fitting a cross to a chain is a standard service here.

Clasp & Catch Repairs

Clasps and catches take the most wear of any part of a piece: lobster clasps, bolt rings, spring rings, brooch catches and earring backs all give up in the end. A loose clasp can be tightened, and a worn-out one replaced, before you lose the piece it was holding. If a clasp has started to feel loose or won’t stay closed, bring it in and we’ll have a look.

Stone Setting, Tightening & Replacement

Claws wear down and open up over time, especially on rings that get knocked about, and a stone can drop out before you notice. If a claw is loose we can usually tighten or rebuild it without replacing the stone. If a stone is missing, we’ll match it as closely as we can for size, colour and cut. Very old or unusual stones can take longer to source, and we’ll tell you so up front. It’s a free check, so bring it in sooner rather than later.

How Long Does a Repair Take?

We’ll always give you a realistic turnaround before you leave anything with us, and we’ll ring you the moment it’s ready.

Jewellery Cleaning, Polishing & Rhodium Plating in Blyth

Cleaning & Polishing

Jewellery worn every day picks up soap, skin oils and grime that dull the shine, and it’s one of the easiest things to put right. We check each piece before cleaning, because loose stones, some pearls and treated gemstones need gentler handling. Pop in with the piece and we’ll tell you what it needs. Simple cleans are usually done while you wait.

Rhodium Plating

Is your white gold ring starting to look yellow or tired? That’s usually the rhodium plating wearing through. White gold isn’t naturally bright white. It’s finished with a thin layer of rhodium, and on rings worn every day that layer gradually wears away, letting the warmer gold underneath show. As a rule, a white gold ring is worth re-plating about every two years, though it depends on lifestyle and how well the ring is cared for.

We re-plate white gold rings, chains, earrings and pendants in our own workshop. We start with a proper clean, check the claws and settings while the piece is on the bench, then re-plate to bring back that bright, silvery finish. It isn’t a while-you-wait job: it usually takes a few days to a week, depending on the piece and how busy the bench is, and we’ll ring you when it’s ready. Not sure whether yours needs it? Pop in and we’ll tell you honestly if it’s plating or just a good clean it needs.

Watch Battery Replacement in Blyth

Need a watch battery replacement near you? Walk into our Blyth shop. There’s no appointment, and most batteries are fitted while you wait. A dead watch is nearly always just a flat battery, and in most cases you’ll be back on the street with it running again within minutes. We change batteries in our own workshop, and we check the case seal while the watch is open, because a battery change is the moment water can get in if the gasket has perished. If we haven’t got the right cell on the shelf, we’ll tell you straight away rather than leave you waiting.

Watch Servicing & Overhauls

If your watch keeps stopping, is losing time, or hasn’t been looked at in years, it may need more than a battery. Quartz or mechanical, a full service or overhaul is specialist work, and we arrange it for you through specialist watch repairers rather than guessing at it on our own bench. Bring the watch in and we’ll look at it with you, explain what it needs, and give you a realistic timescale before you decide. A full service takes longer than a battery change, so it isn’t a while-you-wait job.

Popping over from Whitley Bay, Cramlington or Newcastle? Give us a ring on 01670 333 036 to check we have your battery first, or just pop in. Need a new strap at the same time? Have a look at our watch batteries and straps.

Bespoke Jewellery, Designed and Made in Blyth

Bespoke means made for you, by the people you meet in the shop. We design and make one-off pieces in our own workshop, and you’ll deal with the jewellers making your piece from the first chat to the final fitting. Bring a sketch, a picture, a Pinterest board or a ring that belonged to your nan, and we’ll show you how it could be made your own.

Bespoke Rings: Engagement Rings & Wedding Bands

We start with how the ring will live: the hands it’s going on, the job they do, whether it needs to sit flush or can stand proud. Claw, rub-over, halo, trilogy or something more unusual, in yellow, white or rose gold or platinum. Choose a stone from our stock or have us source one to your specification, and have wedding bands made to sit snugly against the engagement ring. Bespoke wedding bands are part of what we do, and we’re happy to talk it through with both of you or, if it’s a surprise, just you.

Bespoke Earrings

Studs, drops, hoops, or a pair made to match a pendant or ring you already own. We’ll talk through size, weight and how they’ll sit, because earrings need to be comfortable as well as beautiful.

Bespoke Pendants

A pendant is often the most personal piece to commission: a stone with a story, a design drawn from a sketch, or a keepsake marking a birth, wedding or anniversary. Engraving is worked out with you in advance so it’s placed properly the first time.

Jewellery Sets

A ring, earrings and pendant designed to belong together, whether for a wedding, a milestone birthday or simply because you’d like them to match. We design the set as one idea rather than three separate jobs.

Commissions for Anniversaries, Christenings & Keepsakes

Some pieces are made to mark a moment: a ruby or pearl for an anniversary, a christening bangle engraved with the date, a keepsake pendant incorporating a loved one’s ashes or hair. Memorial jewellery is a delicate job and we treat it that way. We’ll talk it through in private, explain how the piece is made and never rush you. For dated occasions, tell us the date at the start so we can plan backwards from it.

Redesign Your Old Jewellery

A great many commissions begin with a box in a drawer: a ring that never suited you, a brooch that’s too dated to wear, mismatched earrings, a locket with a broken catch, a broken gold chain. If you’d rather not sell your gold, you don’t have to. Redesigning keeps what matters (the gold, the stones, the story) and gives it a form you’ll actually wear.

• Reset the stones. A tired solitaire can be reset into a modern setting.
• Bring pieces together. A pair of old rings can become one new ring, or stones from several pieces can be combined in a pendant.
• Melt down and remake. Old and broken gold can be melted down in our workshop and made into something new.

We’ll look at what you’ve got, test the metal and the stones, and tell you straight what can be reused and what can’t. If we’re reusing your gold, we’ll tell you what it is, so you know exactly what is going into the new piece. Redesign is workshop work, never while you wait, and we’ll give you a realistic timescale before you decide to go ahead. Many people are surprised by how much of an old piece can be kept, so it’s always worth asking before you assume it’s past saving.

Not sure whether to redesign or sell? Bring it in and we’ll have an honest chat about both. If selling makes more sense, see our gold buying service, or have a look at our pre-owned jewellery.

How a Commission Works

1. Pop in for a chat. Come to the shop in Blyth, or ring first on 01670 333 036. We’ll talk through what you want and give you an honest view of what’s possible. It’s free and there’s no obligation to go further.
2. Design. We turn the conversation into hand-drawn sketches and show you reference pieces or sample stones where it helps. Nothing is made until you’ve signed off the design.
3. Stones. Choose from our stock or ask us to source one to your specification. We’ll talk you through colour, cut and clarity in plain English.
4. Craftsmanship. Your piece is made in our workshop, sent to the assay office to be hallmarked, then finished, polished and checked. We’ll ring you if there’s a decision to make.
5. Collection. Come back to try it on and check the fit and finish. If anything needs adjusting, we’ll do it.

A deposit is taken to begin a commission, which we’ll explain at your first chat so there are no surprises, and the balance is paid when you collect. Bespoke work is never a while-you-wait job: how long it takes depends on the design and the stone, but think in terms of a few weeks, and we’ll give you a realistic timescale before you decide to go ahead.

Hallmarks & Metals

Every piece we make is hallmarked by an independent assay office. The mark shows who submitted it, the metal’s purity and the assay office, so you can read exactly what you’ve got. Not sure what a hallmark on one of your own pieces means? Bring it in and we’ll read it for you.

Engraving & Personalisation in Blyth

Initials inside a wedding ring, a date on the back of a locket, a name on a christening bangle. Engraving turns a piece of jewellery into something that can’t be replaced, and it works just as well on a much-loved piece you already own as on something new.

Engraving is permanent, so we talk you through the wording, placement and style before anything is touched, and it’s worth getting right the first time. Working to a date for a christening, retirement or anniversary? Tell us at the start so we can plan around it. Engraving typically takes a few days to a week, and we’ll give you a realistic turnaround before you leave the piece with us.

Not sure whether a piece can be engraved? Pop in and ask. There’s no charge for a look.

Pearl & Bead Restringing in Blyth

The thread that holds a string of pearls or beads together wears out long before the pearls do. If your necklace or bracelet is looking loose, has stretched, or you’re worried it might break, restringing it with new thread is a much better outcome than losing the pearls. Bring it in and we’ll look at it with you.

We restring pearl and bead necklaces and bracelets, and we’ll check the clasp while the piece is on the bench, because a worn clasp is how a lot of necklaces get lost. Restringing is workshop work, so we’ll give you a realistic timescale when you bring it in, and we’ll ring you when it’s ready.

What Our Customers Say

I had some old and broken gold to sell, plus a few gold coins. I took them along to the shop and spoke to Mathew. He gave me a very good price for the items, more than a company I had contacted on line.

Excellent service would highly recommend. They took the time to understand exactly what I wanted and made the process easy and enjoyable. The staff was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, with zero pressure to buy.

Matt, Ken and the team have been absolutely faultless in every way every single time we’ve been to them, and now we won’t go anywhere else!! They’ve supplied us with beautiful jewelry including our stunning engagement and wedding rings…

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I get jewellery repaired near me in Blyth?

You can get jewellery repaired at Northumberland Goldsmiths, 3-5 Bowes Street, Blyth, NE24 1BD. We’re a family-run workshop that has been working with jewellery in Blyth for over 35 years, and we cover ring resizing, chain and bracelet repair, clasp and catch repairs, stone setting, cleaning, rhodium plating, engraving, pearl restringing and watch batteries. Customers come to us from Cramlington, Ashington, Morpeth, Whitley Bay, Newcastle and Hexham.

Do I need an appointment, or can I just walk in?

Just walk in. We don’t run an appointment system for repairs or watch batteries. Bring the piece to our Blyth shop during opening hours and one of our jewellers will look at it there and then. For a bespoke or redesign chat, pop in too, or ring us first on 01670 333 036 if you’d rather.

How long does a jewellery repair take?

Watch batteries, quick cleans and tightening a clasp are usually done while you wait. Chain repairs and simple stone re-setting are workshop jobs and typically take a few days. Ring resizing, rhodium plating, stone replacement and engraving typically take a few days to a week. We’ll give you a realistic turnaround before you leave anything with us and ring you when it’s ready.

Can you repair jewellery I didn’t buy from you?

Yes. Most of what comes across our bench wasn’t bought from us: inherited pieces, jewellery from other shops, gifts from years ago. As long as it’s genuine gold, silver or platinum, we can very likely help.

Can I get a watch battery fitted while I wait?

In most cases, yes. Walk in, no appointment, and the battery is usually fitted within a few minutes. If we haven’t got the right cell, we’ll tell you straight away.

Do you service or overhaul mechanical watches?

We arrange full servicing and overhauls for both mechanical and quartz watches through specialist watch repairers. Bring the watch in and we’ll look at it with you, explain what it needs and give you a timescale. It isn’t a while-you-wait job.

How often should white gold be rhodium plated?

As a rule, about every two years, but it depends on your lifestyle and how well the ring is looked after. A ring that’s worn every day, and takes a lot of hand-washing, cleaning products or knocks, will wear through sooner than one that’s cared for and only worn now and then. If yours has started to look yellow or tired, pop in and we’ll tell you whether it needs plating or just a clean.

Can you restring pearls or beads?

Yes. We restring pearl and bead necklaces and bracelets with new thread and check the clasp at the same time. It’s workshop work rather than a while-you-wait job, and we’ll give you a timescale when you bring it in.

How long does a bespoke piece take, and do I pay a deposit?

Think in terms of a few weeks, depending on the design and the stone, and we’ll give you a realistic timescale at your first chat. If you’re working to a date, tell us at the start and we’ll plan backwards from it. A deposit is taken to begin a commission, which we’ll explain at the first chat, and the balance is paid when you collect your piece.

Can you redesign my old or inherited jewellery, or use my own gold?

Yes, it’s one of the commonest things we do. We can reuse the gold and stones from old rings, brooches, earrings and chains, or melt old and broken gold down and make it into something new. We’ll check the metal and the stones first and tell you honestly what can be reused.

Can I get my bespoke piece valued for insurance?

Your detailed receipt is proof of value for most pieces, so keep it safe and share it with your insurer. For higher-value commissions we can arrange a formal written valuation on request, so just ask when you collect the piece.

Visit Us in Blyth

The easiest way to start is to pop in. There’s no appointment system and no obligation: bring the ring, the watch, the old jewellery or just an idea, and one of our jewellers will have a look with you there and then. Prefer to check first? Give us a ring on 01670 333 036.

Northumberland Goldsmiths
3-5 Bowes Street, Blyth, Northumberland, NE24 1BD
Tel: 01670 333 036
Monday – Friday: 9:30am – 5pm
Saturday: 9:30am – 4pm
Sunday: Closed

Family-run and based in Blyth for over 35 years. Looking for something ready-made? Browse our jewellery collection.