Most standard jewellery repairs in the UK cost somewhere between £15 and £100 or more, with ring resizing typically starting from around £25 for a plain sterling silver band and climbing well past £100 once gemstones or other materials are involved. But the honest answer is that no reputable jeweller can quote a firm price without seeing the piece first — the cost depends on the metal, the type of damage, and how much work the repair genuinely needs. Every figure in this guide is a starting point, not a quote. This guide, written by the repair team at Silver Hollow Jewellery, breaks down what to expect across the most common repairs, and just as importantly, how to tell when a repair is worth doing at all.
Dan and Will handle repairs at Silver Hollow's workbench between markets, and one thing they see constantly is people either overpaying at big chains for simple jobs, or throwing away pieces that were perfectly fixable. One recent job summed it up: a client brought in a sentimental silver bracelet that a couple of other jewellers had already turned away, apparently because it was silver and not considered worth their time. Dan and Will repaired it and gave it a complimentary clean and re-finish — it's the kind of job they see often, stepping in on pieces other jewellers have waved off. The aim here is to give you enough honest context to make a good decision before you hand anything over.
How Much Does Ring Resizing Cost in the UK?
Ring resizing in the UK typically starts from around £25 for a plain sterling silver band, rising to £100 or more once gemstones or other materials are involved — a ring with stones already set close to the shoulders needs a more careful, time-consuming process than a plain band, which is reflected in the price. Silver is usually the cheapest metal to resize; gold and platinum cost more because they're harder to work and need more heat.
Independent workshops like Silver Hollow's are generally cheaper than national chains for the same job — at a big chain you're partly paying for the brand and the retail overhead — though every workshop prices differently, so it's worth asking rather than assuming.
At Silver Hollow, resizing is quoted individually once Dan or Will has seen the ring, because the fair price genuinely depends on the metal, the width of the band, whether stones are set, and how far it needs to move. A plain narrow silver band is a quick job; a wide band with stones set close to the shoulders is a very different one — and it's genuinely not possible to give an accurate figure without seeing the piece.
How Much Does It Cost to Resize a Ring Up vs Down?
There's no reliable general rule for whether sizing up or down costs more — it genuinely depends on the individual ring. Sizing down means cutting out a small section of the band and soldering it back together; sizing up usually means stretching the metal or adding a piece in and finishing the join invisibly. Either can be quick or involved depending on the ring.
What affects the price more than direction is whether the ring has stones set. A plain band, sized up or down, is usually a straightforward job. A ring with stones already set — particularly close to the shoulders — needs a more careful, more time-consuming process whichever way it's being resized, which is reflected in the cost. The size of the change matters too: a half-size adjustment is minor, while moving several sizes may mean more material and more work, and in some cases affects whether it's advisable at all.
How Much Does Chain and Necklace Repair Cost?
A simple chain repair — re-soldering a single broken link — typically starts from around £15 in the UK, with clasp replacement from around £20. Multiple solder repairs on the same chain are usually priced case by case, and most jewellers, Silver Hollow included, will offer a bulk discount for several links needing repair rather than charging the full single-repair rate for each one. Prices rise for very fine or antique chains, which are delicate and slow to work on without damaging the surrounding links, and for gold or platinum, which cost more than silver to repair because of the material and the higher melting points involved.
The trickiest chains to repair are the very thin, high-shine ones, where a repair join has to be almost invisible, and hollow chains, where too much heat can collapse the tube. This is exactly the kind of job where experience matters more than the headline price — a cheap repair that discolours or kinks the chain isn't a saving.
How Do You Fix a Broken Necklace Clasp?
A broken necklace clasp is usually fixed by either repairing the existing clasp or replacing it with a new one, and it's one of the most common and affordable repairs there is. If the clasp mechanism itself has failed — a spring has gone, or the catch no longer holds — replacement is normally the sensible option, because a worn clasp will keep failing. If the clasp is fine but the small jump ring connecting it to the chain has opened, that's an even simpler fix.
It's tempting to fix a clasp at home with pliers, and for a cheap costume piece that may be fine. But on anything precious, a home fix often means an open jump ring that quietly works loose again, and the necklace is lost the second time. A properly closed or soldered join is what stops that happening.
Can Sterling Silver Rings Be Repaired?
Yes — sterling silver rings can almost always be repaired. Silver solders cleanly, resizes well, and takes polishing beautifully, which makes it one of the most forgiving metals to work with. Cracked bands, worn-through shanks, snapped rings, and rings that have been cut off in an emergency can generally all be rebuilt by a jeweller. In most cases a well-repaired silver ring is as strong as it was originally.
Silver is Silver Hollow's home ground — Dan makes sterling silver pieces by hand every day, so repairing them is second nature. The same understanding of how silver behaves under heat that goes into making a ring is what makes for a clean, lasting repair rather than a visible patch.
Can Broken and Bent Rings Be Fixed?
Most broken or bent rings can be fixed. A ring snapped cleanly in two can usually be soldered back together; a bent ring can normally be reshaped; and a ring worn thin on one side can often have that section rebuilt. The main exceptions are pieces where the metal has become too thin and brittle across the whole band to hold a repair, or heavily damaged pieces set with fragile stones that can't take the heat of soldering — in those cases remaking may be more sensible than repairing.
A bent ring is often a simpler fix than people expect. What looks alarming — a wedding band squashed oval, say — is frequently just a reshaping job rather than a full repair, provided the metal isn't cracked.
Can a Lost or Loose Stone Be Replaced?
Yes — a loose stone can be re-set and a lost stone can usually be replaced, though the cost varies more here than with almost any other repair. Stone re-setting typically starts from around £45 and can run to £100 or more, depending on the stone and setting. Re-tightening a stone that's come loose is usually towards the lower end of that range and well worth doing promptly, before the stone falls out and is lost for good. Replacing a stone that's already gone means sourcing a match for size, cut and colour, which is where the cost climbs — a small everyday stone is inexpensive to match, a precise match for a diamond or coloured gem is not.
If you notice a stone moving or rattling in its setting, it's worth getting it looked at quickly. A relatively small tightening job now is far cheaper than replacing a lost stone later, and much cheaper than the sentimental cost of losing an original one.
Can Gold-Plated and Costume Jewellery Be Repaired?
Gold-plated and costume jewellery can sometimes be repaired, but it's more limited than with solid precious metals. Soldering near plating can burn or discolour the finish, and many costume pieces are made from base metals or glued components that don't respond well to heat. Simple fixes — replacing a clasp, reattaching a fitting — are often possible, but structural repairs to plated items may not be worth the cost relative to the piece's value.
This is one of the few areas where honest advice sometimes means telling someone a repair isn't worth it. For a sentimental costume piece, a simple mechanical fix can be great value; for a badly damaged plated item, the repair can cost more than replacing it.
Is It Worth Repairing Jewellery, or Should You Replace It?
A repair is usually worth it when the piece has real material value or sentimental value and the damage is structural rather than terminal — a snapped silver or gold band, a broken clasp, a loose stone. Replacement tends to make more sense only when the metal is too far gone to hold a repair, or when the piece is low-value costume jewellery where the repair would cost more than a new one.
The deciding factors are the metal (solid precious metals are almost always worth repairing), the nature of the damage (a clean break is easy; widespread thinning is not), and what the piece means to you. A £20 fashion ring rarely justifies a £40 repair. A grandmother's wedding band almost always does, whatever the figure. When you ask for a quote, a good jeweller will tell you honestly which side of that line your piece falls on — Silver Hollow always will.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does jewellery repair cost in the UK?
Most standard jewellery repairs cost between £15 and £100 or more. Ring resizing typically starts from £25 and can exceed £100 once gemstones are involved, chain repairs start from £15 and clasp replacement from £20, and stone re-setting starts from around £45. The exact price always depends on the metal and the extent of the damage, and a firm quote needs the piece to be seen first.
How much does it cost to resize a ring?
Ring resizing in the UK typically starts from around £25 for a plain silver band and can rise to £100 or more once gemstones or other materials are involved. Silver is the cheapest metal to resize, gold and platinum cost more, and there's no fixed rule for whether sizing up or down is cheaper — it depends more on whether the ring has stones set and how large the size change is.
Can sterling silver rings be repaired?
Yes. Sterling silver is one of the easiest metals to repair — it solders cleanly, resizes well, and polishes beautifully. Cracked, snapped, worn or cut-off silver rings can almost always be rebuilt to their original strength by a jeweller.
Can a snapped necklace be fixed?
Yes, in most cases. A snapped chain can usually be repaired by soldering the broken link back together, and a broken clasp can be repaired or replaced. Very fine or hollow chains are more delicate and need careful work, but most snapped necklaces are fixable.
How do you fix a broken necklace clasp?
A broken clasp is fixed by either repairing it or replacing it with a new one. If the mechanism has failed, replacement is usually best, as a worn clasp will keep failing. If only the small connecting jump ring has opened, closing or soldering it securely is enough.
Can a lost stone be replaced?
Yes. A loose stone can be re-set, and a lost stone can usually be replaced by sourcing a match for its size, cut and colour. Stone re-setting typically starts from around £45 and can run higher — replacement cost depends heavily on the stone, with an everyday stone inexpensive to match and a precise match for a diamond or coloured gem costing more.
Is it worth repairing jewellery?
Repairing is usually worth it for solid precious-metal pieces with material or sentimental value, where the damage is structural. Replacement makes more sense for low-value costume jewellery, or when the metal is too worn to hold a repair. A good jeweller will advise honestly which applies to your piece.
Based in Chichester and Horsham, Dan and Will repair all types of jewellery in gold, silver and platinum — in person at our markets or by post across the UK. Every repair is quoted individually, so you'll always know the cost before any work begins. Request a free repair quote here, or browse our handmade silver rings if you're looking for something new.