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• Useful Information

Useful Information

> REFUND/EXCHANGE POLICY
> OUR PRIVACY POLICY
> OUR TERMS & CONDITIONS
> INSURANCE ESTIMATES
> 0% INTEREST FREE
> N.A.G. REGISTERED VALUATIONS
> TRADITIONAL ANNIVERSARY GIFTS
> HALLMARKING
> CARING FOR YOUR JEWELLERY
> WATCHES & WATER RESISTANCE
> WHITE GOLD
> RING SIZE CHART
> COMPARATIVE RING SIZES

Refund/Exchange Policy

We all know the anxiety of purchasing gifts for our loved ones, is it the right style? Will he / she like it? etc etc…the list goes on and on.

At Drakes Fine Jewellers we offer an exchange / refund option ensuring you are never left with an item you do not want. All purchases, with the exception of specially ordered goods are covered by our 14-day refund and 28-day exchange policy.

To qualify items MUST be returned within the time frame allocated from date of purchase along with it’s receipt and any paperwork. The items must of course be unmarked, and any showing signs of wearing or scratching will not be accepted for return. (Statutory rights are unaffected)

We hope this will ease the anxiety and difficulty when choosing that special gift.

Our Privacy Policy

You can download a copy of our privacy policy by clicking here.

Our Terms & Conditions

You can download a copy of our terms & conditions by clicking here.

Insurance Estimates

The loss or theft of treasured possessions is traumatic to say the least. We can help you with your insurance claim by providing the assistance and help necessary to get you through this difficult time.

Our fully qualified, National Association of Goldsmiths Registered Valuer, will prepare an insurance estimate for you free of charge.

Of course any previous valuations or photographs will assist in the accuracy of your estimate. We will, if you prefer, submit the estimate direct to your insurers and liaise with them on your behalf. Let our many years of experience help with the smooth running of your claim in this difficult time.

REMEMBER....We are here to help.

0% Interest Free

Interest free options are available on a wide range of items with a retail price of
£375.00 or more. Agreements are accepted according to status and a cheque account, cheque guarantee card and driving licence are the minimum required to process an application.

A minimum deposit of 20% minimum is required with the balance payable by direct debit
over a six or nine month period.

Exclusions include: Sale goods, Coins, Second Hand and promotional items.

Whilst most applications are processed within a few minutes delays can occur if the phone lines to the finance company are busy. In these cases we will hold the item selected for you until authorisation is obtained.

Written details available on request.

N.A.G. Registered Valuations

The National Association of Goldsmiths established the "Registered valuer" scheme many years ago and set new standards in the level of competency required in order to be qualify as a Registered Valuer.

Many years of experience, together with appropriate equipment and reference libraries enable us to carry out your insurance valuation with accuracy and confidence. Our fully qualified registered Valuer is able to assist with your valuation needs.

Please remember that to be accurate takes time and must not be rushed, after all, you are the one who stands to lose the most if the evaluation subsequently turns out to be incorrect after a loss. Although a valuation, by definition emphasizes a monetary value, the detailed description is extremely important. It's purpose is not only to confirm and justify a value, but in the case of a loss...

• To provide a check list so that everything missing is claimed for.
• To prove ownership if the item is stolen and subsequently recovered by the police.
• To enable a very similar item to be purchased or made again.
• To show that on the date stated the item existed and was examined by the signatory.
• To ensure that in the event of dispute with the insurance company / loss adjustors you have a firm foundation on which to base your claim.
• To check that if a replacement is supplied it is of comparable quality and value with the original.
  

Traditional Anniversary Gifts

Anniversary	British	American
First	Cotton	Paper
Second	Paper	Cotton
Third	Leather	Leather
Fourth	Jewellery	Fruit, Flowers, Silk
Fifth	Wood	Wood
Sixth	Plate	Sugar, Candy, Iron
Seventh	Wool	Wool, Copper
Eighth	Bronze	Bronze, Pottery
Ninth	Watch	Willow, Pottery
Tenth	Tin	Tin, Aluminum
Eleventh	Scent / Soap	Steel
Twelfth	Silk	Silk / Linen
Thirteenth	Barometers	Lace
Fourteenth	Clocks	Ivory
Fifteenth	Crystal	Crystal
Sixteenth	Holloware	China / Emerald
Seventeenth	Accessories
Eighteenth	Coloured gems
Nineteenth	Furniture
Twentieth	China
Twenty Fifth	Silver	Silver
Thirtieth	Pearl	Pearl
Thirty Fifth	Jade	Coral / Platinum
Fortieth	Ruby	Ruby
Forty Fifth	Sapphire	Sapphire
Fiftieth	Emerald	Emerald
Sixtieth	Diamond	Diamond

 

Hallmarking

Hallmarking in England has been in operation since the reign of Henry VIII, and remains your guarantee that an item is what it is supposed to be.

A hallmark now comprises a minimum of three symbols

A sponsors (Manufacturers) mark - We have the letters   “DFJ”

A metal fineness mark such as 916, 750, 375 etc indicating the carat used

And an Assay mark Leopards head, Anchor etc. showing which Assay Office was used.

There may also be additional marks such as a date letter indicating the year manufactured, or traditional fineness marks as shown.

More information is available on the following website  http://www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk/assayoffice/currenthallmarks.htm

There are four main assay offices in the UK.

• London - Indicated by a Leopards head
• Birmingham - Indicated by an Anchor
• Sheffield - Indicated by a Tudor Rose
• Edinburgh - Indicated by a Castle

Each of these government-controlled offices is empowered to assay items manufactured in gold, silver and platinum and stamp them appropriately.

There are four main gold standards in the UK

• 22ct gold  Indicated by the number 916 i.e. 916 parts per 1000 is pure gold
• 18ct gold  Indicated by the number 750 i.e. 750 parts per 1000 is pure gold
• 14ct gold  Indicated by the number 585 i.e. 585 parts per 1000 is pure gold
• 9ct gold    Indicated by the number 375 i.e. 375 parts per 1000 is pure gold

The Platinum standard for the UK is indicated by the number 950 i.e. 950 parts per 1000 is pure platinum.

A continental grading of 800 and 850 is currently in also in use and may occasionally be found on imported items.

For silver goods there are two standards in the UK, one is for “Sterling Silver” the most used Indicated by the number 925 i.e. 925 parts per 1000 pure silver, and “Britannia Silver” Indicated by the number 958 i.e. 958 parts per 1000 is pure silver.

Many reasons exist for the need to alloy metals in this way, with cost being the obvious one. Alloying also imparts other properties to the metal, which may be needed to allow for casting etc. in the manufacturing process.

 

Caring for your jewellery and rings

Your jewellery is precious; it is special and deserves the best care to ensure lasting pleasure.

Always remove items of jewellery and rings prior to carrying out heavy or strenuous work such as gardening, decorating or any arduous activity which carries the real risk of damage

For instance the claws on a ring may only be less than one millimetre in size and if subjected to the pressure and weight the human frame is capable of, can easily be damaged. Safety chains are often caught and broken, rings may be scratched and marked in normal use, the list is endless.

On a positive note we will be delighted to inspect and advise you on the condition of your jewellery at any time if you think you may have damaged it, and we have at your disposal a fully equipped workshop with experienced goldsmiths who are qualified to carry out repairs should the unforeseen happen.

With the proliferation of different stones now available it is important that you are aware of their characteristics. Stones such as Pearls, Opals, Emeralds and Tanzanite must never be cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner for example. If you are in any doubt it is better to have your jewellery and rings professionally cleaned and polished. All rings and jewellery purchased from Drakes Fine Jewellers will be cleaned and polished at any time for you FREE for LIFE.

Remember treat your jewellery as you would your best clothes and you will never regret it.

Some Do’s

Do wear and enjoy your jewellery responsibly
Do have your jewellery professionally checked annually
Do keep your jewellery clean

Some Don’ts

Do not wear your rings whilst washing up (Diamonds for instance will attract grease and look dull). Do not jumble your jewellery and rings all together. Bangles can be dented, rings and stones scratched and chains becoming knotted together etc.

Take care when wearing jewellery on the beach, sand is quartz, a mineral hard enough to scratch gold, silver and even platinum.

Watches and water resistance

This is an area of many misconceptions and leads to much frustration.

All watches are now listed as water-resistant (Water-proof is not permitted as it is conditional on depth and is not absolute as the term Water-proof implies).

All water resistant watches now carry the static pressure to which it is tested. For example
Watches with the lowest level of water resistance are labeled simply "water-resistant." They can withstand splashes of water but should not be submerged. Above that (or below it, literally speaking), the most common designations are:

-50 meters (1 meter is about 3.3 feet), which means the watch is suitable for swimming;
-100 meters; indicating it can be worn snorkeling;
-200 meters, suitable for recreational scuba diving and, believe it or not,
-1,000 meters (roughly three-fifths of a mile).

Watches in this last category can endure deep-sea diving. Their gaskets are made of materials that can withstand the helium used in decompression chambers. Some have valves that let the wearer release the helium that has seeped into the watch so the case won't explode as the watch and diver adjust to normal atmospheric conditions.

Keep in mind that the depth specified on the watch dial represents the results of tests done in the lab, not in the ocean.

I've seen the abbreviation ATM used in labeling degrees of water resistance. What does it mean?

It stands for "atmosphere" and it's equal to 10 meters of water pressure. Another word for "atmosphere" is "bar," which is often used in Europe.

Is water resistance permanent?

No. Water resistance depends on several factors some of which can be affected by wear or simply by time. Gaskets can become corroded or misshapen, cases denied or crystals loose or broken. That's why your watch, like your car and your teeth, needs preventive maintenance.

 

White Gold

With the increasing popularity of white metal in jewellery more instances of discolouration are being experienced. Gold does not occur naturally in white only in yellow, and various techniques are used to alloy the gold with other metals such as silver and palladium, which has the effect of “bleaching” the gold to a near white colour. Most items then receive a coating of Rhodium to impart a very white bright finish.  It is when this coating is worn off that the underlying colour may show through.

Many of the white gold alloys used since 1920 had nickel as the primary bleaching agent and although this produced a very white metal that did not require rhodium coating, it unfortunately caused a severe allergic reaction.  It was subsequently banned for jewellery use in Europe from the year 2000.

At this time it is still in use in America where its allergy problems are  beginning to be felt and no doubt the law will be changed in due course..

Thankfully there is a new metal now available, which has none of the problems of white gold… welcome to Palladium! This naturally occurring very white metal is part of the Platinum family of metals and can be worked in exactly the same way as gold.

With a price point just slightly above 9ct gold it is also very cost effective and considerable sales in wedding rings bear out in practice all of it’s obvious benefits.  Please contact us for information on this exciting new metal.

 

Ring Size Chart

You can download a copy of our ring size chart by clicking here.

 

Comparative Ring Sizes

ENGLISH	AMERICAN	CONTINENTAL
Note Size comparisons are a guide only
H	4	5
I	4.5	7.75
J		9
K
L	5.75	11
M	6.5	12.5
N		13
O	7.25	15.5
P	7.75	16.5
Q	8.25	17.5
R	8.75	19
S	9.5	21
T
U	10.5	23
V	10.5	23.5