Meet the proud owner of Northampton’s jewellery repair centre – offering quick turnaround including same day
Meet the proud owner of a business hoping to become widely known as Northampton’s jewellery repair centre, which offers a quick turnaround including the same day.
Saint Gyles Jewellers opened in St Giles’ Street 44 years ago, and business owner Kathryn Ozlati has been involved from the very beginning.
Kathryn began as an assistant working one day a week and it was a gradual progression to managing the store for the six days it is open – which increases to seven at Christmas time.
Kathryn is joined by one of her daughters, making Saint Gyles Jewellers a family-oriented business, and the community is continually impressed by the range of services on offer.
It is a traditional jewellers selling engagement rings, pre-owned jewellery and watches, fashion brands, high-end and bespoke items. Bespoke jewellery makes up a big part of business.
It is also home to an on-site workshop, provides insurance valuations, and launched Northampton’s jewellery repair centre – which undertakes same day repairs and prides itself on quick turnaround.
“We do all repairs on-site,” Kathryn told the Chronicle & Echo. “A good example is rhodium plating on white gold and platinum rings, which is a coating to make them shiny.
“Pricing locally is anything around £70 and it could take a couple of weeks. There’s been a metal price hike but we do it for £50 on the same day. That’s just one of the services we offer.
“With other shops, jewellery is sent away as they don’t have a workshop on-site to do the work. It makes a big difference and we ensure this service is available on the high street. Others rely on the postal system and with us, you know it’s going to remain on-site.”
With same day repairs, Kathryn and her team encourage customers to have a browse and shop with other retailers across the town centre while they wait for the work to be done.
“We are enthusiastic about the year,” said Kathryn. “We’ve had some wonderful feedback and reviews which endorse the hard work and effort we’re putting in.”
Saint Gyles Jewellers tries to be a hub for all customers and they are proud of the welcoming atmosphere and all-round experience offered in the shop.
“We can vouch for the quality of what we’re selling and the work we’re doing,” said Kathryn. “We offer insurance valuations too, and we try to do a week turnaround depending on how many we get in. We have valuation days when people can book an appointment too.
“We put in a lot of effort to give our customers a big overall service, which is appreciated from what we’re told from feedback. We try to encourage people to come into the town centre, stay and have a look around. We offer an all-round package and it’s a service I would appreciate.”
Although they try their best to offer same day repairs when possible, Kathryn explained that of course it is not always possible but they try to be as efficient as they can.
The more services that Saint Gyles Jewellers introduce, the more it enthuses the team about the potential of the business. They all enjoy what they do, the people they have met along the way, and are excited about its future.