By Rocco Clayfield, Founder & Director, GoldPaid Ltd · Published 24 August 2026
What UK jewellers actually charge to repair a chain
Prices vary by high street, but the following ranges cover the typical UK independent jeweller in 2026. Chain stores (H. Samuel, Ernest Jones) sit at the upper end. Small-town family jewellers often come in lower. Very complex pieces or specialist chains (Prince of Wales, foxtail, spiga) sit higher again.
| Job | 9ct chain | 18ct chain |
|---|---|---|
| Solder a broken clasp back on | £15–£35 | £25–£45 |
| Fit a new spring-ring or bolt-ring clasp | £25–£60 | £40–£80 |
| Fit a new lobster clasp | £30–£70 | £50–£95 |
| Solder a broken chain link | £20–£45 | £30–£60 |
| Replace a missing chain section (up to 10mm) | £30–£80 | £50–£120 |
| Full chain shorten or lengthen | £40–£90 | £70–£140 |
| Full chain resize with new links added | £50–£150+ | £90–£250+ |
14ct sits between 9ct and 18ct on price. Silver chains are usually about 60–70% of the 9ct figure. Platinum chains are a separate world and typically cost 2–3× the 18ct rate.
What a chain actually pays at scrap
Scrap is straightforward: weight × carat percentage × per-gram rate. On a middling market with London spot at around £70 per gram of pure gold, a legitimate postal buyer pays close to spot minus a small refining and processing margin. Illustrative figures:
| Carat | Approx. paid per gram (spot £70) |
|---|---|
| 9ct | £24–£26 |
| 14ct | £38–£41 |
| 18ct | £49–£52 |
| 22ct | £61–£64 |
Spot moves daily. Check our live rate page for the current per-gram figure. A chain's scrap value is the weight in grams multiplied by the carat rate. The clasp counts. The soldered joints count. The whole thing goes into the crucible.
Worked example one: 4g 9ct chain with a broken clasp
A common scenario. A 40cm 9ct rope chain, 4 grams, snapped clasp. Kept in a jewellery box for three years.
- Repair route: £25–£35 at a local jeweller to solder or replace the clasp. Turnaround 3–7 days. Chain returns to service.
- Scrap route: 4g × £25/g (9ct at £70 spot) = around £100 in the bank within one working hour of acceptance.
The honest question is not which pays more? It is would you wear it? If yes, repair is a bargain — a £25–£35 job returns a piece worth around £100 in metal alone and much more as a wearable chain (a comparable new 9ct chain retails at £180–£250). If the chain has sat in a drawer for three years and will sit there for the next three, scrap gives you £100 of usable cash today.
Not sure how any of this applies to your own items? Send a photo on WhatsApp and ask. We answer honestly, there is no obligation, and nothing is posted until you decide. Or call 07944 014111, 8am to 9pm, 7 days a week.
Worked example two: 12g 18ct chain, snapped mid-length
An inherited 45cm curb chain, 18ct, 12 grams, snapped roughly in the middle from an old repair failing.
- Repair route: £40–£70 to solder the failed link plus a check-through of surrounding links. Turnaround 5–14 days. Chain worth in the region of £700+ at retail.
- Scrap route: 12g × £50/g (18ct at £70 spot) = around £600 in the bank same working day.
Repair wins clearly if you would wear it. A £70 repair returning a £600+ chain is a nine-to-one leverage. Scrap wins only if the chain does not fit, does not suit, or has no place in your rotation. There is no shame in either answer.
Worked example three: 2g 9ct broken necklace, unworn
A light 9ct trace chain from a former relationship. 2 grams. Snapped, tangled with another chain, held together by knots.
- Repair route: £25 clasp plus £30–£50 to untangle and repair broken links = £55–£75. Chain would be worth around £50 at metal after repair.
- Scrap route: 2g × £25/g = around £50 today.
Repair loses. You would spend more on the repair than the piece is worth as metal, and probably more than a new chain of equivalent weight would cost. Scrap is the honest answer.
A plain decision framework
Before you decide, run through five questions:
- Does it fit? A chain that is too short, too long or the wrong style for your neckline is not going to be worn no matter how well repaired.
- Does it match jewellery you actually wear? A yellow 18ct chain in a rose-gold wardrobe will stay in the box.
- Is the sentimental value real or reflexive? Sentimental keepsakes belong in the box. Guilt-keeping does not.
- How does the repair cost compare to the scrap value? If repair is under a third of scrap and the piece fits and matches, repair. If repair is more than half of scrap and the piece is unworn, scrap.
- Is this the third or fourth time it has broken? Chains that keep breaking often have thin, worn links throughout. The next repair fixes the symptom, not the cause.
When neither repair nor scrap is right — auction
A third route deserves mention. If your chain has:
- A named designer or maker's mark (Cartier, Tiffany, David Yurman, John Hardy, a good British silversmith),
- Distinctive period design (Georgian Albert, Victorian double curb, Edwardian bookchain),
- Original fitted case or provenance,
- Heavy gauge or unusual construction (hand-woven, byzantine, spiga with matched clasp)
…then a specialist auction house may return more than either repair or scrap. Send photos of the marks and the whole chain to Fellows, Woolley & Wallis, Bonhams or a good regional saleroom for a free valuation before you commit to either route.
If scrap is the answer
Our broken chains page covers what we buy, how it is tested and what you get. Broken clasps, snapped links, tangled masses, single earrings, mismatched pairs — all fine. Send it as-is in a jiffy bag. Cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the Royal Mail postal method and cover level used.
Once your parcel arrives, we weigh, XRF-test and offer within the working day. Faster Payments land within one working hour of acceptance. Return is free and tracked if you decline.
For questions on posting a chain, see what happens if Royal Mail loses your parcel.
Common questions
Can a chain be repaired more than once?
Yes, if the metal around the repair is sound. If the chain has thin, worn links throughout, each repair puts stress on the next-weakest joint and a fresh break is common within months. A jeweller worth using will tell you if the chain is at the end of its serviceable life.
Is it worth repairing a very thin chain?
Usually not, if the chain is under about 2g of 9ct. The repair cost approaches or exceeds the replacement cost of an equivalent chain. Thin chains that keep breaking are best scrapped and the money put toward a heavier gauge.
Do you repair chains?
No. We are a scrap and second-hand buyer, not a workshop. We can point you to a reputable local jeweller if you tell us your postcode. For repair-vs-scrap advice on a specific chain, WhatsApp a photo to 07944 014111.
What is the cheapest way to repair a chain?
A local family jeweller usually undercuts high-street chains by 20–40%. A workshop-only jeweller (no retail counter) is often cheaper still. Ask for the price in writing before leaving the piece and ask whether the quote covers all likely work.
Can you scrap a chain if it is tangled with another chain?
Yes. Tangled masses are common. We separate, weigh and test each chain individually before quoting. No need to try to untangle them at home.
Does scrapping a gold-plated chain pay anything?
Gold-plated (gold-filled, rolled gold, 1/20th 9ct) chains have negligible scrap value. We test on arrival — if it is plated, we tell you and return it free of charge.
What if my chain has a repair I want to keep — an inscribed clasp or an added charm?
Tell us in advance if there is a part of the piece you want returned separately. We can remove and return a specific fitting before melting the rest, at no extra charge.