Jonathan David is a top end jewellers that supply everything from diamond and platinum jewellery…read morethrough to designer watches. But that's not to say that they are entirely conventional, and don't carry the fun stuff too. They also sell an interesting and comprehensive range of affordable silver, gemstone and quality glass jewellery, sourcing their stock from some home-grown designers as well as from further afield. In fact, Jonathan David cover all of their bases by augmenting their products and services with a pre-owned range, but this is mainly confined to jewellery containing precious stones, such as diamond engagement rings, as well as watches... essentially things that are subject to standard evaluations, where market price can be estimated accurately. This is a family run business with outlets in Wellfield Road in Roath as well as St Mary Street in the centre of town. The St Mary Street outlet carries much of the pre-owned jewellery, so if you are looking for an engagement ring, then this is where you need to head to. In addition, somewhat logically, jewellery and watch repairs take place here as well... this is where the repair and valuation team are based. Again, if you are looking to trade something in, or simply need a valuation for insurance purposes then a visit to the St Mary Street outlet is advisable, although the Wellfield Road store will happily deal with all of your enquiries.

Jonathan David is more of a traditional jewellery store, a place where your posh grandmother would…read morefeel right at home. I love its old-world style furnishings and decor, which complement the fine offering of sparkly jewels. Apparently, this store has been a site of a jewellers since 1896, making it the oldest store of its kind in the city. The selection is varied and there's something to suit all tastes and budgets, including new ranges from Pandora, Victorinox and Kit Heath, as well as a stunning selection of pre-owned jewellery. I'm not a massive jewellery fan - I have a few treasured pieces - but I think I know a fine jewellers when I see one, and it's apparent Jonathan David carries beautiful adornments for both men and women, in addition to offering services like engraving and watch repair.

W R P Jewellery is a very conventional jewellers on Clifton Street, near the city centre. It stocks…read morea good selection of silver and gold jewellery, a lot of which is really well priced and s make ideal gift ideas. Items include a good range of charms and fancy link chains as well as fashion pendants and crosses. They also carry a large selection of earrings, with hoops in both silver and gold. Somewhat inevitably they also offer a reasonable range of engagement rings and wedding bands. They also buy scrap 9ct - 22ct gold. After hours phone number: 01374 601470 Unlike many of the shops on Clifton Street, business levels at W R P Jewellery Don't seem to have been too adversely affected by the new one way system that the council implemented about a year ago. This is probably mainly due to the fact that W R P Jewellery have been around for quite a long time and are well known for performing repairs and modifications. They also provide a valuation service for insurance purposes, as well as reselling. With the price of gold going through the roof during the recession, a lot of people have been tempted to sell their unwanted pieces of gold jewellery for scrap, and so I imagine that W R P Jewellery have performed more valuations than usual over the last couple of years.

I can't recommend this jeweller highly enough. Following a reasonably priced chain repair I asked…read morethem to repair a very precious (to me) ring. It was a difficult job but they did it and now I can wear a very special item of jewellery that means the world to me.

The Silver Studio specialises in contemporary designer silver jewellery, including bracelets,…read morebangles, earrings,necklaces, rings and some items for men. They stock some innovative jewellery collections by designers such as Nick Hubbard, or clean, crisp designs such as those by Amanda Cox, inlaid with pearls. From stripey, chunky bangles and colourful resin necklaces to delicate bracelets decorated with daisies and bees - there's quite a variety of styles in this tiny shop. If you're into brightly coloured jewellery, this is a great place to look - and some of their Murano glass earrings and pendants are particularly vibrant. For men, there is a good selection of cufflinks - form smart white enamel and ruby sets to quirky Picasso designs. They also have chunky tungsten rings and link bracelets for men, and bangles made out of steel or titanium. Since most of the jewellery is made of silver (as the name suggests!) it's not a particularly expensive shop. There are items for different pockets - so for example you could spend as little as £20 on a pendant, or spend a bit over £150 on a silver ring with double set Peridot stones.

Ok - hands up - I'm not a big fan of jewellery - I have often tried to wear it but I have never…read morequite pulled it off - style wise I mean even though I did manage to get a ring stuck on my finger I once tried on in a shop. Anyhow - i don't know what it is but me and jewellery we just don't mix. I've tried busting everything from rings, to chains, to bangles and even once had an ear ring (I took it out after 2 weeks and piercing disappeared). With all this in mind you'd think I wouldn't be interested in jewellery wouldn't you? Wrong! I'm always attracted t pretty things and that's why I was drawn to Silver Studio in the Royal Arcade. The shop's front is clean and welcoming and it somehow manages to pull you in. After browsing its shiny contents for a few minutes I found myself considering purchasing a set of white enamel cuff links at a price of £99! I don't even wear cuff links (well no more than 1 or twice a year to weddings and funerals anyway). Luckily I snapped myself out of my nearly costly magpie like trance and left the shop but this is the power of silver studio. It's definitely worth a browse especially if you're taken buy pretty shiny things lie i am.

Stuart Mitchell's is a jeweller/goldsmith located on the balcony of the Castle Arcade, and,…read morealthough it's a bit out of the way, it's definitely a shop worth visiting. I had a ring that I was hoping could be melted down and re-set as something new, but had no idea where to start, so thankfully a friend recommended Stuart Mitchell's reputable services. I'd always wanted a diamond solitaire necklace, so the kind gentleman at Stuart Mitchell explained the design and settings that would be appropriate, which proved to be extremely helpful as I know nothing about jewellery. I knew what I wanted, but had no idea how to express it in words, but he simply brought out this massive catalogue and pointed out a few examples. Job done. Once I got it back, it was exactly the way I envisaged and now one of my favourite pieces of jewellery - I totally recommend his services!

I took my watch here to enquire about polishing the bracelet as it had some light scratching. I got…read morea very abrupt response 'I don't work with stainless steel' and the guy disappeared behind a screen to his workshop. Not a very helpful response but he is under no obligation to help. I asked if he knew anywhere that might be able to help me to which his reply was 'The cost of the work would be more than the cost of the watch' I replied that the watch was worth in the region of £1500 and so it certainly was not. He then shrugged and walked behind his screen again. WOW! What terrible customer service. I certainly won't be using or recommending this company again.

Clive Ranger have dubbed themselves South Wales and West England's "The Diamond Ring Specialists"…read more Founded in 1977, Clive Ranger offers a range of jewellery for the discerning customer, who values high-quality, ethically-produced pieces. Their ranges are probably suited to those with a more traditional taste, and even though I'm not a huge jewellery fan in general, I must admit the pieces here are striking and would make quite a gift for a loved one. With designers like Faberge' and Isabelle Langlois, Clive Ranger carries a wide selection of engagement jewellery, watches, cufflinks, charms, and anything that sparkles. They also carry Welsh company Clogau Gold, which currently has golf-themed jewellery in honour of the fast-approaching Ryder Cup. If you'd like a bespoke item created, Clive Ranger encourage you to stop by the store, where you can discuss your ideas with staff and possibly have one of their craftspeople turn your idea into a one-of-a-kind piece of jewellery.

I purchased the white gold ring with some clusters of diamond on top from their Bath store about a…read moredecade ago. I loved the ring and wore it until some clusters of diamond came off. Then, I sold it to the jeweller. I also bought the trilogy diamond pendant with a platinum chain. I`ve always loved my necklace.

Need a watch repaired, links removed, battery replaced or just in the market for some jewelry, then…read moreNash's has the lot. A goldsmith that has a very large range of stock, well presented and some expert recommendations for gifts or purchase a gift voucher. As well as selling many types of jewelry Nash's has a workshop to create rings to specification with gemstone setting and cleaning available. Engagement ring purchases are a common choice and Nash's has the expertise to set many types and designs of ring. The shop is full of designer watches from rotary, sekonda, citron and smart as well as other brands.

I have recently had my old bangle remodelled (at Jewellery studio in Cardiff) into a contemporary…read morebangle which I really love. All the staff are so friendly and welcoming. I have spoken to Amanda and Tom during the process and I've got to admit they both have been super helpful and professional. thank you so much

Somewhat inevitably, Pontcanna has got itself a really upmarket jewellery shop that specialises in…read morediamonds - The Jewellery Studio, on Cathedral Road. This is a boutique style shop that couldn't be more different than Ratners if it tried. Diamond specialist really know their business, and part of what they know is to display things in style. Stocking a great selection of modern designers like Suzie Horan, Deco Echo, and Tianguis Jackson, I find myself drawn inexorably to their window, whether there is anything in my bank account or not! Just looking at these pieces of finely crafted beauty enriches my world! There have been some interesting developments of late. New designers like Lucas Jack and the Daisy Stack Rings range have been introduced to supplement the existing designer jewellery and watches. I'm unsure what has prompted these decisions, but I would imagine two factors are pretty influential. We've stopped getting married, and there's a recession on, so diamonds are more beyond our reach than usual!

This is an interesting little shop to poke your nose in. Mainly they deal with jewellery, but also…read morehave a range of cards and small gifts. As well as quite a standard range of popular jewellery and watches (Calvin Klein, Swatch etc), they also have a range of more unusual and handmade silver jewellery. Ethnic traditions and Scandinavian designs can also be found, so it's something a little different from just the usual high street fare. The prices in store seem to be pretty good, and there are good sales prices too. The Calvin Klein ellipse range - think simple curvy shapes and big chunks of metal - is worth a little look at, at the very least. Unfortunately this store, as pretty and inviting as it looks from the outside, has a tendency to, in my mind, to be a little tacky. I often go in expecting more than it actually delivers.

This jewellery shop in the city centre sells some unusual handmade pieces from around the world -…read morealongside a few gifts and some nice greetings cards. They have an unusual range of handcrafted items from Israel, with each piece entirely unique. They also have some striking Mexican designs, using silver sourced from Taxco. The Kit Heath jewellery range seems to feature a lot of traditional Celtic influences, as well as some classic designs with a contemporary twist. And they also sell Calvin Klein jewellery, colourful Coeur De Lion bracelets and earrings, and a range of other collections by contemporary designers. Their range of watches include brands such as Diesel, Storm and Calvin Klein. Although I've looked around many, many times, I've never actually found myself buying anything other than a birthday card or two from here - but the jewellery is worth a look to see if it's your thing.

I generally go by the phrase that you can tell a man's worth by checking out his wallet, his shoes…read moreand his watch. A silly mantra, I know, but one that has made me maintain a certain standard of presentability even whilst I was a student. As a result, I have shoes for every occasion, three different wallets of different styles and colour, and seventeen watches. However, I am also a rather active (read: occasionally clumsy) person which ensures every single watch I own has been broken, or snapped, or damaged in some way in the time that I've owned it. So right now, I'm going to be taking all the credit for keeping Christopher George afloat. These are the guys that Timpson's send watches to when they can't fix them. They're the pros that the pros look up to, and if you want work done on your watch, cut out the middle man and just come here. The professional quality of the work will astound you.

RIP OFF AND TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE…read more I took my high value watch in to get an estimate to polish the bracelet only. I was told that they would not polish the bracelet without servicing it which would cost me £100. I explained I had the watch serviced by the manufacturer only a few years ago so I was not looking to have it serviced and just wanted the bracelet polished (not the case -so I would leave the bracelet only with them). The lady said they would do it but would still charge £100 -the same cost as to service it as well??? I asked the lady why they would charge the same to just polish as they would to service and polish the item but all she could just say that was what the repair workshop had told her. They quite clearly did not want the work unless they did an (unnecessary) service but rather than just say this made up a ridiculous price to get rid of me. What a terrible way to treat a customer and to grossly exaggerate costings as well to put someone off. I work for a national company in the jewellery trade and have recommended this store in the past to customers but I certainly will not be doing that any longer.

The Cardiff Antique Centre doesn't exactly sell antiques to the exclusion of all else, and would…read moreprobably be more appropriately named if it carried the title of 'Cardiff Collectibles' or something of that ilk... and then this would even be stretching the description a bit. (A 1970's vinyl LP going by the name of Tango Time wouldn't be found anywhere near my record collection, I can tell you that!) The quality of stock varies considerably, and to my mind, quite a lot of it would be better suited to a specialist flea market, more than an antiques shop. But in its defense, housing several traders under one roof, and finding a name that fits all, is never going to be an easy balancing act. However, the stock tends to be a little bit pricey, and I feel this is more reflective of the prestigious location and the branding, and has less to do with the actual inherent value of the goods in question. But when all is said and done, it's a great curiosity shop, that makes for pretty interesting, (and often entertaining), browsing. Some things are just so naff that they'll prompt an episode of incredulous giggling. And of course, it is more than possible that you'll find many tasteful genuine articles. If the truth be known, I could actually spend a fair amount of money in here... if I had it! The stalls occupy two floors, with specialists in military memorabilia, jewellery, bone china, toys, autographed collectibles etc.

I love browsing around antique shops and that's pretty much all I do - I hardly ever buy with the…read moreone exception of when I went into Cardiff Antique Centre. I bought a little silver lighter for £30 - I don't know why it just appealed to me. But there are loads of stuff to look around - signed celeb pictures - star wars memorabilia, jewellery etc etc. It's pointless me listing what they sell as its anything and everything - pop in and see what I mean it won't be a wasted time in fact once you go in once I pretty much guarantee you'll pop in again and again. And if you do fancy buying something don't be scared to haggle.