AA Thornton have been in the very heart of Kettering for over a century with many of the key dates marked by plaques often in the form of hallmarks shown around the building. It all started with Arthur Augustus Thornton, my great grandfather, who was trained in Birmingham as a watchmaker and came to Kettering to set up his shop in Market Street in 1909.
His passion understandably was always watches and clocks and he was often seen working at his bench repairing customers timepieces. When Arthur's son Percy Arthur, affectionately known as Pat, joined the business he expanded further into Jewellery although his interest was silver and pewter. My father Simon trained at another long established jeweller before following into the family business.
His passion understandably was always watches and clocks and he was often seen working at his bench repairing customers timepieces. When Arthur's son Percy Arthur, affectionately known as Pat, joined the business he expanded further into Jewellery although his interest was silver and pewter. My father Simon trained at another long established jeweller before following into the family business.
Services
Our workshop is able to carry out a wide range of Jewellery repairs and these are just a few examples of the work we can undertake. If worn regularly rings can get a lot of rough treatment and will from time to time need some essential maintenance or repairs. The little claws or prongs as they are often called, that hold the stones in place can become worn or broken which, if not repaired, can result in the stone falling out and becoming lost.
Pearl necklaces and bracelets are threaded often with silk and over time this will wear, stretch and eventually snap so we would therefore recommend that you regularly have them rethreaded. We offer a rethreading service, not only for pearls but also other types of bead jewellery. If the necklace or bracelet has already broken, we can also advise you if it would be more appropriate to have an alternative to silk.
It is important that your ring fits your finger. A ring that is too tight can be painful whilst one that is too loose is more likely to be lost or damaged. Ring resizing by making your ring bigger or making it smaller is a service undertaken by our onsite workshop. One of our friendly and knowledgeable team will be able to advise what is the best size is for you.
Whilst we suggest that you look after your jewellery and clean it at home we would recommend that you periodically have it professionally cleaned and polished. Regular wear will result in scratches and a build-up of dirt especially around stones and this will result in a gradual dulling of the appearance.
You probably clear out your wardrobe from time to time so why not take a look into your jewellery box as well. Have you thought about the pieces you don't wear anymore? The ones that you have been left and have no special meaning to you, perhaps an odd earring, even a gold watch which is now beyond repair, or just a worn and broken bracelet.
