Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve compiled some questions that we are often asked about jewellery and watches. If you don’t find the answer you need here, you can drop us an email at info@charlesfish.co.uk.

Online payments are accepted through debit or credit card transactions. We accept Visa, Mastercard and Maestro debit and credit cards as well as American Express. You may also pay via PayPal.

No, discount codes cannot be used on the purchase of pre-owned watches or pre-owned jewellery or Michael Kors Access. 

Please see our Refund and Exchange policy

Please see our Delivery Information page

Please see our Delivery Information page

Yes, VAT of 20% is included in the retail price of all items listed on the website, with the exception of pre-owned watches.

Please see our Terms and Conditions page

Please see our Terms and Conditions page

Most bracelet watches feature removable links, so if you find that the bracelet on a watch that you have purchased with us is too large for your wrist, we’ll be happy to adjust the bracelet to fit. Simply visit your local store, with your proof of purchase, and a member of our team will carry out the adjustment free of charge. If you purchased the watch from another retailer, you can still bring the watch into one of our stores where we can assess the piece and advise whether we can adjust the links for a fee.

Just like any piece of jewellery, you need to show your timepiece a lot of love and care. Stainless steel bracelets and cases are robust, and the gold and rose gold plating used is also long-wearing. However, in order to keep your watch looking its best, we advise that you apply perfumes and cosmetics first before putting your watch on as these can cause plating to tarnish and erode.

Bracelet watches should be sized to fit (see above) to avoid the piece moving around too much on your wrist and risking scratching and damage.

Leather straps are robust and can withstand their fair share of wear and tear, but will need to be replaced periodically as the leather can become worn near the buckle area. Make sure you allow any lotions, perfumes etc. to dry on the skin before putting your watch on and remember to remove when bathing, swimming and washing hands.

If you have any queries about the maintenance of your watch that you purchased with Charles Fish, or need a battery changed, repairs carried out or require a service please contact us or visit one of our stores at Harlow or Chelmsford and speak to a member of the team.

If you are purchasing a ring for yourself and are unsure of your ring size, we have made it as easy as possible for you. You can measure the circumference of your finger and match it to the UK ring sizes on our chart, or you can print our handy ring size guide and measure one of your existing rings against it.

If you are purchasing a ring as a gift and are unsure of what size to choose, the ring size guide may help you. Sometimes however, we understand that it is not always possible to get hold of a ring to measure. Give us a call on 0208 509 4844 or email info@charlesfish.co.uk, we will be happy to talk you through ring size options, give you information on special ordering sizes and guide you through having rings sized.

We want you to enjoy your jewellery for many years to come, so here are some handy tips on how to ensure it stays in perfect condition.

• When getting ready, jewellery should always be the finishing touch. Hairsprays, perfumes and cosmetics can cause silver to tarnish or gold/rose gold- plating to erode, so always put your jewellery on after you have applied your lotions and potions
• It’s best to take jewellery off if you are going to exercise or do any rough physical work and ideally remove it before going to sleep. This limits the risk of damage to chains, stones or settings.
• Where possible, remove your jewellery before showering, bathing or swimming. Again certain chemicals can really affect the finish on it
• It is a good idea to get your jewellery checked every so often, especially when stone set, to make sure none of the stones have worked themselves loose. It can be quite tricky to replace them with a perfect colour match if they get lost
• To keep your jewellery looking shiny and new, you can polish it with a soft, lint-free cloth. Lots of jewellery shops sell special jewellery cleaning cloths that bring your jewellery up a treat
• Jewellery cleaning solution can be used on certain pieces but please ask any member of our team if you are doing this the first time. Certain gemstones and materials don’t respond well to this
• Show your rhodium, gold and rose-gold plated jewellery a little extra care and love by making sure you always remove you pieces before bathing, washing hands or washing dishes. Remember that your jewellery should be the finishing touch to any outfit, so perfume, lotions and any other cosmetics should be applied and dry before you put your items on. Gold and rose gold plated jewellery can be cleaned with warm mild soapy water. Make sure to dry it well afterwards with a clean cloth.
• Finally, keep your jewellery in a cool, dry place in an individual pouch or box to avoid tarnishing or scratching. Try to keep your pieces separate from one another- this will help them stay mark-free

Yes all Charles Fish certified diamonds are from traceable sources, and adhere to the policy and guidelines set forth in the Kimberly Process.

The Kimberly Process, set up in 2002 to bring a solution to the issue of conflict diamond trade, regulates about 99% of the rough diamond trade in the world. The process sets out a set of import and export controls that prevent conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate diamond supply chain, and is supported and mandated by the United Nations. Today, 69 participating nations and the worldwide diamond industry work together to uphold the Kimberly Process regulations. Each participating nation is legally obliged to export all rough diamond shipments in a sealed, tamper-proof container with a government validated Kimberly Process certificate that details a list of its contents. Unless a shipment of rough diamonds is certified, it will not be granted entry into a Kimberly Process country.

We recommend that you have your diamond jewellery checked regularly to ensure that the setting and claws are all in tip top condition.

White gold will need to be re-rhodium plated periodically to maintain the highly polished appearance. This will depend on the individual wearer, but on average this should be done every 18-24 months.

Yellow gold can be cleaned using a soft polishing cloth.

Keep your diamonds sparkling to their full potential by cleaning them regularly with some mild soapy water and a soft bristled toothbrush (a baby toothbrush is ideal). You may want to have your engagement or eternity ring professionally cleaned now and then, so please talk to us and we can advise on this.

If you are unsure about how to care for your jewellery, or have any further questions just give us a call on 0208 509 4844 and we’ll be happy to help.

We’ve been in business for over 175 years, and understand how important good customer service is. Not only will we help you select the perfect piece of jewellery or your ideal watch, we also have a range of in store services to help keep it in great condition.

A full range of service including all manner of jewellery repair, pearl and bead restringing, watch battery replacement, watch repair and servicing, engraving and jewellery valuations are offered in our stores. Please call us on 0208 509 4884 or visit one of our stores for more information.

January- Garnet

February- Amethyst

March- Aquamarine

April- Diamond

May- Emerald

June- Pearl

July- Ruby

August- Peridot

September- Sapphire

October- Opal

November- Topaz

December- Turquoise

We are now able to accept LMG cards from the Loss Management Group at our Harlow store. For more information, please visit http://www.lossmanagement.co.uk/replacement.php