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.

I may have mentioned in a previous review how much I love amber. Luckily for me (unluckily for my…read morepurse, boyfriend and family) the Jonathan David store on Wellfield Road has one of the most gorgeous collections of amber jewellery I have ever seen. When I enquired about it, I was expecting to be shown one or two basic items, but I was blown away by the revolving display that contained shelves and shelves of the stuff. My own personal obsession aside, Jonathan David jewellers is a lovely store, containing traditional jewellery and current fashions, as well as a great collection of gifts. Whatever your jewellery needs, this shop should be your first point of call as it caters to such a wide range of tastes. Of course, we are talking serious jewellery here, not cheap bling, so it's not cheap. But Jonathan David isn't the place to go for £5 tacky fashion bangles and hoop earrings; that's what Primark and Accessorize are for. This is for the really nice pieces of jewellery, the special occasion, special person stuff. Definitely somewhere you should accidentally end up in with your mum or boyfriend in tow, a few weeks before your birthday...

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.

An eye-catching jewellers from the outside, Pravins has a beautiful selection and a style which…read moremany other jewellers find difficult to match. Dark wood displays make for excellent showcases of rings, necklaces and watches. The light interior is attractive but the further you go into the shop the less impressive the jewellery becomes. Pravins is the kind of shop you make your mind up you will buy something from and then never return, the reason is this; Pravins is expensive and overpriced. If you're looking for a ring they have a beautiful selection, but everything is Platinum (I've never understood the point) and at least £500 more than the equivalent ring from a less impressive looking jewellers. If you have the money then knock yourself out, if you don't then get some ideas and window shop here. Admittedly the interior is attractive but don't get your credit card out until you've looked elsewhere.

I wish I could give 0 stars but unfortunately cannot! I used to work here and can tell you first…read morehand they are ripping you off! You can get some beautiful pieces of jewellery elsewhere which look almost identical to their pieces for a 1/4 of the price! You could even buy a loose gemstone and get it mounted in a lovely high street jewellers for no where near the extortionate prices they expect you to pay! I left this job because the majority of the staff are stuck up materialists who only care about making bonus by selling you jewellery which is not worth its price; all at the expense of people who don't have much knowledge on jewellery and have worked hard for their money! For example, the sparkle cut bracelet here is priced at £550 and was bought at cost price for around £100!...obviously their pieces of jewellery are worth a lot less than Pravins make out! Furthermore, they will make you believe that you need a high quality diamond (D-IF or E-VVS2) to look good when you absolutely don't! You can get a perfectly beautiful engagement ring with a diamond of G/H in colour and SI1/SI2 in clarity. Your partner will probably not notice or even care! Additionally, I would like to point out the unethical sourcing of gemstones and diamonds here. They will tell you each diamond has gone through the 'Kimberley Process' which essentially means they have been checked to make sure they are not 'blood' or 'conflict' diamonds. This is really a load of b*******. There is no way they can know! Even if they could, it doesn't stop children from having guns pointed to their head everyday, forced to mine or sieve through a river for stones. The irony here is, I once heard a beautiful song play in the shop whilst working there of African children singing happily. I very much doubt this is the reality for the children used to mine their diamonds! A little note for Sanjeev the director of the company: the reason you have such a high turnover of employees is because you have awful managers who have no idea how to train and spend their whole time talking about other members of the team behind their backs. Furthermore, you force them to work ridiculous hours a week for a very small salary! Finally, the reason you have few clients is because your prices are ridiculous and no one wants to give their money to s***heads :) Sharpen up before you lose your business!

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.

I found Crouch when I was looking for an engagement ring, it was the first jewellers I looked at,…read moreand then, after 3 hours of trudging round every other jewellers in Cardiff, I came back to them. Whilst it doesn't look quite as special as some of its competitors, Crouch does have a beautiful selection. The window display is a little too busy and there is a premium on space which is a shame, but if you're willing to ignore that, it's as good as anywhere. Crouch has a extensive collection, which can be daunting, but when you know what you're looking for it gives you a number of options. I was looking for a white gold ring and simple diamond and was presented with about three or four which were perfect. Other jewellers such as Pravins, which is a beautiful shop, offer far fewer options and limit themselves to mainly platinum rings (I don't see the point, spend money on the diamond people!). A ring with the equivalent size diamond cost about £500 more as far as I could tell. The shop assistant was excellent and was exactly what you want when making a purchase like that; not pushy or salesy, just helpful. They were also very discreet when phoning me about when my order was coming in, a must when it comes to an engagement. She said yes, in case you were wondering.

My boyfriend and I wandered down to Cardiff today to look for a palladium engagement ring. Quickly…read morerealised that the bigger jewellers had none and weren' t that interested either, however, remembered that Crouches had a few in last time we looked. Only one left so decided to try some styles and sizes out in platinum. Assistant was absolutely lovely, couldn't have been more helpful and pleasant. She brought a small selection of rings based on what I'd said I'd like. Found the ideal one out of this selection, it was perfect. Needed a hard metal due to my busy outdoors life and platinum was ideal for this, along with a beautiful, good quality diamond, (yes I researched my 4 Cs). Even get a diamond certificate with it. Couldn't have been more helpful. Enormously recommended.

Richard Llynfi designs contemporary jewellery and this shop on Whitchurch Road showcases some of…read morehis pieces, which include rings, earrings and pendants. Born in South Wales, Richard is gaining a reputation as being one of a new set of young Welsh designers who are favoured by the fashionable 'jet set' who want jewellery with maximum glamour. His pieces tend to be quite sleek and not too fussy, and he designs in both gold and silver (or platinum, perhaps?) - although prices seem to be something of a secret, not displayed clearly and not available on his website (where you're told to ring for prices) - which makes me think he's going to be fairly expensive! Worth a look if you're after something unique that you won't find across a chain of jewellers.

Richard Llynfi jewellery designs are right up my street! He works to achieve a simplicity of design…read morethat is both classic and timeless, and so the results make for a good investment! All too often jewellery is either gimmicky, or reliant on current faddy trends. Pieces of this ilk will be outmoded quickly, and the wearer will soon lose interest. I always consider it advisable to go for classic designs that can weather the vicissitudes of fashion when buying jewellery made from precious metals and stones, and Richard Llynfi is an exceptionally good choice! Not only does he do an elegant range of earrings and pendent's, but he also makes wedding bands and engagement rings, the latter of which, in my estimations, should never be bought off the shelf! Signifying what is most intimate in a person's life, I feel that wedding bands and engagement rings should be unique to the wearer! I would definitely considering going to Richard Llynfi if anyone were willing to pop the question...! Any takers?

Much like bookstores, there seems to be a dichotomy between the two different breeds of jewellers…read moreout there. The first kind seem to be of the opinion that jewellery is an ancient tradition, passed down through the generations and that a certain element of reverence should be attributed to the stock. These places tend to be in the upper echelons of the jewellery retailers market. All smoked wood and leather, everyone having a very English accent and saying "very good sir" to you. The second kind are the more cynical, mass-market retailers. Whilst the first are of the opinion that every customer is a discerning jewellery enthusiast with taste and discretion, the second are clearly of the opinion that customers are a bunch of brain-addled monkey people with tempremental ADHD who are only looking for the shiny thing in the window. David Edwards is a case of the former. It can be intimidating at first. It looks like a jewellers would look if written by Thomas Hardy, but there's an elegance that goes with the shop that lends an aura of mystique to the jewellers. Of the many times I have visited, I've never actually bought anything from there. I've seen things I would like to have the money to buy for someone, but sadly been unable to. I can't wait for the day when I can buy someone a David Edwards necklace, because I shall know, on that day, that I am fancy.

This classic jewellery shop has been established in Cardiff's Royal Arcade for thirty years,…read moreoffering a range of timeless pieces that will never go out of fashion. Sparkling rings and bracelets catch your eye as you wander past, and the shop is beautifully presented if a little old-fashioned looking - in a charming kind of a way. They carry out valuations on the premises, whether it's for insurance purposes or so that you can find out how much to sell something for. They have their own workshops in which they offer a repair service for watches and jewellery, and can replace missing stones. And they also offer a remodelling and reinvention service if you have a piece of jewellery that isn't quite right - even for old or delicate pieces. I have my eye on an emerald and diamond ring they currently have in stock, but at £9,825 I think I may need to make my fortune first...

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!