T J Thornton is a traditional family jeweller in the heart of Market Harborough, run by Tim Thornton, the fourth generation of a trade that began in 1911. We engrave by hand, remake the jewellery you already own, repair and value, and keep a cabinet of antique, vintage and modern pieces worth a slow look.
A machine presses a shape into the surface. A hand-cut graver lifts a curl of metal away, which is why hand engraving catches the light differently and lasts the way it does. It is the thing people drive over for: a signet with initials or a crest, a medallion, a keepsake with a few words, or a worn family piece re-cut so the marks read clearly again.
“Fine antique pieces and beautiful hand engraving. Tim and the team know their craft.” from a customer review
Initials, a crest, a seal or a few words, cut into the metal by hand at the bench. A signet engraved by hand carries a depth and a character a laser cannot. We engrave new signets and medallions, and re-cut worn family pieces so the marks read clearly again.
A ring that no longer fits the life, a brooch nobody wears, good stones sitting in a drawer. Bring it in or bring a picture, and our workshops do the rest. The stones you already own become something worn every day.
Ring resizing, chain and clasp work, restringing of pearls and beads, watch repairs and batteries. Most jobs are looked at and quoted over the counter before any work begins, so there are no surprises.
A written valuation your insurer will accept, prepared by a qualified Gemmologist and Diamond Grader with an auction-house background. We write the valuation your situation calls for, insurance, probate or open market, not a single catch-all figure.
The family has made and sold jewellery for four generations. Tim’s great-grandfather, Arthur Augustus Thornton, began trading as A A Thornton in 1911, an apprentice watchmaker. The trade passed to his son Pat, then to Tim’s father Simon.
Tim came into it in 1989, took his Retail Jewellers Diploma and qualified as a gemmologist and diamond grader, then spent years at Christie’s in South Kensington and as a department head and auctioneer at the Fellows auction house before opening his own doors on Coventry Road in 2007. Tradition and style, kept by hand.
The face of a signet is left smooth on purpose. The piece becomes personal at the bench, when initials, a crest or a seal are cut into it by hand. It is worth knowing the difference before you buy.
A short note to start the conversation, no obligation. The real work happens at the counter, once we can see the piece or talk through the engraving in person. Or just phone 01858 468858 and ask for Tim.
3 Coventry Road
Market Harborough LE16 9BX
Phone · 01858 468858
Email · tim@tjthornton.com
We are on Coventry Road, a short walk from the market square with its Old Grammar School on timber pillars and the spire of St Dionysius. Town-centre parking is close by.
OPENING HOURSOpen Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm. Mondays are kept for appointments and bench work, so phone ahead if you would like to come in on a Monday.
Yes. We engrave initials, a crest, a seal or a short inscription by hand, cut into the metal at the bench rather than pressed in by laser. We engrave new signets and medallions, and re-cut worn family pieces so the marks read clearly again. Bring it to 3 Coventry Road and we will talk through the lettering and the depth before any work starts.
That is a good part of what we do. Bring in the piece, or a picture of the idea, and our workshops take it from there. We have reset opals, diamonds and coloured stones from rings and brooches that sat in a drawer into pieces worn every day. Better out of the drawer and on a hand.
Yes. Resizing, chain and clasp repair, restringing of pearls and beads, watch repairs and battery changes, most of it looked at and quoted over the counter first. Phone 01858 468858 or call in and we will tell you the work and the timing before we begin.
Tim is a qualified Gemmologist and Diamond Grader with a background at Christie’s and the Fellows auction house. We examine and describe each piece and issue a written valuation your insurer accepts. Insurance replacement, probate and open market are different figures, so we write the one your situation needs.
Yes. We buy gold and pre-owned jewellery over the counter and pay fair prices, and we are happy to take a piece in part exchange against something from the cabinet. Bring it in for an honest look and a figure on the spot.