Repair your gold and silver

New life for old treasures - we're here to help

From the silver spoon you received as a christening gift to the cream pitcher you inherited from your great-grandmother – do you have a lot of silver in drawers and cupboards that needs a little love? At Arven, you can have small and large items repaired, restored, and polished by our skilled craftsmen. 

 

 

As the years go by, you may have accumulated a fine collection of jewelry and silver at home. However, old silverware can be fragile, and the need for maintenance may eventually arise – especially if it's very old.

– It's a shame if beautiful jewelry and other silverware lie unused because they are broken or discolored. At our workshop, we can fix and customize most things, whether you need to adjust the size of a ring or repair a broken cake fork, says Lise Redfern, CEO of Arven.

Shop and workshop side by side

Just behind Bryggen at Sandbrogaten 11, you'll find both a well-stocked shop and a workshop with experienced craftsmen. Behind a simple glass wall in the premises sit Arven's goldsmiths and silversmiths. This allows customers to get directly in touch with those doing the work.

– Instead of sitting hidden and inaccessible in the back, we want to create a natural dialogue between customers and artisans. In our premises, the shop and workshop are therefore strategically placed side by side so that you can see the artisans at work and easily get in touch with them if you need to.

One of the artisans is Janne Brandtzæg. With journeyman's certificates as a goldsmith, silversmith, and hand engraver, she has a unique and broad expertise in the field. This comes in handy when customers want custom-made solutions.

– In my daily work, I have to be solution-oriented and look for possibilities where others might prefer to give up. In most cases, we can repair the item according to the customer's wishes, but in cases where this is not possible, I always try to find a solution anyway. I think many customers appreciate that.

 

Preserving memories

Together with the rest of the team in the workshop, she receives items from private individuals, churches, and larger businesses. Whether it's big or small, everything is handled with care and consideration.

– For me, it's important to treat everything we receive in the workshop with respect. For example, we are one of the few businesses in Norway approved to handle church silver. But the sugar bowl you inherited from your grandmother is just as important to us! Even if it might not be worth much in monetary terms, it can still be very valuable to the owner with high sentimental value. Contributing to such memories living on is not something I take lightly, Janne says.

At Arven, they have expertise in most things related to silver and gold. A silver spoon that is broken in the middle can, for example, be soldered back together. The spoon will be almost like new, and no one will see that it was ever broken.

– We always start by examining the item we've received. Is it real silver or made of other metals, for example? If it's an heirloom, the customer may not know where it came from or who made it, so we always do such investigations before we start. In addition to being fixed and repaired, the item also goes through a process where it is polished, silver-plated, and buffed, so that the metal becomes shiny and as good as new again.

Do you have something that needs to be repaired, restored, or polished? Here's how to get started:

For those living in Bergen: Visit our shop and workshop at Sandbrogaten 11, just behind Bryggen in Bergen city center. We have free parking for our customers at the back of the building. 

For those living elsewhere in the country who wish to send your items to us:

We recommend the service helthjem.no. Choose "stor pakke" (large package), as your shipment will then be insured for up to NOK 10,000. You can drop off the package at any store that has PostNord. Items should be sent to: Arven AS, Sandbrogaten 11, 5003 Bergen.

If you choose another shipping method, make sure you send the package with tracking. It is important that you send it to Arven AS, Postboks 172 Sandviken, 5812 Bergen.

Price estimate

Once your item has arrived at our workshop, we will prepare a price estimate for you. This will be sent to you for approval before we start the work.

Repair and return

One of our skilled silversmiths and goldsmiths will repair your items at the agreed price. We will contact you if there are any questions. All items are repaired locally in our workshop, and you are welcome to visit our shop and experience center to see our skilled artisans at work.

When will the item be ready?

You will be contacted when the items are finished and ready for delivery or collection. If we are to send it to you, we will of course do this free of charge.

What does it cost?

It costs NOK 450 to have a price estimate prepared (the discount does not apply to this amount). This amount will be deducted from the invoice if the price estimate is accepted. Click here to order.