Accounting and invoicing for jewellers and goldsmiths
Made-to-measure rings, repairs, watches, buying old gold and jewellery sales: jewellers and goldsmiths have high single amounts, bespoke pieces with a deposit and repair jobs. Saldiqo issues deposits for bespoke pieces, writes invoices for repairs and records material and precious metal invoices.
What comes up for jewellers and goldsmiths
Made to measure
Wedding rings and special pieces take weeks. The deposit covers material and work.
Repairs
Small jobs with hours and material, often paid at once.
Material and purchase
Precious metal and stones are big items. Buying old gold from private persons needs documents of its own.
How Saldiqo helps
- Deposit on orderQuote, deposit, final invoice.
- Repair with materialLabour and material as lines.
- Record material invoicesReceipts with due dates.
- Engravings and special requestsAs items.
Typical invoice lines
Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.
- Made-to-measure wedding rings, manufacture
- Ring repair, hours
- Engraving, per character
- Material as per receipt
- Watch service, flat fee
- Deposit 40 % on order
Tax and invoicing in the UK
What applies to invoices in the UK, in short. As of October 2026.
- VAT
- Standard rate 20 %, reduced rate 5 % and zero rate 0 %. Saldiqo calculates each invoice line with the rate you pick.
- VAT registration
- You must register once your taxable turnover passes £90,000 over any 12 months, or you expect to pass it within the next 30 days. You can deregister below £88,000. Until you are registered, your invoices show no VAT, and Saldiqo adds up your 12-month turnover for you.
- What goes on an invoice
- If you are VAT registered: your VAT number, the tax point, unit prices and the VAT total in pounds. A limited company shows its registered name on every invoice, and its company number, registered office and part of the UK on letters, order forms and the website.
- E-invoicing
- There is no mandate today. From April 2029 e-invoicing is planned for all B2B and B2G sales that carry VAT, through Peppol. The exact date and standard are not yet in law, and the government’s roadmap follows with the Budget on 28 October 2026.
- VAT returns
- VAT returns go to HMRC through Making Tax Digital, usually quarterly, due one month and seven days after the period. Saldiqo shows sales and VAT per rate and exports CSV. It does not submit to HMRC, and for Making Tax Digital you need software recognised by HMRC.
- Record keeping
- Keep VAT records for 6 years.
- Late payment
- Statutory interest on late business payments is the Bank Rate (3.75 % in the second half of 2026) plus 8 points, so 11.75 %. On top comes fixed compensation of £40, £70 or £100, depending on the amount owed (under £1,000, from £1,000, from £10,000). Consumers have no statutory interest.
- Getting paid
- Your sort code and account number are on every invoice. Customers pay by Faster Payments or Bacs, and banks check the account name with Confirmation of Payee. There is no QR standard in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
How do I secure bespoke pieces?
With a deposit on order, straight from the quote.
Does Saldiqo support the taxation of buying old gold?
No. Special rules apply to buying and taxing precious metals that Saldiqo does not cover. You clear that with your tax adviser.
Do jewellers and goldsmiths in the UK have to charge VAT?
Only once they are VAT registered. Registration is required when taxable turnover passes £90,000 over any 12 months, or is expected to within the next 30 days. Below that you may register voluntarily. If you are not registered, you must not show VAT on your invoices.
Do jewellers and goldsmiths in the UK need e-invoicing?
Not today. A mandate for B2B and B2G sales with VAT is planned from April 2029, and the details were still open as of October 2026. You can keep sending PDF invoices for now.
How long should jewellers and goldsmiths keep invoices?
Keep VAT records for 6 years. You can store receipts digitally in Saldiqo. The legal duty to keep records stays with you.
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As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.