A new mobile app simplifies how jewellery and watch repair businesses document and track customer items, filling a gap in the industry’s workflow.
The problem with paper trails
When customers leave a ring, necklace, or watch for repair, the initial handover requires careful recording. Jewellers must note existing damage, missing stones, customer requests, pricing, and agreed terms. These details often end up on handwritten notes, job envelopes, and separate photos.
Arda Kara, the app’s creator, observed this issue directly. He spent over a decade in software development before running Fidda & Katina, a Melbourne jewellery business. His background gave him both the problem and the tools to solve it.
“These items can be valuable, but their sentimental value often matters more,” Kara said. “A jeweller may need to record existing scratches or damage, missing stones, what the customer has requested, photos of the item, pricing and what was agreed at the counter.
“A lot of that information can still end up spread between handwritten job envelopes, photographs and separate notes,” he adds. “Because of my experience with Fidda & Katina, it was a workflow I understood. And my software background made me think there had to be a simpler way to handle it.”
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That became the basis for JewelIntake. The focused application creates a clear record from the time an item is dropped off until it is collected.
How the app works
Used at the counter, JewelIntake lets businesses create a repair record, add customer and item details, and specify the requested work. Photos capture the item’s condition, while pricing, quotes, deposits, and payments are logged in one place. Customers sign digitally, and the app generates a PDF receipt with all details.
The repair process can be tracked internally. When the customer returns, the business records collection, final payment, and a second signature. The idea is to keep the entire handover history together, as opposed to having important information scattered between paper forms, photos and other systems.
The app launched in 2026 for Australian jewellers, with terminology and workflows tailored to local needs. It’s available on Android through Google Play, offering a free version with core intake features. Paid options can be added later if businesses need them.
“At this stage, I’m treating the launch as the beginning rather than the finished product,” Kara said. “I want feedback from actual jewellers and repair businesses to influence where the application goes next, rather than trying to predict every feature they might want before they have had a chance to use it.”
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Kara’s strategy was precise. Rather than building a broad platform, he targeted a specific need. “There are already countless CRMs, point-of-sale systems and general job-management applications,” he said. “I didn’t see much value in trying to build another large platform that does a little bit of everything. I think niche software becomes interesting when you understand a particular workflow well enough to solve it properly.
“A smaller market obviously means fewer potential customers, but it also gives the product a much clearer purpose,” he adds.
Early feedback and next steps
Kara designed JewelIntake to be used at the counter while the customer is handing over their jewellery or watch.
His next step is gathering feedback from jewellers using the app. That input will guide future updates. “The launch is just the start,” he said. “I want jewellers and repair shops to shape the app’s direction.”
The app remains a work in progress, aiming to make a routine but high-stakes process easier for both businesses and customers.
