It’s a rare place where people who appreciate the finer things in life can spend hours (days even) salivating over all manner of gorgeous bejewelled products, from rings, bracelets and chokers to earrings, cufflinks and watches.

Truly, there is something for every want, need and budget in the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter – a historic area of Britain’s second city where buyers and browsers alike can enjoy admiring everything from traditional gold, silver, diamond and sapphire jewellery to avant-garde products that are far more quirky and unique in nature. With stock jewellery, off-the-counter jewellery and bespoke jewellery designed and made to order, there really is no type of jewellery-related product that this unique area is not able to offer.

‘Treasure Island’
Nicknamed Treasure Island, the Quarter is home to more than 100 retail jewellery shops and is thought to be the only area of its kind in Europe, maybe even the world. The Jewellery Quarter Discovery Centre – a museum built around the restored workshops of the Smith & Pepper family business founded by Charles Smith and Edwin Pepper – describes the area as “both a unique flashback to the early days of the city’s industrial development and a living, evolving community of craftspeople, manufacturers and retailers.”

This is a very apt description.

When work began on the Discovery Centre in 1990, around 70,000 objects were photographed, catalogued and removed for safekeeping. In the process, the Smith & Pepper premises at 77-78 Vyse Street were repaired and restored and the contents put back exactly where they had been found, whilst No. 79 (next door) was rebuilt to provide visitor facilities and display space.

History
The origins of the city’s jewellery trade hark back to the glories of its industrial past. Indeed, metal implements, such as scythes and other cutting tools, were being made by local smiths as early as the 15th century. In fact, the earliest goldsmith recorded by name and profession was a gentleman by the name of John Blakwyn who worked in the city in 1460.

Birmingham’s jewellery trade reached its employment zenith just before the outbreak of the First World War when somewhere between 60,000 and 70,000 people relied on it for their living. Once the war began, craftsmen who did not go to fight in Europe found themselves making munitions instead of jewellery. Fortunately, normal service resumed in the Quarter after the war; however, life had changed and the jewellery trade in Birmingham would never again employ so many people.

The Quarter today
Even though Birmingham’s jewellery trade today provides work for a comparatively modest 8,000 people, it is still far and away Britain’s biggest volume producer of gold jewellery. In addition, The Quarter has now become a conservation area that is rightly proud of its many historic structures. Among them are the Grade I-listed jewellers’ church of St Paul, itself set within Birmingham’s last Georgian square; the landmark Chamberlain Clock erected in 1903; and the Birmingham Assay Office – which is still the busiest in Britain!

If you are someone who has a real passion for jewellery then there is one place in the UK that you really need to visit – The Birmingham Jewellery Quarter.

This square kilometre in the Hockley area of Birmingham is Europe’s largest concentration of businesses involved in the jewellery trade. In addition, it is also home to the world’s largest Assay Office, which hallmarks around 12 million items a year. Traditionally, this unique, charming and innovative part of the city has been the birthplace of many pioneering advancements in industrial technology and attracted ‘in the know’ artisans and manufacturers from far and wide. Indeed, at its peak in the early 20th century, more than 30,000 people were employed in jewellery-based activities in and around the area.

However, because the Jewellery Quarter was a tight knit community which indulged in very little retail activity, it remained one of Birmingham’s best kept secrets.

Not any more.

Today, this part of Birmingham is a jewellery buyer’s heaven. In fact, Of the 400 jewellery related businesses in the area, 100 are retail jewellery shops so it really is something of a Mecca for anyone who has a passion for buying fine jewellery.

Indeed, the area is rich in designer-manufacturers who make bespoke items at incredibly competitive prices. Moreover, much of the jewellery that is made in the Quarter is also sold on to stylish London jewellers who inevitably sell it on for much higher prices. In fact, it is estimated that 40 per cent of all the jewellery sold throughout the UK is manufactured in this square kilometre of Birmingham! With this in mind, it should probably come as no surprise that the local assay office, (where gold is tested and marked) is the busiest assay office in the world.

Although jewellery is of course the main draw of the Quarter, it is far from the only attraction. The area is rich in culture and entertainment and has a wide range of bars, cafes, restaurants, museums, art galleries to indulge in and enjoy.

Furthermore, the Quarter also has some fascinating points of historical interest to explore. For example, the Georgian Square around St. Paul’s Church (the last Georgian Square in Birmingham) was once the home of James Watt (inventor of the steam engine) and Washington Irving (the author of ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow’). Furthermore, John Baskerville, the printer, calligrapher and designer of the famous Baskerville typeface is buried in St. Paul’s churchyard.

There really is no better way to spend a relaxing and enjoyable day than wandering around this fascinating, charming and intoxicating area of Birmingham. Indeed, there is nowhere else quite like it so a visit here is guaranteed to be an incomparable experience. And, whilst you’re here; don’t forget to pop in and see us at Marlows. With our wide range of amazing jewels and precious stones available at ultra-competitive prices, you can be sure of taking a suitably beautiful souvenir home with you!

If you have browsed your local high street recently, you may have noticed that corgis, teacups and Union Jacks feature more heavily than usual in the fashion world right now. From Marks and Spencers’ patriotic hosiery to Liberty’s limited edition scarves inspired by the classic ‘First Class’ stamp, the upcoming Queen’s Jubilee has captured the imaginations of some of the world’s top fashion designers. And since this year marks sixty years since the Queen’s coronation, the eyes of shoppers around the country are being dazzled by diamonds.

It is true that diamonds never go out of fashion, but with the jubilee only weeks away, the so-called girl’s best friend is considered even more on-trend than usual. From gem-encrusted Alexander McQueen clutch bags to QVC costume-jewellery replicas of the imperial state crown, diamonds and imitation diamonds seem to be prominent in both the high and low ends of the fashion market.

But for those looking for the genuine article, many jewellers in the UK have been preparing for the event by designing and creating special Diamond Jubilee ranges to celebrate the occasion and the jewellers of the famous Birmingham jewellery quarter have been especially busy. The quarter’s Worcestershire Medal Services (WMS) beat off international competition to win the £7 million contract to produce thousands of commemorative medals to be worn by the armed forces, emergency service workers, prison staff and others to mark the jubilee.

Beyond this wave of fashion, the 2012 jubilee is likely to renew public interest in diamonds and, here at Marlows Certified Diamonds, we can think of no better way to find out more about the gems than to visit to the jewellery quarter. If you are keen to learn more about diamonds and jewellery in general or if you would simply like to mark Her Majesty’s jubilee in a more unusual way before the street parties begin, you might consider a trip to the quarter’s jewellery museum. Originally a jewellery factory, the museum tells the story of the jewellery quarter and the tradition of jewellery-making and metalworking in Birmingham. Many visitors to the quarter find that a guided tour of the museum and witnessing a demonstration of jewellery-making techniques at the jeweller’s bench enhances their understanding of the quarter immensely.

If you decide to visit the quarter in advance of the jubilee, you may be tempted to jump on the diamond bandwagon by investing in a commemorative bracelet or broach. But if you would like to get a truly unique jubilee gift for a friend or relative or if you would like to own a one-of-a-kind memento, you might consider a Marlows Certified Diamonds custom-made ring, necklace, pendant, bracelet or pair of earrings. Having been in operation for over three generations, we are experienced manufacturers of high-class jewellery and would be delighted to tailor a piece of jewellery to your unique specifications to commemorate the jubilee, so that once the bunting has been binned and the Union Jack tea towel has been stained, you will still have your piece of history.

If you have a passion for diamonds, there is one place in the UK that’s really worth a visit. The Birmingham Jewellery Quarter is truly remarkable, containing a wide variety of specialist jewellers and steeped in history and charm.

For more than two centuries, this part of the country has been home to a plethora of some of the most highly talented goldsmiths and jewellery makers around. It is now a hugely popular place for both consumers and traders to visit on the hunt for these sparkly gems.

And as well as perusing the superb range of gorgeous precious stones on offer, you can also make the most of the fabulous bars, cafes, restaurants, museums, art galleries and other such things that abound in this part of the city.

There is no better way to spend a relaxing and enjoyable day wandering around jewellers in Birmingham and, if you are travelling from far afield, you might even want to make a weekend of it and stay overnight. There are plenty of hotels in the area for you to choose from and, particularly if you book in advance, you can benefit from superb deals.

There is nowhere else in England that can compete with the Jewellery Quarter. There is something about the rich history and sheer concentration of jewellery shops in this location that sets it apart from anywhere else.

Of course, as well as having a brilliant time while in the area, you might also find some gorgeous items of jewellery to take away. From stunning rings to delicate necklaces, enticing earrings and so on, it really does have it all.