Chester

Austen and Blake opens new Chester store

Luxury diamond jeweller Austen and Blake has opened a new store in Chester city centre. Located in the historic area of Eastgate Street, the store will bring the brand’s unique concept of custom-made designs to the high street, allowing customers to create their own customised jewellery. The made-to-order service allows…

Read More »

Beaverbrooks profits surge 117% to £35.3m

Beaverbrooks has announced “record breaking” sales as its group operating profit surged 117% year-on-year from £16.3m to £35.3m in FY22, with turnover rising 64.4% year-on-year and 41.3% compared to its most profitable centenary year in 2019-2020. The family-owned national jewellery and watch retailer also saw a gross profit margin of…

Read More »

Making jewellery on a narrowboat

Trained in horticulture, Rich MacKenzie always envisioned a passion-led lifestyle. Having bought a narrowboat called ‘Bluebell’ in 2017, when the pandemic hit, he and his family made the “best decision” when they decided to live on the boat full-time. Alongside his wife, Jackie, two children, Robbie and Fleur and pets,…

Read More »

Waste not, want not: the designers driving ethical change

Last month marked a watershed moment as Rosh Mahtini became the first ever jeweller to receive the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. Mahtini received the esteemed award based on her commitment to sustainability and ethical practices, exemplified by her innovative jewellery brand, Alighieri.  As the first jewellery designer…

Read More »

Lowe & Sons reopening – A grand return

“It’s part of the local heritage, and when we closed down I was getting phone calls from Australia, America and France, from clients whose families have been dealing with us for over 100 years,” says Kevin Parry, the newly reinstated part-time manager of the recently reopened Lowe & Sons jewellery…

Read More »

Historic Chester jewellery store saved from closure

Lowe & Sons, located in Chester, has been saved from closure after its lease was bought by Powells Fine Jewellery, and is set to reopen on 16 November 2018. The independent and historic jewellery store has been trading in the region since 1770 and has occupied its existing premises in…

Read More »

Fellows appoints new jewellery specialist

The jewellery and watch auctioneers Fellows has announced a further addition to its London team with the appointment of Francesca Garvey-Hughes. Garvey-Hughes has been appointed as Fellow’s new jewellery specialist, having previously been head of jewellery at Wright Marshall in Knutsford. Garvey-Hughes was also a junior jewellery and silver specialist…

Read More »

Chester’s oldest jewellers to close after 248 years

Chester’s oldest jeweller, Lowe and Sons, is to close this month after 248 years of trading. The independent firm has reportedly been trading in Chester since 1770 and has occupied its existing historic premises in Bridge Street Row since 1804. However the store, which is known for trading its unique…

Read More »

Chisholm Hunter to open £8m jewellery store in Edinburgh

Luxury jeweller and diamond specialist Chisholm Hunter is set to open a new £8m jewellery store on Edinburgh’s Princes Street in early December. The premises will have approximately 10,000 square foot of retail space spread across three floors and will include a champagne bar and designated Swiss timepiece room, as…

Read More »

Mococo founders named Business People of the Year at local awards

Lee and Maureen Hooson, founders of jewellery retailer Mococo, have been named Independent Business People of the Year at the Merseyside Independent Business Awards. The husband-and-wife team and joint managing directors of the company scooped the accolade at a black tie ceremony held in Liverpool’s Titanic Hotel. Maureen said: “I’m…

Read More »