It’s not just the precious stones that shine in Birmingham’s famous Jewellery Quarter
ILLUSTRATION: THE BOY FITZ HAMMOND
For more than 250 years, Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter has been home to some of the most highly skilled goldsmiths and jewellery-makers in the world. Unless you’ve got plenty of cash to flash, however, a visit here may sound like a form of torture, with all those sparkly, shiny lovelies just begging to be taken home, all wrapped up in a beribboned velvet box. Fear not: window shopping might not be the only option, thanks to prices that can surprise and delight. But even if you’re not in the market for a bit of bling, a myriad of other attractions makes the Jewellery Quarter a must-visit destination for anyone exploring this part of the world. From great bars and restaurants to parks and cool shops (including 100-plus jewellery stores), the opportunities for a great day out are endless – there’s even one of the top three free attractions in all of Europe: the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter. Enjoy!
1 JAMES NEWMAN
49 Vyse Street, tel: +44 (0)121 245 1555 f
A keen advocate for ethically sourced materials, James Newman has been designing and creating jewellery from his studios in the Quarter since 1998. Since 2007, he’s been creating jewellery for Milan-based fashion designer Neil Barrett as well.
2 PEARL GALLERY
50 Vyse Street, www.pearlgallery.co.uk
If you fancy something a bit exotic (or to go with that twinset), come here for fine cultured, freshwater, Akoya and exotic Tahitian and South Sea pearls.
3 MUSEUM OF THE JEWELLERY QUARTER
75-79 Vyse Street, www.bmag.org.uk/ museum-of-the-jewellery-quarter
Time has stood still in this award-winning museum, which tells the fascinating story of the city’s famous jewellery trade. Free admission.
4 CRESCENT SILVER
83-85 Spencer Street, tel: +44 (0)121 236 9006
The list of commissions created by this master silversmith, whose family has worked in the Jewellery Quarter for over 50 years, includes the Queen’s Medal for Music, candlesticks for Elton John’s wedding and Christmas presents for the Prince of Wales!
5 CREATIVE WATCH
COMPANY 108 Vyse Street, www.creativewatch.co.uk
The largest independent watch retailer in the Midlands – and possibly in the UK – stocks all the leading the brands, including an extensive range of designer watches, as worn by celebs including Michael Owen, Kevin Pietersen and Pixie Lott.
6 JEWELLERY QUARTER
CEMETERIES Warstone Lane and Key Hill, Icknield Street, www.jewelleryquarter.net
Unearth some of Birmingham’s fascinating history in the Quarter’s ghostly cemeteries, which is the final resting place of a number of notable locals, including Alfred Bird, custard-maker extraordinaire.
7 FELLOWS & SONS
19 Augusta Street, www.fellows.co.uk
Step into David Dickinson’s shoes (but maybe forego the tan) and visit Fellows & Sons, the UK’s largest jewellery auction house. It’s open to the general public – you just need to register online first to place a bid. The website also gives you details of upcoming auctions and exactly which treasures will be on offer.
8 CRYSTALINK JEWELLERY
35 Hall Street, www.crystalink.co.uk
Make like a celebrity and order a bespoke commission for that really special occasion. Proprietor, Jeff Green, has been in business for 63 years and his list of celeb clients includes Formula 1 Grand Prix winner Johnny Herbert.
9 ELEMENT BESPOKE
JEWELLERY 3 Warstone Lane, www.element750.com
Specialising in contemporary jewellery, this interesting shop has a jewellers’ workshop on view to the public, so you can see just what goes into making these beautiful pieces. It has the distinction of having been involved in several TV shows, including Don’t Tell the Bride, The Gadget Show and Doctors.
10 UNIQUE JEWELLERYTHEMED CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Until the end of the first week in January, be dazzled in the Quarter by something other than the jewellery – the world’s only jewellery-themed Christmas lights, including illuminated watches and rings, a jeweller tapping at a bench and diamonds falling into a treasure chest. Look out for them on Warstone Lane and Vyse Street.
11 ARTFULL EXPRESSION
23-24 Warstone Lane, www.artfullexpression.co.uk
If contemporary jewellery is your thing, come here to check out work from local designers, such as Anna de Ville, who uses contrasting polished and oxidised silver, and semi-precious stones and beads to create distinctive works inspired by wildlife.
12 JEWELLERY QUARTER PAVEMENT TRAILS
www.jewelleryquarter.net
Take yourself on two self-guided trails, roughly 800m (half a mile) each: the Findings Trail and the Charm Bracelet Trail. They unlock interesting history and trivia, such as the fact that the whistles used on the Titanic were made in the Quarter and celluloid was invented here – Hollywood owes a lot to Birmingham! For more details, pick up the free Jewellery Quarter Platinum Guide from the information centre at 120 Vyse Street.
13 ST PAUL’S GALLERY
94-108 Northwood Street, off St Paul’s Square, tel: +44 (0)121 236 5800
For a different kind of “rock” in the jewellery quarter, head to St Paul’s Gallery, home to the world’s largest collection of signed rock album covers, including offerings from Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Queen, David Bowie and The Beatles.
14 ROYAL BIRMINGHAM
SOCIETY OF ARTISTS 4 Brook Street, tel: +44 (0)121 236 4353
The RBSA Gallery is the second-oldest independent art gallery in the UK, and home to jewellery, sculptures and paintings by local contemporary artists. Free admission.
15 ST PAUL’S SQUARE
Wander around Birmingham’s last remaining Georgian Square, which was voted one of the top 20 urban picnic areas in the UK by The Independent in 2008. It’s also home to St Paul’s, the “jewellers’ church”.
16 THE JAM HOUSE
1 St Paul’s Square, www.thejamhouse.com
Since 1999, this three-storey Georgian building has been the venue in Birmingham for great live music and eclectic food. The Jools Holland Big Band kicked things off on opening night, and Mr Holland himself still pops in from time to time to tickle the ivories.
17 HATTERS HOSTEL
92-95 Livery Street, www.hattersgroup.com/Birmingham
Stay in a listed building that was once home to the makers of the FA Cup! Previously an old steelworks, it was transformed just over a year ago, without losing the look or charm of the original building.
18 THE PEN MUSEUM
Unit 3, The Argent Centre, 60 Frederick Street, tel: +44 (0)121 236 9834
Birmingham was once the centre of the world pen trade and, at one stage, “three quarters of everything written down in the world was with a Birmingham pen”! Find out more at the Pen Museum. Free admission.
19 THE VAULTS
Newhall Place, Newhall Hill, www.vaultsbirmingham.com
Set in an old workhouse, the Vaults promises an atmospheric – and delicious – dining experience, and drinks in one of the UK’s “50 Best Bars” (The Independent, 2009).
20 KENNETH COOKE
11 Warstone Lane, tel: +44 (0)121 236 4966
This family jewellers specialises in contemporary jewellery and unusual natural gemstones, as well as the largest selection of natural Baltic amber in the Quarter.
GETTING THERE
Get your rocks on! bmibaby flies from Birmingham to 14 destinations across the UK and Europe – for more information about flights and fares, log on to www.bmibaby.com. If you want to learn more about the Jewellery Quarter, go to www.jewelleryquarter.net and for everything you need to know about Birmingham in general, log on to www.visitbirmingham.com
