The Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham has long been one of the premier places for the production of jewellery in the world. Though recent years have seen it transition into an urban centre with many trendy pubs, restaurants, stores and a host of luxury apartment blocks, it is still a great place to find stunning pieces of jewellery in the UK today.
Deals to be had
A large number of UK jewellers are still based in the area; while the world’s largest Assay Office is still a fixture. It is close attention paid the work of the Assay office that can help ensure the best precious metals items are bought.
There are some wonderful deals to be had on precious metals in the area, all of which should be adequately hallmarked. Precious stones can be found at excellent prices, while other services such as repair and restoration are available.
Buying gold
Gold is generally classed in four grades, 9, 14, 18 and 22 carat. Nine carat gold has 37.5 per cent gold, with 22 carat having 91.6 per cent.
Increasingly popular are white gold and red gold, or a combination. The colours are achieved through different mixes of other metals being added, but should not be more expensive then yellow gold.
Buying diamonds
When buying diamonds, it pays to remember what are often known as the four Cs – carat, clarity, colour and cut. It is the combination of these factors that sets its quality, and therefore price. The shape and relative size of the diamond is not a huge factor in its price, but the quality of cut is.
Gold and diamonds are indicative of the Jewellery Quarter, but there is far more going on than this alone. With wonderful silversmiths, platinum designs, other precious stones and designers of bespoke pieces, finding just the right item for any occasion is always possible.
For more information please visit – www.the-quarter.com/history.htm
