Jewellery Quarter

The Jewellery Quarter is within walking distance of Birmingham city centre. For over 200 years jewellery manufacturers have operated from this area of the city. The area is now a tourist attraction in its own right.

 

As you walk through the side streets many of the traditional craftsmen's workshops will look much the same as they did in the nineteenth century. However, this is not a museum. This is a living and thriving business community.

 

The Jewellers Arms is about as local as you can get. It's the kind of place where everyone stops talking as you enter. You can half expect someone to lean forward in full League of Gentleman character, rub their hands and announce "Your not from around these parts are you".

Jewellery is still produced here and indeed sold to the general public as well as the trade. The shops in the Jewellery Quarter offer a wide selection of classical jewellery, often at prices far less than in the high street stores. After all, it is made here.

The jewellery industry by nature has always tended to congregate in a central area. The process of manufacture and requirement for a variety of skills is one reason why traders prefer to work in the same locality in this close knit community.

The Jewellery Quarter has benefitted from financial assistance from Birmingham City Council. In fact, many of the properties to let in this area are council owned and provided at very reasonable rental rates.

As you stroll around the Jewellery Quarter you will notice how modern housing has been designed to fit in with the existing buildings. This is a residential area too.

If you are interested in taking a tour round a real working example of jewellery in the making and the history of the jewellery quarter you might like to take a look at the Discovery Centre

www.jewelleryquarterbirmingham.com

www.jewelleryquarter.net