London's jewellery trade has two addresses: Hatton Garden, the street where stones and jewellery are traded, and Goldsmiths' Hall in the City, the home of the guild that has tested precious metal since the Middle Ages.
Hatton Garden
Hatton Garden is a street, and the small district around it, in Holborn, between the West End and the City. It has been London's jewellery quarter since the nineteenth century, and its importance grew when it became the centre of the diamond trade in Britain. The London Diamond Bourse is here.
At street level, the Garden is lined with jewellery shops, many of them specialised in engagement rings. Above and behind them is what makes the district work: stone dealers, diamond mounters, setters, polishers, casters, engravers and bullion dealers, often in small workshops up narrow stairs. A large part of the jewellery sold in London, including in much grander streets, is made or finished here.
Goldsmiths' Hall
The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths received its royal charter in 1327 and has been responsible for testing gold and silver ever since. Makers had to bring their work to the Company's hall to be marked, which is where the word hallmark comes from. The London Assay Office still operates from Goldsmiths' Hall, near St Paul's. Its mark is a leopard's head, see hallmarks.
The Company remains a major supporter of the craft, through apprenticeships and the Goldsmiths' Centre in Clerkenwell. Each autumn it holds Goldsmiths' Fair, where a selected group of independent goldsmiths and silversmiths show and sell their work in the hall. It is one of the best places anywhere to meet makers in person, see the events calendar.
Buying in Hatton Garden
- Shops and prices vary widely, and comparing is expected.
- Ask who makes the piece and where. Many shops have their own workshop or work with one upstairs.
- Look for a full UK hallmark, and ask for an independent grading report for a diamond of some size.
See the goldsmiths in London on Lujoro.