My history in brief

The Jewellery industry, it’s oddities, mysteries and characters held my attention from the minute I walked into London’s Hatton Garden looking for a “Weekend-job” back in 1973.

From that moment of visiting archaic workshops, in run-down buildings that hid the most fabulous and precious jewels, I was hooked. Skilled craftsmen working on wonderful items at all different stages of manufacture. To me, they were clearly a passionate, articulate array of individuals, and mostly a little eccentric.

I was sucked in, lost in the world of manufacturing, buying, and selling. It was, and still is, an industry where a lack of knowledge could lose you everything you possessed in a heartbeat, the shake of a hand was, and still is, binding. Its enthralling, and terrifying at the same time.

My weekend job was simple, I became a ‘runner’ working for a man who converted a disused toilet on a top floor, into a workshop for two, there was no lift, and I sat in the hallway as there was no room in the workshop! my job was to deliver repairs and ring sizing work at break-neck speed to the shops up and down the street, where customers were waiting. “While u wait” repairs was a big thing back in the day.

This served me well getting my face known in the area, it was apparent to me even then you had to fit in. Strangers were not well received at all, it took time, rather like moving into a sleepy English village from a big city, you are looked upon with caution.

At 15 years old I managed to arrange my work experience at Sir John Cass college in Whitechapel, London. I trained as a diamond mounter one day a week for a year.

I then set about knocking on doors in Hatton Garden to become an apprentice, I fell on my feet when a very elderly man offered me a job. He was at the top of the tree, his work was remarkable, and I was his only apprentice. We produced amazing pieces for the highest of London’s retail jewellers. Decades later merchants still remember he had the skill of ‘Faberge’ such was his reputation.

I owned a successful workshop until 1997 in the suburbs, when decided I missed the city of London and moved back to Hatton Garden to manufacture hand finished items for retail shops up and down the UK. This was also successful and an interesting ten years until I felt it was time to stop supplying the retailers.

2008 I joined the London Diamond Bourse trading floor, the timing was perfect for my requirements to retain a London base. “The Bourse” is renown in the industry worldwide as home for those who are very highly regarded for their integrity and business practice. Members subscribe to a professional code of conduct, enforced by an arbitration panel.

I have sat as Vice President of the Bourse, following some years sitting on the main council, executive committee, and arbitration panel. I believe if you are voted for by your peers it has merit, so I took it seriously.