New jewellery business opens in Halifax town centre

Emmajayne Carter, 43, from Illingworth, opened Crown Jewels this week, and is also offering repairs and alterations as well as handmade jewellery ranges.

Emmajayne, who worked at Franklins Jewellers in Halifax town centre for 18 years as workshop manager, said: "I've always wanted to run my own business and when I heard that Nick, who formerly ran Stuart Diamonds, had retired and was looking for somebody to take over the shop unit, with the workshop already on site, I jut thought it was a fantastic opportunity.

"I've decided to really try and embrace local artisans, and bring in something unique and different to Halifax, rather than keeping on putting in the big brands that everybody knows.

"We want to support young talent because it's a very difficult market to get into.

"I know with the cost of opening this store, with a lot of the equipment already being here, that it's really hard work as a jeweller to try and get into this market so I'm really trying to embrace that.

"We'll have two or three regular jewellery designers in and we'll be doing monthly or quarterly turnaround to give people the opportunity to have their work in the shop window."

Emma says she isn't fazed by opening a new business in a time of economic difficulties.

"In a time of uncertainty, jewellers do tend to be busy for a number of reasons," she said.

"People may not be able to afford new jewellery, so they'll make do and mend what they've already got, for somebody like me that's great and with the workshop I'll keep busy repairing people's chains, resizing rings etc.

"Also, I do a gold buying service, so again people will look to get rid of their old broken jewellery for a bit of cash to help them through this time.

"And it can go the other way where sometimes people find things they want to invest in for when times are a little bit better, so I have known over the past 18 years that in times of concern, whether that's Brexit or the Covid pandemic, we do seem to be a lot busier in the industry."