INDIE OF THE MONTH
Trinity StreetJewellers WORDS SIOBHAN GODWOOD
With an impressive history and a real passion for beautiful jewellery, Trinity Street Jewellers really stands out from the crowd
t’s not difficult to get your hands on a new bit of jewellery these days. Highstreet chains and Internet jewellers abound, so you’re never too far from a sparkly ring or a glittering necklace. But Trinity Street Jewellers is an entirely different kettle of fish, with an emphasis on quality and heritage rather than speed and convenience. The jewellery making side of the business was founded back in 1955 by Graham Whitehead, and the shop is currently run by his grandson, Luis Millington. “I’m very proud to be the third generation of our family to work in Trinity Street,” he says. “I’ve had customers who have cried in our shop, overcome to find themselves standing in the exact spot where they bought their wedding or engagement ring many years before. It’s a real privilege to be part of a business that has such a fantastic history and lasting reputation.” Luis’s grandfather began a jewellery apprenticeship in Hatton Garden at
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the age of 15, and went on to become a master of fine Victorian jewellery. One of the shops he produced handmade pieces for was Trinity Street Jewellers in Cambridge, and when, many years later, the owner of the store decided to sell up, Graham bought the business and relocated the family to Cambridge. The family have now owned the Trinity Street store for 17 years, although the shop has stocked jewellery made by the family for far longer. “To this day, I meet customers who have pieces of my grandfather’s jewellery,” says Luis, “and some people come in specifically to buy things that he’s made. Amazingly he’s still making jewellery now, at the age of 82!” Luis is passionate about staying true to the tradition of quality and craftsmanship begun by his grandfather. The store focuses on handmade jewellery as opposed to mass-produced jewellery, with Luis’s uncle and another goldsmith on site making contemporary pieces as well as sourcing antique jewellery from around the UK and elsewhere. “A big part of what we do is about education,” explains Luis. “When a customer comes in to buy something from us, or to look at what we have to offer, it’s really important to us that they understand how our pieces are made, and the difference between the untreated gemstones that we offer, and
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11/18/16 9:54 AM