Diamonds are forever In another life Mary would have loved to have been a jeweller or gemologist so really enjoyed talking to Stephen Wilkinson
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FREELY ADMIT, I love jewellery and am a bit of a magpie when it comes to trying on rings and necklaces. So much so that in another life maybe I would choose to be a jeweller rather than a journalist, but would have been useless as I’d want to keep everything. I am also always fascinated how people become what they are career-wise; do they fall into it or have a long held ambition to ful l o eeting tephen as a double whammy for me. Now Stephen is one who would appear to have fallen into his chosen career by chance but I don’t think you become a skilled goldsmith without showing a little talent in the rst place Stephen Wilkinson has had a jeweller’s shop on the High Street in Market arborough no for e years and you could say he has returned to his roots having gone to school in the town. This small independent workshop and showroom in a listed building is de nitely here you need to go to nd good uality often bespoke ell designed jewellery.
‘I lived in Kibworth where a goldsmith had a little shop and was looking for an apprentice,’ Stephen tells me. ‘I was 16 and not academic so wanted to leave school. And I liked making things and was a bit arty so decided to apply for it, and got it.’ This all sounds very simple and in many ways it was, with Stephen doing day release in ondon and ualifying as a gold ounter ho specialises in ne e ellery his eans that he effecti ely akes the e ellery himself, mainly working in gold, ready to have gems mounted, which he also does. He is not a gemologist though so doesn’t cut the stones himself but buys them from his supplier. But Stephen’s apprenticeship didn’t go uite to plan as the o ner of the shop died half way through it in an accident. He still carried on though and nished his apprenticeship before working in Leicester for many years. Those of you who know Stephen and his shop know that as well as making bespoke jewellery he is your go-to for repairs and remodelling work and he’s a busy man. He combines running the shop front of house where he sells jewellery starting at about £30
up to and including engagement rings worth many thousands of pounds. And if he’s not selling jewellery in the retail part of the business he’s behind the scenes working in his workshop producing something beautiful. Stephen had a shop in Leicester but decided many years ago that he wanted to be in arket arborough so spent uite a hile looking for the right premises. ‘I knew where I wanted to be so it was a matter of waiting for the right place to come up. I really like Market Harborough, it’s local to me and I knew that as a town it’s a pretty central hub to the nearby villages. I have customers who travel from Northampton and the surrounding villages as well.’ Virtually all of the gold sold in the shop these days is recycled and all wedding bands ha e been for the last e or si years his is a trend that is only going to increase and ts in with the ethos of Market Harborough which is a fair trade town. This use of
'Stephen Wilkinson has had a jeweller’s shop on the High Street in Market Harborough now for five years and you could say he has returned to his roots having gone to school in the town.'
40 September 2022 / theactivemag.com
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