We’re pleased to announce Merchant’s Jewellers as the winner of our Jeweller of the Year award.
Based at Mercia Marina in Derbyshire, Merchant’s is an independent family jeweller known for its personal service. The team helps customers choose engagement rings, wedding bands and gifts, provides repairs and creates bespoke pieces using new or sentimental jewellery.
Turning a difficult moment into a new beginning
Merchant’s Jewellers was founded by a husband-and-wife team in 2018, shortly after the birth of their first child.
Two weeks before their daughter was born, Merchant’s co-founder was made redundant from his job in the wholesale watch sector. He had always wanted to open his own jewellery store, but the family had no clear idea of what would come next.
During a visit to Mercia Marina, the couple noticed that one unit remained available in a new development. They immediately felt it could be the right place for the business they had discussed creating.
They spent evenings developing plans and designing the store while their baby daughter slept. Merchant’s has since become a business involving the whole family, with both children now able to visit the shop and see what their parents and the team have built.
Remembering the person behind each purchase
The team wants customers to feel recognised and looked after from the moment they enter the shop.
Staff often remember people who may have visited only once before. This familiarity creates a relaxed atmosphere that feels very different from shopping with a large retailer.
Customers receive advice without pressure, allowing them to choose something they genuinely love rather than feeling pushed towards a sale.
This personal and consistent service is one of the qualities customers mention most often when describing Merchant’s Jewellers.
Creating jewellery with the customer
Bespoke design is an important part of the service at Merchant’s.
Customers are encouraged to take part in creating their jewellery instead of choosing only from fixed designs. Someone buying an engagement ring, for example, can select the diamond shape, size and setting to create a piece that feels personal.
The team works across a range of budgets and aims to make bespoke jewellery feel accessible. Customers can find a balance between the design they want, the quality of the piece and the amount they are comfortable spending.
Reworking jewellery filled with memories
Some customers bring in jewellery with great sentimental value that no longer suits their style or is rarely worn.
Merchant’s can transform an inherited ring, reuse stones from a family piece or redesign jewellery that has been stored away for years.
The customer receives something new that still carries the memories attached to the original piece.
This work requires craftsmanship, trust and an understanding of why the jewellery matters to its owner. It is one of the most personal services Merchant’s provides.
Eight years of steady growth
Merchant’s Jewellers is proud to have reached eight years in business, with consistent year-on-year growth and many customers returning to the store.
Recommendations have contributed greatly to that progress. When customers tell their friends and relatives about the shop, it shows the team that they valued both the jewellery and the service they received.
This word of mouth has helped Merchant’s become an established local retailer while remaining independent and family-run.
Reopening during a memorable week
The Covid pandemic brought one of the most uncertain periods in the company’s history. Businesses had to close, and nobody knew what trading would be like when restrictions ended.
The family was also expecting its second child at the time.
Merchant’s reopened one day before the baby arrived. For a while, one of the founders managed the shop alone as the family adjusted to a new arrival and the demands of running the business again.
Customers returned and continued supporting Merchant’s. Their response reassured the family and showed how much loyalty the shop had earned. It is something the owners have never forgotten.
Redesigning the store
Five years after opening, Merchant’s completed a full refurbishment of the shop.
The redesign improved how the jewellery could be displayed and created a calmer, more comfortable setting for customers.
Buying jewellery often accompanies an important occasion, so the owners wanted the store to feel welcoming rather than overly formal or intimidating.
The refurbishment required considerable work, but it became an important milestone for the business. Three years later, the team remains proud of the finished store and how well it supports the experience they want customers to have.
Finding the right home at Mercia Marina
Mercia Marina has become closely connected to the identity of Merchant’s Jewellers.
The Derbyshire setting has a relaxed atmosphere that differs from a traditional town-centre shopping area. The team describes it as a hidden gem and values the experience it gives visitors.
That calm setting suits the way Merchant’s wants people to feel when choosing jewellery. It can make a visit to the store feel like an enjoyable occasion rather than an ordinary shopping trip.
Supporting local causes
Merchant’s Jewellers has supported local charities by donating raffle prizes, auction items and money to several causes.
The team has also organised an in-store fundraising event called the Grand Famous Raffle.
As a family business that has received considerable local support, Merchant’s believes it is important to give something back to the community.
Surprising the team with the result
One of the founders was at home when the email confirming the win arrived. She immediately called her husband at the store.
Rather than announcing the news straight away, they decided to surprise the team. Everyone was invited to join what sounded like a serious call, with the suggestion that someone might be in trouble.
They then revealed that Merchant’s had won Jeweller of the Year, prompting an immediate celebration from the whole team.
It was a memorable way to share an award the owners say would not have been possible without the people working alongside them.
What the award means to Merchant’s
The award recognises the way Merchant’s Jewellers has treated customers since opening in 2018.
Personal service, trusted relationships and making people feel welcome have always mattered more to the team than simply completing a transaction.
Customers regularly mention these same qualities in their feedback, reassuring the owners that the experience they set out to provide is being felt by the people who visit.
For an independent jeweller, having that work recognised means a great deal.
Thanking the team and its customers
The owners would like to thank their team for the care they show customers each day and for everything they do behind the scenes.
They are also grateful to every customer who has visited the shop, trusted them with a repair, chosen a special gift or asked them to help with an engagement ring or wedding band.
Recommendations and returning customers have played an important part in the growth of Merchant’s. The team does not take that trust for granted, particularly when customers involve them in some of the most meaningful moments of their lives.
Plans for the future
Merchant’s Jewellers is looking forward to sharing news of the award with its customers and the wider community.
The team also hopes to enter more awards within the jewellery industry in the future.
As the business develops, it will continue to concentrate on personal service, honest advice, carefully chosen jewellery and giving every customer a warm welcome.
We’re pleased to recognise Merchant’s Jewellers as our Jeweller of the Year and celebrate the family, team and customers behind its eight years in business.