Derbyshire Makers – John Stevenson Jewellers
A Derbyshire Tradition of Trust and Quality
From heirloom pieces to modern masterpieces, John Stevenson Jewellers offers personalized service and exceptional craftsmanship.
For more than 50 years the name Stevenson has been synonymous in Derbyshire with not only quality jewellery but also trust. And the number of people returning throughout their lives to the Chesterfield company shows that they trust the family business implicitly.
As an example, the genial Ben Stevenson, director of the firm established by his father John, tells how one customer has returned again and again to the company’s shop on Glumangate.
“She started off with a three-stone diamond ring. For her 40th wedding anniversary she changed the centre stone for a ruby. For her sapphire anniversary she changed the ruby for a sapphire. And at the weekend she collected an emerald for her emerald anniversary.
“We think that’s a fun thing that shows how long people stay with us. We can know what they want and they’re happy with us. A lot of the jewellery business is about trust, whether you like what we do and whether you trust what we do. I think that’s the most important thing.”
John Stevenson Jewellers has an unrivalled reputation for unique jewellery which is designed in-house; jewellery repairs; and servicing of the top brands of watches.
John Stevenson started his career as a news photographer. He then went to work for Shiphams which had a jewellery shop on Stephenson Place in Chesterfield. He enjoyed it so much that he set up on his own and the business grew and grew.
Ben was working in London until ten years ago when his father made the decision to retire – sort of – and Ben returned to Derbyshire. John who turns 80 next year still goes into the shop every Friday and other days too.
“He can’t keep away!” says Ben who explains the principles on which his father founded the business: “Doing something that was a bit different from everybody else.
“You can make jewellery by mass-producing it. Nothing wrong with that. Why people come here is they want something that’s individual. We’re an individual, stand-alone shop – there’s not another one.”
Go into the shop and you’ll be served by John, Ben or John’s daughter Polly: “There’s always one of us here and that means you always get the service.
“If you want to design something from perhaps your grandma’s or your parents’ jewellery which is of its time – you don’t necessarily want to wear it but you don’t want to get rid of it because it’s sentimental – what do you do?
“We might say you’ve got five lovely things there – let’s make one pendant or one ring. Recently, for example, a grandmother died and left a five-stone diamond ring. We melted the gold down and a little bit of the gold went into five new rings. That meant a sister, three daughters and a niece have all got part of grandma’s ring.
“The great thing with gold and gems is you can turn them into as many things as you want. We do a video of us melting the gold down so you know it’s your gold you’re getting back. People like that provenance.”
Ben designs the jewellery which is created by the company’s workshop team in Birmingham. He brings to the business 20 years’ experience working for luxury jewellers Hirsh, first in London’s Hatton Garden and then in Burlington Arcade on Piccadilly.
“That was a great success. We had people from all over the world buying crazy, expensive things, putting a credit card through ten times to buy a million pound necklace because you couldn’t get anything over £100,000 to go through the machine!
“We used to go to exhibitions every year in Switzerland, Hong Kong and New York. So I know the right people around the world for sourcing stones and that’s what I’ve brought to the business. If you need something super-unusual, I know where there’ll be one.”
John Stevensons Jewellers sells new and pre-owned watches, especially Rolex. Ben says there are two types of people who want a Rolex.
“You’re either a very wealthy person who goes ‘I must have a Rolex’ which is fine. A lot of people have a collection of them. A Rolex is an asset. It goes up in value far more than bank rates have been going up in the past few years.
“Then there are people who’ve worked hard all their life, maybe they’ve just retired, and they say ‘I’ve always wanted to own a Rolex’. You can see it really means something to them when they leave. And you think that’s what it’s all about – you’re actually buying happiness.”
The company also services Rolex watches and Ben advises that they have to be looked after.
“You keep your car MoT’d and take it in for a service. If you think about it, the car’s probably worth the same as a Rolex. There are about 200 moving parts in each Rolex; they all need lubrication and they all need tender, loving care.
“As they get older, they perhaps need a little bit more attention, like a vintage car. But that’s the fun of having something that’s genuinely old. The great thing is you can be wearing a Rolex from 100 years ago as a daily watch and it still works.”
A large part of the business is servicing watches including Rolex, Omega and Cartier.
“We’re very lucky that people come from far and wide to bring their watches to us and again it’s a trust thing,” says Ben. “If it’s your pride and joy that you’ve been wearing since your 21st birthday, you don’t want to be handing it over just anywhere.”
During the pandemic, like many other businesses John Stevenson Jewellers had to close. When they reopened they had their busiest ever year.
“Interest rates were at zero, so no one was getting interest on their money. No one had spent anything, so there had been birthdays and anniversaries when people couldn’t make a purchase. They didn’t want to leave their money in the bank so they came out and bought a Rolex.
“And those who owned watches hadn’t had them serviced for a couple of years, so we had watches coming in every day. Omega, for example, got to the stage where a normal six-week service was taking 42 weeks. But it’s all evened out now.”
If you’ve ever shied away from visiting John Stevenson Jewellers, there’s no need to be afraid, according to Ben.
“It takes quite a lot to walk in here – it can be quite intimidating. If people come in, they usually find us pretty friendly. I like having a laugh and a joke with everybody.
“We’re a super-small team. It’s just the family and Jodie who helps out with the admin. Without her we’d be lost.
“For the people who come in here, it’s the most important thing they’re going to buy this year, possibly ever. We’re here to make their dream come true. And that puts a smile on my face.”
