Launch of the Brilliance Festival: Jersey's first Jewellery and Watch Festival
Launching 1st October 2021
Festival dates 23rd October - 7th November 2021
Jersey has a proud history of jewellery and watch excellence, from internationally renowned brands to local designer makers, goldsmiths, expert horologists, and gemmologists. Jersey is the home to well renowned fashion brands, specialist stores, and everything in between by our industry. To celebrate this diversity of expertise, over 15 local jewellers and support partners have created a series of events to show how brilliant Jersey’s jewellery and watch industry is.
Each jeweller will be hosting exclusive events including demonstrations, showcases, product launches, and meet the maker sessions in their stores. Event highlights include a Swarovski styling session at Story by Rivoli, Toolbox tour with local designer-maker Lisa Le Brocq, Pearls the Eco-gem by Jersey Pearl, and a diamond masterclass with Aurum founder Richard Blampied.
The festival was the gem of an idea by Julia Williams, Director at Jersey Pearl, and Melanie Mayer-Davies, Director at Rivoli, as how the industry they loved could work together, showcasing the whole profession across the island re-emerging with positivity after the COVID winter.
Julia comments: “We realised how lucky as an island we are to have so many jewellery and watch professionals and wanted to highlight this to locals and visitors alike. We wanted to present our industry as a whole array of businesses - some are local, multi-generational, family owned and possessors of skills honed after many decades in business, whereas some are fresh and new and adding diversity to our profession.”
Melanie adds: “Jersey has seen generations of locals and visitors celebrate their most memorable moments, holidays, and celebrations with our beautiful jewellery and watches. It’s about highlighting to customers past, current and future we are here, better than ever and open for business after such a turbulent year.”
It became apparent that this festival was far more wide-reaching than Julia and Mel first thought. The jewellery industry is intrinsically a part of the island’s history and culture, so they were very excited when Jersey Heritage and Genuine Jersey came on board.
Rossborough Private Client services are also sponsoring the festival, which highlights how both industries interlink when it comes to insuring and safeguarding precious pieces. Mark Vautier, Head of Private Clients at Rossborough Group, said: “We are pleased to be supporting the Jersey Jewellery and Watch Festival, a high-quality event that will bring clients, jewellers, and local businesses together across Jersey’s watch and jewellery industry.
“As a local insurance broker with global status as part of Gallagher, Rossborough has a wealth of expertise in offering flexible insurance policies for high value contents and valuables on behalf of Private Clients, and our dedicated team looks forward to sharing their insights and expertise at this fantastic event.”
The festival was successful in applying for the Visit Jersey Incubator Marketing Fund to help create assets which will showcase Jersey on and off island as a destination to connect with. Product Manager, Jennie Smith, commented: “Events Jersey were delighted to be able to support the Brilliance Festival through the Incubator Marketing Fund, which aims to put Jersey on the map outside of the main summer season.
“The festival is a home grown event that showcases an industry that has thrived for over 100 years in the island. We know that the island’s culture appeals to our visitors and it’s great that they can experience it in this immersive festival. We look forward to seeing this event grow and evolve in future years.”
The festival is taking place over two weeks, go to www.brilliance.je after 1st October to find out more about the events on offer and how to get involved.