London is one of the world’s great jewellery cities and the perfect place to buy something unusual and exciting. Bond Street offers all the major jewellery houses and if you have a taste (and budget) for Tiffany or Cartier, you will be well served. But, sometimes work by individual makers is more appealing, and here are some ideas for places to buy exciting contemporary jewellery in London. Buying directly from a maker or a gallery lets you have something unique, handmade and with a story behind it.

Shops and galleries

The number of galleries dedicated to contemporary jewellery is sadly smaller than a few years ago, but there are still some great places to see and try on exciting jewellery.

Elisabetta Cipriani Wearable Art

If you have a bit of money to spend, the Elisabetta Cipriani Wearable Art gallery (23 Heddon Street, London) is in the heart of Mayfair. As the name suggests, it looks at modern jewellery as a form of wearable art and shows a range of exciting and innovative makers. The gallery features established contemporary jewellers as well as collaborations with fine artists trying their hand at jewellery. There are regular exhibitions and events.

Forge, Hatton Garden

Forge is the brainchild of Amanda Mansell, who set it up as a space to show exciting jewellery, a workspace for jewellers and an event space offering short courses and talks. It’s based at 59 Leather Lane, in Hatton Garden, London’s traditional jewellery centre. The showcases in the gallery feature a regularly changing range of jewellers, working in precious materials as well as less traditional ones, at a range of price points. You can also buy via the website’s online collections.

Tomfoolery

London’s Tomfoolery gallery has been offering interesting contemporary designs for the last 30 years. Based in north London in Muswell Hill, they showcase traditional and fine jewellery alongside their contempory designs. They have become a destination for seekers of non-traditional engagement rings.

At work Gallery, Pimlico

At work is a jewellery shop and gallery, a short hop from Tate Britain. The shop on 35 Ponsonby Terrace in Pimlico is a bewildering treasure house of new jewellery, in every imaginable material, from pocket money prices to serious spending. The gallery curators have regular collaborations with jewellers – most recently, they sent parts of a decommissioned Victorian piano to 15 new and established makers and invited them to experiment. If you can’t make it to Pimlico, the website offers an enormous range of jewellery for sale.

Oxo Tower

The Oxo Tower on London’s South Bank has a range of interesting craft shops and galleries. For jewellery lovers, we find David Ashton for gem-set rings, bracelets and more; Josef Koppman, for geometric and sculptural modern jewellery; Loveness Lee‘s nature inspired jewels; and a fabulous selection of exciting designs from the Jewellery Designers Collective.

Gill Wing, Islington

The Gill Wing jewellery shop on Upper Street, Islington features around 50 artists making exciting, handmade contemporary jewellery. They also put on occasional short showcases and collaborations with selected makers.

Capitain & McColm Gallery, East Dulwich

Isabelle Capitain and Graeme McColm’s gallery/ workshop on Upland Road, is open Wednesday to Saturday to cater for south London’s contemporary jewellery requirements. Private commissions are welcomed.

Pop ups and temporary exhibitions

London is full of jewellery studios, tucked away in every district and visitable during open studio events and art trails. However, if you want to see a lot of exciting jewellery in one place, the following craft shows and exhibition spaces should be on your radar.

Goldsmiths’ Fair

The annual Goldsmiths’ Fair is the premier event on London’s jewellery calendar. Running over two weeks in early autumn, it features around 130 individual exhibitors. The participating jewellers and silversmiths primarily work in precious metals but show a dizzying variety of styles. Some of the UK’s finest makers show alongside new graduates and up and coming makers, giving visitors an unrivalled opportunity to see what’s happening in the UK jewellery scene. Most jewels are more wearable than highly conceptual but use the highest standards of craftmanship. The fair offers the opportunity to view and try on jewellery, talk to the makers and attend the associated programme of talks and events.

The Goldsmiths’ Centre

Alongside the Goldsmiths’ Fair, the Goldsmiths’ Company, who have been regulating the UK jewellery and silver trade for almost 800 years, also run the Centre in Farringdon. The Goldsmiths’ Centre is a space set up for jewellers workshops but also has a temporary exhibition area for regular selling shows and temporary exhibitions. It’s a great place to see interesting contemporary jewellery by artists based at the Centre as well as selected makers.

Dazzle, London

The annual Dazzle contemporary jewellery fair happens in London and Edinburgh. Popping up for just a few days, the show features dozens of interesting jewellers, working in precious and non-traditional materials. Although the fair is the best chance to see and try on jewellery, Dazzle have an excellent website which is available year round for your jewellery shopping needs.

Collect Art Fair

If the Goldsmiths’ Fair is the place to see individual jewellers, the annual Collect art fair focuses on galleries from around the world. It’s the flagship event for the Crafts Council. It’s based in the beautiful rooms of Somerset House, London, and brings together a fantastic array of jewellery in all conceivable materials and styles. Alongside 40 odd participating galleries, the fair also offers talks and tours as well as specially curated installations.

Cockpit Arts

Cockpit Arts is a charity which offers studio space to craftspeople working in all disciplines. Their two sites at Holborn and Deptford open up for a weekend in summer and winter, allowing visitors to see and handle work by established and new makers. There are over a dozen jewellers on each site and it’s a great place to browse and shop.

University degree shows

Student graduation shows are a fantastic place to see what’s new and exciting in jewellery. London has a number of jewellery courses, notably Central St Martins and the Royal College of Art. Their degree shows are open to the general public and a great way to see new jewellers. It’s always worth a visit and you may spot the next big name in contemporary jewellery.

There are fantastic options if you’re wondering where to buy exciting contemporary jewellery in London. All the jewellers I have ever met have been delighted to talk about their work and explore commissions and projects, so although some venues may seem intimidating, the welcome is always warm.

If you’re looking rather than buying, London’s museums have fabulous collections on display.