Well-established jewelers that have a long history often have many interesting stories to tell - all the way from their founding, through the first challenges they faced, and through to the modern-day possibilities of the digital age.

You can find many jewelers in Manchester, but which of those were actually founded in your city? Let's take a look at some of the top jewelers that were founded in Manchester, and perhaps your next engagement ring will come from one of their stores.

The Hancocks

It is impossible to start without the Hancocks. As the reported oldest jewelers in Manchester, they bring a piece of tradition and history to this list that no other jeweler can. Hancocks was a jewelry company born in 1860 thanks to the idea and dream of one man named Josiah Hancock. He wanted to bring a combination of many things to his new business. For him, engagement rings and other jewels were not just expensive pieces of precious metal and gemstones, but pieces of art that relied heavily on good design and craftsmanship. He chose these as some of the cornerstones for his future business, and this remains to this day. Additionally, The Hancocks take pride in amazing customer service that puts the customer truly first.

What marked the story of the store over the years could be summarized with evolution and adaptation to the many factors that dictate engagement ring standards of beauty. This includes the imagination of customers, the spirit of the times, the vivid imagination of the craftsmen themselves, and the eternal standards of elegance and beauty.

The engagement rings that the Hancocks produce are especially loved for their uniqueness. These are not just copies produced on an assembly line - they are individual, beautiful pieces that are specifically crafted to capture the emotions of their customers. On top of that, each gemstone invoked not only in an engagement ring but also in a necklace, a watch, or a pendant is meticulously chosen to be of top quality - diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires are all carefully picked before they end up in the center of a piece of jewelry. This incredible attention to detail makes sure that every customer feels special and understands that the ideas and values of the jewelry's founder live on to this day.

The Hancocks additionally offer services of “aftercare” that involves regular check-ups of your engagement ring even after you have made the purchase. 

Nouveau

Nouveau is another iconic Manchester jewelry that actually did not begin as a jewelry per se. Their story began in 1939, and their services were limited to a trade-only workshop. They maintained their family business well, and in 1970, they moved to the jewelry's current location on the corner of Dantzic Street and Shudehill. 

In 1982, they expanded their business into selling engagement rings and other types of jewelry but they never stopped practicing their repair craft. In fact, this expertise was a valuable addition to their new image.

They managed to combine their experience and knowledge into becoming a beloved and iconic part of the Manchester jewelry legacy. They pay special attention to the personalized delivery of engagement rings to their customers and make sure that each of them remembers the purchase with a smile.

Jenny Jones

Jenny Jones jewelry is a rather young business compared to the first two. It was founded in 1977 as a family-run business, and it put at the center of its journey a combination of high-quality engagement rings and excellent customer service. For Jenny Jones, the customer is the centerpiece of every sale, and that is why they take great care not only in the treatment of the customer's experience with their products but also in the selection of jewelry pieces that they offer.

They make sure that only engagement rings of the highest quality make it to their store, and that they will be in no way the same as any other piece you can find in other stores. 

Another part of what makes them stand out from the other stores is the collection they offer - not only do they propose contemporary engagement rings that represent the ideas of modernity, but also antique and bespoke jewelry. All of this aims to create a customer journey unlike any other.

And if that was not enough, their jewelry is one you can trust in terms of ethical responsibility. They claim that their sources are carefully chosen before they provide the actual jewelry.

Warren James Jewellers

Engagement rings bought at the Warren James Jewellers are infused with a fiery spirit and an ambition to be the best on the market. The Warren James story began in 1979 with the idea to become nothing less than the greatest jewelry in the UK by delivering jewelry to all customers with love and care.

They were quickly recognized for their amazing team of people who love what they do and bring jewelry of incredibly high quality at affordable prices. This reputation quickly spread and now they have stores all over the UK. In fact, they proudly have the title of the largest independent jewelry chain in the UK, serving over 3 million customers per year!

What they believe made them stand out is their team - the people that made Warren James a popular brand by helping customers choose the perfect engagement ring for their partner. 

Additionally, Warren James does not go overboard in terms of prices. One of the tenets of their identity is actually affordable jewelry. Engagement rings at Warren James can be bought at truly surprising prices. However, the lower price is not a compromise in terms of quality - it is a step in the customer’s direction.

In the design of their engagement rings, they aim to unify the spirit of tradition and eternally beautiful classic style with the trend of modernity in a way that makes sense and appeals to a wide customer base. In fact, they take special care in maintaining a good relationship with their customers long after the purchase is finalized.