Blogs

As we celebrate National Diamond Month this April, Helen Dimmick – our very own world-renowned diamond, gemstone and fine jewellery specialist, shares her expert guide to all thing’s diamonds. If you’re thinking of buying one for a special person in your life, planning on treating yourself to one, or if you’re just keen to know [...]

Phil Ainsworth is featured in April's edition of 'Retail Jeweller', discussing the levelling-up process in the North and the feel-good factor coming to the North of England.

Phil Ainsworth was featured on BBC North West last Friday and BB1 Breakfast on Sunday Morning as well as the BBC Website talking about The Date Project. The Date Project was established in 2015 with a simple idea and concept, to raise funds for the Al-Huda Bakery in Syria by selling a box of the [...]

We're proud to be listed in Little White Books!  (Click to see the listing.) Ainsworth Jewellers An award-winning independent family jeweller that has been bringing the sparkle to its Blackburn store for over 150 years. Renowned jewellery specialists in the wedding industry showcasing the very best in wedding rings for him and her, engagement rings [...]

Nestled in the heart of Blackburn’s Cathedral Quarter, Ainsworth Jewellers stands as a beacon of elegance and tradition, weaving a rich tapestry of history that spans over 150 Years. Since its opening, this iconic jewellery store has not only been a purveyor of exquisite craftsmanship but has also played an integral role in the cultural [...]

A new bridal boutique has opened its doors in the heart of Blackburn town centre.  ‘Inspired’ by Helen Dimmick is a new addition to the first floor of Ainsworth Jewellers on Darwen Street which will certainly make brides-to-be say I do! Inspired is a unique collection of new and pre-owned gowns curated by Helen and [...]

Fifth generation family-run jewellers in Blackburn, Ainsworth’s, has extended its business operations with the addition of a professional ear-piercing service.  The Darwen Street company is now able to offer safe and sterile ear piercing with a medically-hygienic system from Inverness safe and gentle ear piercing and has created a dedicated salon within the shop where [...]

The Historic Meaning The beautiful Christmas celebration of red, gold and green colours was first linked to the winter solstice; centuries ago, ancient Celtic people believed that holly plants brought beauty and good fortune in the middle of winter. As such, they’d regularly adorn their homes with the red and green plants to promote a [...]

Ainsworth Jewellers has announced that leading jewellery specialist, historian and consultant, Helen Dimmick is joining the board of directors.  This move will see Dimmick’s jewellery consultancy business and Inspired Bridal dress shop merge to all operate under the Ainsworth Jewellers brand – with this name replacing the original A Ainsworth & Sons title. These changes [...]

A stunning 20ct diamond rivière necklace and a 12ct ‘triple excellent’ diamond bracelet worth more than £150,000 combined will be introduced by one of the world’s leading gemmologists at an exclusive exhibition in Blackburn celebrating National Diamond Month. The event will take place throughout April at the home of Ainsworth Jewellers on Darwen Street, Blackburn, [...]

HELEN DIMMICK’s industry experience and knowledge have allowed her to offer expert advice and consultation services to business owners, designers, manufacturers, suppliers, and industry organisations. Adding another feather to her cap is her role as a Guardian at The SHEFFIELD ASSAY OFFICE. The Sheffield Assay Office was established in 1773 and is one of the four UK assay [...]

It is only when we empower others that we can truly grow… Throughout her Jewellery journey, Helen has continued a relationship with the esteemed National Association of Jewellers. From studying for a Diploma in JEWELLERY MANAGEMENT, to becoming a full member of the Association, Helen is now recognised by the NAJ as its RETAIL AMBASSADOR, [...]

For Helen, credibility and integrity has always been important, as a perfectionist she has continually strived to be the very best in her chosen field, not only for the joy of learning, but for the sheer delight in sharing her EXPERTISE. It brings her great joy to not only be recognised for her outstanding work [...]

Helen’s done it again! We are delighted to share that Helen has reached the finals in the coveted Enterprise Vision Awards 2022. It’s a glittering accolade to be named as an inspiration in the UK’s biggest awards event for women in business… And Helen has made the shortlist for the Best Creative Industries category at [...]

By East Lancashire Hospice: Phil Ainsworth and his wife Helen Dimmick of Ainsworth Jewellers, Blackburn have chosen to support East Lancashire Hospice through a new incentive that will allow jewellery left behind by loved ones to be treasured forever. The local jewellers, who have a wealth of experience within the industry, will help people remodel [...]

As a rule Elliot Brown dont focus-group or conduct marketing studies, so this is a first: the first watch they designed with any external input. What makes this watch special is its audience: it was designed for (and in collaboration with) a specialist branch of the British military because their operators preferred wearing the EB watches they’d [...]

New to Ainsworth’s is the sparkling inclusion of laboratory grown diamonds. We are thrilled to stock premium laboratory grown diamonds from CHELSEA ROCKS – fine jewellery made exclusively from laboratory grown diamonds. Laboratory grown diamonds are 100% diamond and are neither simulants or diamond imitations such as Cubic Zirconia. They possess all the fire, sparkle [...]

To commemorate the landmark BBC1 programme on the Crown Jewels, this week we are concentrating on 2 of the crowns that form part of the collection. ST EDWARD'S CROWN This crown is composed of a solid gold frame, set with tourmalines, white and yellow topazes, rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, peridot, zircons, spinel, and aquamarines, step-cut [...]

Claudia Bradby is a British brand that designs contemporary PEARL jewellery for everyday wear. Every design is modern, elegant and fun. They believe that every woman should be afforded the luxury of beautiful pearls, everyday. Using freshwater cultured pearls, hand chosen for their lustre, shape and size, they love their very essence and adaptability bringing [...]

As part of our ongoing campaign to find more historical pieces of Ainsworth Jewellers, customers have been bringing in their jewellery boxes and allowing us to use their stories. This one particular ring was brought in by a customer who said it once belonged to her Great Aunt and they believe it was bought in [...]

Hybrid Smartwatch You get the best of both worlds when physical, ticking watch hands meet a touchscreen and a discreet display. The smart display only appears when you quickly turn your wrist to glance at your watch. The watch hands even dynamically move out of the way when you interact with the touchscreen, then move [...]

Following our appeal for Ainsworth Jewellery history earlier this year, we have been innundated with customer stories, photos, boxes and receipts which all help in us pieceing together a defined history of our family run business. Since starting our appeal, we have already found evidence of errors in our history timeline, and receipts from shops [...]

IT'S Spring time - it's time to dig out your old gems and have a Spring Clean to replenish the sparkle in your jewellery. Every Wednesday at Ainsworth Jewellers, we offer you the chance to bring in up to five items of your jewellery to be professionally cleaned (which during the rest of the week [...]

Here is a link to the article that appeared in the i newspaper featuring ourselves, and other business's based on Darwen Street ,on 17th March 2018, linked to the ongoing debate around the British High Street https://inews.co.uk/news/long-reads/british-high-street-optimistic-blackburn/

You've seen the pictures; you've oohed and ahhed over the sparkling diamonds. But do you know the story behind the three stone ring Prince Harry designed for his fiancé, Meghan Markle? Earlier this year, predictions suggested that the prince might propose with the Queen Mother's engagement ring, or her massive diamond-and-pearl ring, but Harry opted [...]

Owning precious jewellery is wonderful and each piece will retain sentimental value to the wearer. But something you may not be aware of, especially with heirlooms, is the actual monetary value of the items, and what would happen should the item break or be stolen. Here at Ainsworth Jewellers we offer a fantastic valuation service [...]

Since we have all spent most of our time on Zoom, Facetime and in virtual meetings or webinars this year, our ears are permanently on show...add a little sparkle to your virtual calls with a new pair of earrings as that is the piece of jewellery that everyone will be seeing this festive season! Enjoy 20% off all of [...]

This New Holton Automatic is really something special. A stunning brushed bronze PVD 316L stainless case (featured below ) mounted on the most technical slice of super soft, durable webbing with its low profile patented buckle. The bronze finish has a gorgeously worn-in look right from the off, the polar opposite of so many 'shiny' timepieces. Subtle [...]

Ainsworth Jewellers are delighted to announce they have now joined with the National Association of Jewellers to promote UK products.  In a recent survey carried out by the “Make it British” campaign around 93% of those surveyed said they would be willing to search out a product made in Britain compared to buying a similar [...]

We are delighted to announce that in line with Government Guidlines we can now re-open our doors to customers. To make it easier to shop for Christmas we have extended our opening hours from 9.30 - 4.30 and we will also be open Thursday's in December. During lockdown we invested in and re-modelled our Website [...]

History is one of the unique qualities of Ainsworth Jewellers. Having been established in 1870 by Joseph Ainsworth, the family continue to run the business which returned to its roots on Darwen Street in 1965. In light of a year of celebration and refurbishment at the family-run jewellers, we launched an appeal on BBC Radio [...]

About the Collection "I will show Your Illustrious Lordship what a woman can do” The Artemisia Collection is a collection of jewellery inspired by the work of the celebrated painter Artemisia Gentileschi. This collection is a collaboration between PureJewels and the National Gallery. It reflects the drama, energy and realism in baroque art. Artemisia often [...]

What is Pre-Loved Jewellery? The jewellery once owned by someone else is known as pre-loved jewellery. It is our range of second-hand, pre-loved jewellery, and all are unique pieces that have been selected by ourselves to be given the opportunity of a new lease of life and to create the next chapter in their story. [...]

It is very rightly said that every piece of jewellery tells us a story. We believe this statement to be very true. Just like characters out of a novel, materials used in creating jewellery have their own role to play to help tell the story of jewellery. To give you a better understanding of different [...]

We here at Ainsworth Jewellers are delighted to welcome Bailey Of Sheffield to our range of Brands in-store. Bailey of Sheffield creates stainless steel jewellery engineered to last more than a lifetime. For them, that doesn’t just mean durable high calibre materials or timeless design; it’s about understated pieces that adapt with you and your changing [...]

Century old jewellery firm adds a touch of ‘bling’ to family business podcast A 150 year old jewellery business, which has been run by the same family for five generations, is the latest firm to be welcomed on to the chart-topping family business podcast It Runs In The Family  to share its behind the scenes story. [...]

Anne's Story, by the East Lancashire Hospice When Anne’s mum passed away 6 years ago, Anne always knew she wanted to do something special with her wedding ring, she just didn’t know what.  That was until she saw an article in the Lancashire Telegraph promoting an initiative called ‘Wendy’s Legacy’ run by Blackburn based business, [...]

It is estimated that over 70% of all jewellery sold within the UK is gifted on, or for a special occasion and  that piece or moment in time can be made all the more memorable by adding a message, initials or dates to the piece. Over the last few years there has been a big [...]

Written records show that Pliny, the very famous Roman naturalist described diamonds as “the most valuable, not only of precious stones but of all the things in this world.” This was back in the first century A.D. The allure of diamonds goes back centuries and very rightly so. History is a testament to diamond lovers, […]

Throughout the ages jewellery has been chosen to mark sentiment and occasion. Today, there is a revived interest in craftsmanship, adornment and the reassurance of love and friendship as represented by jewellery. Here Helen reveals the secret, often hidden meanings in the symbolic language of love and sentiment in jewellery, so you can choose or [...]

Exchanged as a symbol of love and commitment, wedding rings are an unbroken circle of precious metal; with no beginning and end, they represent everlasting love The History of Wedding Rings We have the ancient Egyptians to thank for the tradition of wearing WEDDING RINGS ON THE LEFT HAND, as they believed that a vein [...]

The choice of precious metal for jewellery, most especially a wedding ring, is based on both aesthetic and technical considerations. There are many options that present the opportunity to source the perfect wedding ring… The overall visual appearance is determined by:- The choice and colour of precious metal The alloy  – the mixture metals, or [...]

Helen Says choosing your wedding ring, guidance from Helen... In terms of appearance, first of all think about your skin tone, what will complement and look like it most ‘belongs’? There is no hard and fast rule as everyone is individual, you may wish to contrast a cool white against your complexion, or the yellow [...]

Here Helen shares the personal and very special story of her and husband-to-be Phil’s wedding rings “After many, many, years collectively in the industry, Phil and I are honoured to count some trusted colleagues as dear friends, for me, however, when the occasion came there was only one place I wanted our wedding rings from [...]

Let’s look at how you make sure your rings fit perfectly, it can be quite a challenge especially as everyone’s hands are different, and our fingers are not perfectly round like the shape of a perfectly circular ring. How do we measure a ring size? We measure using a ring stick and calibrated ring gauges [...]

For The Jewel Matcher Helen, her role is all about best practise and upholding standards. This is completed embodied in the principles of hallmarking, that all jewellery sold in a store or online must carry an officially registered British or international hallmark to guarantee the purity of precious metal. What is a Hallmark? A Hallmark [...]

Helen’s vast experience and knowledge of the gems and jewellery INDUSTRY has allowed her to assist and offer EXPERT advice and consultation services to business owners, designers, manufacturers, suppliers and industry organisations. As a qualified gemmologist and diamond grader, she has taken the role of a consultant and gemmologist for CHELSEA ROCKS. CHELSEA ROCKS is a [...]

This webinar looks at how high performing teams are created, motivated, and inspired. Designed for those in leadership roles and their team members, proven and practical methods are outlined to deliver workable, engaging, and exciting solutions for all. {{ vc_btn: title=CLICK+TO+WATCH+WEBINAR&style=gradient-custom&gradient_custom_color_1=%23374981&gradient_custom_color_2=%23374981&shape=square&align=center&link=url%3Ahttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.youtube.com%252Fwatch%253Fv%253DLRQyVkEFqeI%7C%7C%7C }}

Confidence is very much seen as the key to success when SELLING JEWELLERY. Confidence is something that can be learned, practised, and developed. This webinar will not only look at strategies to become more confident but offer practical tips and proven lessons to truly connect with your customers and crucially convert more sales. HELEN DIMMICK [...]

It’s time for some light-hearted fun and escapism looking at Royal celebration stories. With a special focus on the Crown JEWELS and unlocking the secrets of the largest diamond ever found, this webinar will also focus on the art of storytelling of a contemporary royal brand. HELEN DIMMICK is a highly regarded and renown jewellery [...]

HELEN DIMMICK is a highly regarded and renown jewellery SPECIALIST who lives, breathes and loves every facet of the jewellery INDUSTRY. With over 20 year’s industry experience, she regularly uses her knowledge to offer expert advice and CONSULTATION services to business owners, designers, manufacturers, and suppliers This Understanding Diamonds webinar provides a simplified, easy to [...]

Consultant HELEN DIMMICK will launch a series of free online training sessions aimed at supporting jewellery professionals through the current coronavirus-driven crisis. Her first online session, entitled “#RAINBOWGEMS – Campaigns to run as a community”, was live 11 a.m. on Monday 6th April 2020. It offers guidance for a national social media campaign to engage [...]

A Commodity? An heirloom? How are luxury consumers distinguishing between mined, cultured and the antique? A diamond is the ultimate gemstone. As an industry the diamond trade has existed for eons, and has evolved in many ways over recent years. It has undergone scrutiny with sourcing in conflict zones, associations with organised crime, forgery, manufactured [...]

Hosted by HELEN DIMMICK with technical insight provided by Dr. Michael Schlamadinger (Head of Procurement for Swarovski Gemstones) and market intelligence from Barbara Eck (responsible for marketing Swarovski Created Diamonds Loose Stone business), this webinar explained the growth technologies and the latest market research, asking questions for a credible and balanced view on the Lab-Grown [...]

A story of Carat and Cut over Time… I should like to take you on a journey of carat weight versus cut overtime Diamonds were first found in river deposits in India in the fourth century BC Now as you can imagine this is the hardest material known to man, so it’s incredibly difficult to [...]

This webinar looks at the importance of stock turn and increased sales across the jewellery supply chain as retailers prepare to open their doors to customers post lockdown. It places specific emphasis on the importance of stock classification, with proven strategies to analyse key data and apply intelligent management systems. With workable solutions for increased [...]

Working with two esteemed INDUSTRY colleagues, Simon Wilson and Dan Darwin from Stonehawk and in response to immense industry feedback; this webinar will look at two pertinent issues, namely security and mental health awareness. Simon and Dan provide insight and support to prepare your store and staff for potentially reopening, within guidelines, over the next [...]

Hello and welcome to another Jewel Matcher Vlog Today I’m going to talk to you about one of the four C’s – namely Carat I’m going to discuss What is it? What I think you need to know AND How it is relevant when choosing a diamond Carat – what is it? Carat – what [...]

Hello my name is HELEN DIMMICK I’m a jewellery SPECIALIST WHO LOVES PUTTING PEOPLE AND JEWELLERY TOGETHER So welcome to my first ‘Jewel Matcher’ Video You’ll know there is so much information online about diamonds, gemstones and jewellery…. But how do you know what is factual, credible and most importantly relevant and right for you? [...]