Independent jewellery retail business, Bradley’s Jewellers York, located on Low Petergate, has unveiled a new collection – The York Rose – designed in-house and inspired by owner and jewellery designer Kay Bradley’s home city.
The York Rose Collection by Kay Bradley pays homage to the historic city of York and takes inspiration from the White Rose of York, the Rose Window at York Minster, as well as the Yorkshire Rose National Trust emblem that highlights listed buildings in and around York.
Bradley’s Jewellers is based in a Grade II listed building that is over 700 years old and the site of a former apothecary. Visitors to the boutique often arrive with tour guides to see the Yorkshire Rose National Trust emblem, which is beautifully painted on a wall crest inside.
It is this symbol and, of course, the White Rose of York, which was adopted in the 14th century as a heraldic badge of the Royal House of York, that have inspired Kay Bradley to design her latest collection. It was formally unveiled at a charity event at York Minster on May 20, 2022, just in time for Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The York Rose Collection includes single stone solitaire diamond rings, as well as eternity rings, wedding bands, bangles, pendants and earrings, all of which bear the Yorkshire Rose emblem as a decorative feature. The single stone and five-stone rings have a ‘hidden’ Yorkshire Rose side profile with an additional touch of sparkle right at the centre of the bloom. The graduated eternity ring design uses five diamonds to symbolise the four regions of Yorkshire and the City of York itself.
Wedding rings in the new collection are built around a repeating Yorkshire Rose motif, which also appears in the matching pendant, bangle and earrings that are ideally suited to local brides and special gifts.
The York Rose Collection is available in platinum, 18k yellow and 18k rose gold and will soon be available in Single Mine Origin (SMO) gold too. What’s more, customers can choose from either natural diamonds with GIA Certificates of Origin from Botswana, Canada and India, or laboratory-grown diamonds from recognised suppliers.
The pieces set with laboratory-grown diamonds will be sold under Bradley’s Jewellers’ Eco Rocks brand and will feature Certified Sustainability Rated Diamonds grown in New York and personally selected by Kay Bradley. Purchases will be accompanied by a bespoke WOLF zip case to keep jewellery protected when it is not being worn.
Diamond sizes in The York Rose Collection range from 0.33 carats to 3 carats for solitaire rings. A signature creation – an extra-large, fully diamond-set Yorkshire Rose pendant – will be displayed in-store and made to order for £4,950. As a final touch, all of Kay’s Yorkshire Rose creations will incorporate her unique York Rose logo stamped into the precious metal, along with the Platinum Jubilee Hallmark that is being struck on fine jewels made in 2022. These unique and historic features are created by Birmingham Assay Office.
Commenting on the collection, Kay Bradley says:
“I would like to say a special thank you to the team at Birmingham Assay Office and the team at Birmingham-based jewellery manufacturer, Charles Green, who were instrumental in bringing my vision of The York Rose Collection to life. We can proudly say that this is a completely UK-made collection that follows the spirit of Created in the UK, set down by the National Association of Jewellers.”
Phillip Beale, Head of Bespoke at Charles Green, adds:
“Charles Green is delighted to be working with Kay and Bradley’s Jewellers on The York Rose Collection as it is such a strong symbol for the people of Yorkshire and Britain as a whole. We particularly enjoy working with strong independent brands, who, much like ourselves, represent the best of British design and manufacture.”
Kay continues: “I am so proud of this collection and its ties to the historic City of York. The response we have received so far from customers has been brilliant and we have already taken a lot of orders.”
The collection was showcased for the first time in the nave of York Minster on Friday, May 20, as part of a charity event organised by the York Minster Fund. Bradley’s Jewellers donated a 1 carat Eco Rocks York Rose ring in 18k rose gold, set with an ‘F’ colour ‘VS’ clarity laboratory-grown diamond and valued at £7,000, to the York Minster Fund for its Platinum Raffle.
The proceeds of the raffle will go towards the restoration of York Minster, in particular the St. Cuthbert’s stained-glass window, which formed part of Kay’s inspiration for her range. She adds: “As the white rose is behind the design, I hope the monies raised from the raffle can restore York Minster and also plant more Yorkshire white roses around the city.”
