About Us
We've been trading since 1971, when we started out as 'Fidra Stoneshop', selling tumble polished gemstones and beads. Over the many, many years since, we've evolved, developed new interests, and the business has grown to specialise in antique and vintage jewels. We have a strong team working for us, and we thought we'd compile a little biog to introduce each of our loyal staff....in order of time served!
KEITH (Owner) first started out trading gemstones as he travelled across the globe working as a civil engineer. 'Mr Fidra' has great knowledge of gemstones and wide experience of their processing and the methods used to extract them. He first began trading in The Lanes as a schoolboy and has spent a lifetime treading their cobbles, building the business over the last 51 years.
MANDY (Manager/Buyer) has worked at Fidra for twenty two years and previously for several high street jewellers, designer fashion houses, selling luxury goods within well known department stores. She has a keen interest in all things antique and coloured gemstones, though rubies are her absolute favourite! Helping customers old and new together with colleagues is her favourite part of the job - and she takes great pride in window dressing.
LIZ has worked at Fidra for eighteen years, and has many years of customer service. Lizzie is a real social butterfly and enjoys meeting new people every day. She LOVES diamonds, and has definitely found her metier with Fidra.
JULES has been a warm and smiley face at our sister shop Regents & started in 2004, though now works in Fidra. Regents ceased trading in September 2020. She has previously worked for many years in a traditional, old-fashioned department store. Jules loves coloured gemstones and has visited the Sapphire mines and Pearl farms in Sri Lanka.