Nelson jeweller expands to Auckland
A Nelson jewellery store has gone from shabby to chic as a store is opened in one of Auckland’s trendiest suburbs.
Benjamin Black Goldsmiths’ sister brand Black Matter has opened its flagship store on Ponsonby Rd, selling fashion jewellery made at the Nelson base in Bridge St.
Black Matter and Benjamin Black co-owner Amy Cunningham said the funky Ponsonby store, in an old fire station building, was in the perfect spot to align with other fashion brands including Karen Walker, Juliette Hogan and Kate Sylvester – a far cry from where the company started several years ago.
Cunningham said she and partner Benjamin Clark started ‘‘so tiny’’, from a ‘‘broken-down’’ shed at their rented home in Nelson’s Brook St.
Clark began crafting jewellery from their workshop in 2012 before launching online and landing the spacious Bridge St site in 2013.
Black Matter was launched in 2015 as being locally made fashion jewellery.
Cunningham said it was ‘‘quite different’’ from other jewellery of its kind.
‘‘Most of the other brands out there are designed here in New Zealand but not necessarily manufactured here, so we wanted to create a brand that was demi-fine fashion jewellery but made by qualified professional jewellers.
‘‘It’s made in Nelson, ethically manufactured, made by hand, made to last, made with quality metals.’’
She said the company was also focusing on sustainability, aiming to use mainly recycled silver and gold, while also switching to compostable and recyclable packaging.
‘‘Consumers are now . . . picking up jewellery, they’re asking where is it made, how’s it made – which is very exciting for us.’’
Benjamin Black Goldsmiths has won a number of awards, including Best Provincial Retailer 2019.
To keep up with the demand from buyers for both brands, Benjamin Black has a new set of hands on deck.
Joel Fitzwell is a trade certified manufacturing jeweller, and like his mentor, Clark, finished top of the class when completing his apprenticeship.
Clark said opening the Black Matter store was always part of the company’s plans – it was just a matter of waiting for the right place to come up.
He said he always wanted to feel like the brand was growing and that he and Cunningham were reaching for their goals.
‘‘It keeps you motivated.’’