Shop H16, Hay St Level
Carillon City Arcade
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9321 5853
http://www.citygems.com.au/
Opening hours
Monday-Thursday: 9:30am - 5:30pm
Friday: 9:30am - 7:30pm
Saturday: 10:00am - 5:00pm
Sunday: 12:00pm - 5:00pm
City Gems is a gem on its own - a humble but noticeable mini-shop in the Carillon Arcade that has been catering for unique Venetian glass (now rarely seen), nice pieces of silver, resin, and local designers jewellery for quite a few years. They were the first to cater for Venetian glass pieces in Perth, but in the last two years or so they have decided to cater the ubiquitous fashion for the masses Pandora, which is surely more profitable than the local designers' pieces. Still, City Gems has a good eye to bring to their window unique colourful pieces in different materials, colours and styles. They will will satisfy the Indie in you if you also have a colourful creative personality infused in a bit of "poshness". Have a look at their website to get an idea. If you like what you see, run to the real shop and try their "thingies:: http://www.cityge...
The staff are very friendly, and they don't get crossed if you try gazillion things and don't buy anything, I know because I do so sometimes. However, most of the time, it is love at first sight for me as it takes me a second to buy one of their pieces.
The prices are moderate, and the compliments you get are guaranteed. I have been getting compliments on my pieces for years.
The shop has a loyalty/reward points system that gives you discounts if you are a regular, which is very nice. We love discounts, don't we?
UPDATE
They don't cater from Pandora any longer, and have replaced it with Chamellia, which has very similar silver beds and charms.
They've also added some fun watches by Morellato to their collection, some authentic Venetian glass items, and Mexican dry flowers pendants.
Brands Polli and Parfait mien are the only Australian-made around, together with some isolated silver earrings, and some of the old art-glass pendants and earrings.
The price of a real good quality pair of earrings can go from 20 something dollars to 100, but can buy something beautiful for 40-70 dollars, and it is classy and will withstand the pass of time and go with everything you wear. Their silver is good quality and much cheaper than in other shops around, where prices are impossible.
Some of the fancier staff can be pricey, and not that classy, still so very artsy, and will get you lot of compliments and looks.
Their point reward system really saves you lots of money, if you like their stuff, as they do, and go there often. They also have private offers for their registered customers, and will email you with special events just for you.
To be honest, I cannot pass by the shop without buying something, so I try to avoid it as much as a I can.
