Clogau is a company with deep roots in Wales, and the award-winning jewellery firm founded in 1989 has built its brand on the rare Welsh gold contained in every piece. However, as the recent launch of its Bristol Boutique makes clear, Clogau’s ambitions stretch far beyond the principality.
Hundreds of eager jewellery-lovers beat a path to The Mall at Cribbs Causeway for the store’s opening event on August 7, lured by the promise of a closer look at Clogau’s beautiful jewellery and the chance to meet long-standing brand ambassador, TV presenter and Welsh heartthrob Gethin Jones.
As well as helping out with the ribbon-cutting duties and posing for selfies with his fans, Gethin was keen to sing Clogau’s praises. Speaking at the ceremony, the Morning Live star said: “It’s a privilege to be a part of Clogau’s continued growth and I’m sure the brand will find great success in Bristol. It’s also wonderful to be able to share Wales’s incredible heritage with a new audience over the border.”
Clogau Managing Director Ben Roberts added: Our eight-year relationship with Gethin is a great fit. We have become personal friends as well during this time; we are both of similar age and have a lot in common but he’s far better looking than me – so good-looking that he models the watches!”
Welsh culture and history are at the heart of everything Clogau does, and it is the unique storytelling behind the jewellery’s creation that elevates the brand above its rivals. With collections based on Welsh myths and legends, the extraordinary beauty of the landscape, and a link to royalty dating back over 110 years, there’s a deep well of inspiration to draw from.
The Bristol store is Clogau’s fourth outside of Wales – joining boutiques in Shrewsbury and Chester and a store in the Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet village – and there’s no sign of the brand slowing down its recent expansion.
Ben said: “Bricks and mortar stores have played a crucial role in our brand’s story, as they allow us to bring to life the rich history of our products that goes beyond what it is possible to convey online. We choose prime locations close to the border as a stepping stone to England.”
“Bristol shoppers can expect a high-quality experience. Our knowledgeable and friendly team will be on hand to help customers on every step of their shopping experience, from sharing their expert knowledge to styling and helping choose the right piece for someone special.”
- Bristol shoppers can experience the full range of jewellery, watches and accessories at Clogau Boutique, Bristol, Unit 136 The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, Bristol, BS34 5DG. Visit clogau.co.uk//pages/store-locator to find your nearest Clogau store, including Cardiff, Cwmbran and Swansea.
The story of Clogau gold
On the outskirts of a small North Wales town, Clogau Mine director Mr Goodman was enjoying a mid-afternoon paned, or cuppa, when his red-faced foreman burst into the office holding a rock – a rock that would forever change the lives of everyone connected to the mine. Mining at the site had been well-established for centuries, but the operation had, until that day in 1854, yielded only copper. And while the ore in the foreman’s calloused hands had a distinctive rose hue, this was definitely not copper…
From the chance discovery in 1854 until the 1911 closure of the Clogau St David’s Gold Mine, as it came to be called, around 2.5 tonnes of gold were extracted. At this time, a significant quantity of gold was gifted to the British Royal Family, and at the investiture of Edward as Prince of Wales that summer, the regalia used in the ceremony was crafted using Welsh gold. Beginning in 1923 with the wedding ring of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, many members of the Royal Family have used Clogau mine gold to craft their wedding bands, including Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana and Princess Catherine.
In 1989, local businessman Bill Roberts chanced upon the abandoned mine and hatched a plan to reopen it as a tourist attraction. The Snowdonia National Park Authority denied permission for the scheme, and for the second time fate conspired to alter the course of Clogau’s history.
Bill assembled a prospecting crew of three in the hope that the mine contained undiscovered gold – and he was right. A few years of small-scale mining followed, and it was around this time that Bill’s son Ben, now Clogau’s Managing Director, began visiting the Clogau St David’s gold mine with his siblings under the supervision of long-time site caretaker Jack Williams. Ben’s love affair with gold began with those first adventures in the Clogau mine.
Ben said: “When I first visited the mine with my father, I saw the gold in its raw form. I was struck by the pale rose-yellow tone, unlike anything I had seen or have seen since; a result of the copper that had previously been mined there giving this rose colour to the mine ore.
In 1992 the first jewellery appeared from the newly formed brand Clogau Gold of Wales Limited. Just like modern-day Clogau jewellery, every piece contained rare Welsh gold from the Clogau mine, and it quickly captured the public’s imagination.
The Clogau St David’s mine closed for the second time in the late 1990s as the gold became increasingly difficult to extract. With no other gold mining taking place at that time, Welsh gold became one of the rarest and most desirable golds in the world. From humble beginnings, Clogau now employs around 130 people at its North Wales Head Office and 15 stores across Wales and England who are dedicated to telling the story of the brand and its beautiful jewellery.
- For more information on the story of Welsh gold, and to browse Clogau’s full range, visit www.clogau.co.uk
