Archive for May, 2010

Last Friday April and I spent the day in the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham.  First we visited Dave at Krypton who helps us with producing our jewellery.  Dave knows everything there is to know about jewellery so it was fantastic being able to pick his brains for a few hours.

Dave has been working with Rakhi and Alex to design our new range of 18ct Eyebright Rings… which are lush,  just check out these colours!

This is what I call a true fairytale collection!  Made in solid 18ct yellow gold, these rings make the perfect cocktail piece.  Talking of gold…

…The next stop on our grand tour of Birmingham was to see Dean & Mark.  Dean and Mark are our wonderful gold-platers!  The gorgeous ‘Alex Monroe’ 22ct colour you all know and love is down to their hard work.  Here’s our very own specially built gold-plating tank -

You can’t really tell from this picture, but the tank is actually huge – and it’s specially for us   Gold-plating is a precise science so it’s quite an honour to have a tank devoted just for your work.

My favourite member of the D&M team has to be Monty, I think he contributes a lot to company moral!… I wonder if we can have a workshop dog?!

Hmmm. I’m a bit jealous. Mayo took a couple of weeks off to go back to Japan. Still, mustn’t grumble, I’m going to Tokyo and Osaka again in a few weeks! Look how great she looks!

‘Hello everyone! hope everything is ok and not crazy tooooo busy there.
I’m having very very good and busy time in japan.
just had wedding yesterday which was fantastic and had great time with old friends. ‘

Mayo back home in Japan

Hi All,

Just a quickie; It’s been a busy old week!…..

1/ I bought an Ice Cream Van (this I will explain in full later, but listen out for the chimes of the AM Ice Cream van in your area soon!)

2/ We were shortlisted for UK Fashion Exporter of the Year so had lunch with Princess Anne and Saint Joanna of Lumley. Practically my new best friends. Luverly they are too.

3/ We’ve been shortlisted for Jewellery Designer of the Year (Third Year running!) Big congrats to everyone here

4/ Also shortlisted for UK e-tailer of the year….

5/ Just done a super thing with Sienna Miller. Very nice project, good cause etc. so will post details when we get some pics.

6/ Emma finally turned up after being stranded in the ash cloud in Spain. (can’t feel too sorry for her, she was in Seville!)

7/ What else….. ? Can’t think. Lunch in Sakura with my brother today (yum). It’s Friday and might bunk off early and get an hour in the garden before going out for supper with me ol’ mates Liz and Grant… Big training for my bike ride this w/e. Still got sore legs from ‘Hill Training’ on Thurs. Ah well…

Went to the coolest party in town last night! At the Sir John Soane museum Lovely Emily at Penhaligon’s invited us to the Sarcophagus Party, which they’ve resuscitated after ages, since the days when Sir John was alive and kicking. It was brilliant! Champers, beer and oysters, gin, more gin, dancing, magicians, an amazing silhouette artist and all sorts. Lots of old mates were there, lots of arty people etc. Great fun. Loads of people were in 18th century dress. And all lit by candles. I wish my phone took better pics in the dark! Here’s a couple anyway… don’t forget to check the museum out, they’ve lots of exciting plans afoot…

Hi All,

A little update from me about what I’ve been up to…. Except I can’t ever remember so I have to check the photos on my iphone (that’s slightly worrying isn’t it?)…

Ah yes. Here we are. Lots to report. Some worky stuff, lots not;

A brilliant cycle ride when we took over the marathon route and cycled it in super fast speed. It did require a 5AM start, but it was a really fun morning. Dave Baum made this great little film of it (here)

Life at AMHQ continues as usual. Emma’s mum made the most delicious lemon drizzle cake (or was it maderia, who cares, it was great).

Emma's mums cake

Mayo finished the carry case for the samples before she flew off to Japan for her holls. She made it from tweed which Rosie got from her hometown up north. (Penrith I think, isn’t that the town in Withnail and I?). I’ll be the best accessorized Brit on my trip to Japan in June. Thanks Mayo! And thanks Rosie!

Mayo with the bag!Mayo's bag

Funny pic of derring-do war correspondant Jeremy Bowen trying to cook a sausage round at Peter’s house. We’ve had a few too many wet and cold barbies this year. Come on sunshine, we need you!

Jeremy smoking

Us hard core cyclists did the South Croydon Loop last week-end. About 40 miles, proper countryside so lovely, but bloody freezing! And I’m starting to get annoyed by London’s potholed roads. Up at 6, back for breakfast (why do we do it?) In the photo; Den, Lloyd, Susie, Robin and Jeremy. Robin and Susie were by far the fittest.

Us lot in somewhere south of Croydon!

Then we voted (great British democracy at work)

Then it was Susie’s birthday so more cake (yum)

Susie's birthday

Then my mum’s birthday so more cake (yum again)

My Mums birthday!

Then we cycled the Suffolk Sunrise 100. A lovely 100k ride in the beautiful Suffolk countryside. It was absolutely brilliant. I loved it (except Denise had a crash and was amulanced off!). The second half we really pushed it, very fast indeed and really fun. I did a little film (very bad but my first attempt) to try to sum it up. Alex Suffolk Sunrise 100 – the movie!

Lloyd looking rather camp and my brother-in-law Elio

I think Susie is putting together some new photos of our posh Goldcrest collection for the web-site. It’s all looking amazing. Really exciting! And lots more to come!

Forest Jewel ring

OK. That’s it from me. Must try and make Bike No. 3 for our charity cycle. The others are going really well. I love the Auction thing. Check out the web-site if you haven’t already. It’s great fun to see what’s going on and who’s bidding etc.

Do think about making a donation to our charity…. it’s really important research to prevent blindness,

Thanks.

Back soon!

Alex

I’m off to visit Bloomsbury in Bristol this Thursday, the 6th of May, for our first West Country Trunk Show!

All the gang at Bloomsbury are very excited, and I can’t wait for everyone to see the selection of pieces we are taking – there are lots of extra-pretty stone set pieces that are especially gorgeous!

The event is running all day, from 10-8pm, so plenty of opportunity to come and say hello and bag yourself a one-off Alex Monroe piece.  Bloomsbury will also be fully stocked with Feathers, Bees and the like – and are also running a competition to win a Bumblebee, so if you haven’t got one already pop in and see if you’re in luck!

Come and see us!

The store is in the new Cabot Circus development in the centre of Bristol, in the Quakers Friars area.  Hope to see you there, Emma x