About Bellefontaines'
In the modern age of faceless corporations and high staff turnover, few organisations can boast the provenance, consistency and attention to detail of Bellefontaines’. As a family firm, we offer over 170 years of specialist care for our customers, their jewellery and their watches.
Why is this important?
Simply because meaningful jewellery and heirloom timepieces carry significance far beyond the throwaway society of most purchases, and therefore require expert consideration. By buying from us, you can be assured of full understanding of the pieces in question, provenance of the gemstones and materials, and life-long support which stretch across generations.
Expertise as Standard
As a team we offer over 170 years of specialist care for our customers, their jewellery and their watches.
We are an accredited service centre for Omega and Tag Heuer. We are currently training with Cartier we hope to add their accreditation to our already extensive portfolio.
We are members of The British Horological Institute, which was formed in 1858 to promote horology. The British Horological Institute today continues to provide education, standards and support to its 3,000 members around the world involved in making, repairing and servicing clocks and watches.
Alongside the watch repairs we have an extensive jewellery workshop onsite, where Terry and Molly can be found hard at work.
When you come in to our shop you will be greeted by Meg and Liz, if you call us, Rachel is at the end of the phone to help you.
Very occasionally, we use outworkers for certain specialised work in order to provide the very best service. We always advise where this is necessary.
Whether it is repairing family heirlooms or creating new ones, our family at Bellefontaines’ Jewellers is here to give your precious pieces the attention to detail and care they deserve, so that they can continue to stand the test of time.
Collectively between the family and team we have over 170 years of professional knowledge and experience.
Excellence which Spans Generations
Current Directors
The business has continued throughout the years as a family concern. Gary, Dennis’s younger son is the carrying on the family tradition with his wife Mary. As a traditional family jeweller the shop carries all stock that you would imagine to find in such a shop.
Gary Dieu de Bellefontaine MBHI IRV79297
Gary started work in the trade at the age of 13 often coming straight to work after school.
He is a member of The British Horological Institute, and studied Horology at Hackney Technical College for 2 years, following the Institutes correspondence course. After successfully completing the course and gaining professional sponsorship he became a qualified member of the institute in 1982 and gained the right to use the letters MBHI after his name.
Gary also studied setting, mounting, design and engraving at Sir John Cass which is now part of The London Polytechnic. This background gave Gary the skills to design and make jewellery or renovate or repair jewellery at every level.
In 1997 he became a National Association of Goldsmiths Registered Valuer (This changed to Institute of Registered Valuers in September 2008), after submitting sample work, completing an entrance test and attending a 2 day seminar in London.
Mary Dieu de Bellefontaine RJ Dip IRV79397
Mary started work in the trade at the age of 17 after leaving college. She completed the Retail Jewellery Diploma in 1996 taking two years examinations in one go (a baby prevented her taking them on successive years as the course is designed to do).
In 1997 she became a National Association of Goldsmiths Registered Valuer (This changed to Institute of Registered Valuers in September 2008), after submitting sample work, completing an entrance test and attending a 2 day seminar in London. She has also attended a Gemstone Seminar in London at The National Association of Goldsmiths Headquarters in 25th September 1996.
Mary has also attended a one day Ear Piercing Course in 2008.
Mary has recently successfully completed a 2 week training course as an associate member of The British Horolocical Institute in Quartz Watch Servicing for the Technician/Retailer. Mary passed the diamond diploma with Merit and Gemmology diploma. Mary became a founding member of The Jewellery Valuers Association. Since passing these exams both Mary and Gary have travelled to Tucson for the gemstone fair there and to Vancouver to attend the Canadian Gemological Associations conference. Both are always keen to add to their knowledge of all things related to Gemmology, Jewellery and watches.
Anthony is currently working within an in-house training scheme that focuses on both a range of customer service, and trade-specific skills. He has a level 2 diploma in Jewellery manufacturing from Holts academy of Jewellery and is currently studying towards his second certificate from The National Association of Goldsmiths Training (JET).
Tony went to Birmingham City University and gained a first in Jewellery and Gemmology. From there he went to work for Birmingham Assay Office as a Gemmoloigist. After working for them for 2 years Tony now works for De Beers as a rough to polish Analyst
Alice Tonys wife has spent lots of time working both front of house and designing Jewellery using her CAD skills.
The Future
Today the business has a new lease of life with William, Gary and Mary’s son, firmly taking hold of the reigns supported by Lizzy, his wife. Gary and Mary’s other sons, Michael and Henry, are also involved in aspects of the business and all take an active interest in the future direction of the company.
William has developed his watchmaking skills in a watch repair facility nearby and also; he has been to Switzerland. While at Carl F Bucherer in Switzerland he honed is watchmaking skills and visited the Omega museum with Lizzy his wife.
Michael is currently working for a local company servicing all brands of watches.
Henry has recently finished his studies at University on Film and Film Production. This has proved invaluable in developing the photography for the business as we move into online content and sales.
Our History
80 years of service
Bellefontaines’ Jewellers was started in November 1946 by Dennis Dieu de Bellefontaine. Dennis was supported by his wife Elizabeth, brother Len and sister Josie. The shop was in Vange until its compulsory purchase by Basildon Council in 1963. Dennis had already acquired the shop in Billericay and team spent 18 months getting the shop ready for business.
The building has had 2 extensions in its time, and the layout has changed with the removal of the counters being replaced by our consultation desks.
As with all businesses, evolution is constant as we respond to the needs of our customers and the preferences of the time.
Through it all, customer service remains at the heart of everything we do and remains our top priority, just as it was for Dennis and Elizabeth 80 years ago.
