Rock collecting is something I've done since I was a pup. I used to collect rocks that looked like…read morehearts, miniature grave stones, or just ones with cool patterns in them. The Rock Shop on Adelaide Street is home to many semi precious stones. Some are for sale, but most of them are actually just on display. It's more like a small museum than a shop. Any person with a minor interest in geology would like to go in here. They've got your unpolished and polished versions of most stones. The malachite and lapis lazuli are particularly enchanting. There's a stone called 'Ribbon Rock' which while not sounding very scientific does represent the rock well. There's rocks that have patterns that make one think of outer space and star dust. Then there's the psychedelic ones. Trippy, star burst kind of stones of all sorts of colours. The staff in store know their stones. They can explain to you why a particular rock will have red in the centre and then change into yellow, and then to green. They'll blind you with their science. They spend most of their time selling rock ornaments and jewellery to people, but they are more than happy to talk rocks with anyone who is interested. If you're like me, you'll just go in to ogle the pretty colours and patterns in the rocks.

When I was but a wee thing I made my mother buy the (now…read moredefunct) fossicker weekly. Each week a new semi-precious gem would be added and before I knew it I was hooked on those mineraloids. Fill of gems and jewels this store would make any fellow rockhead whoop for joy. From garnets and amethysts to tigers eyes, crystals and pearls. The rock shop has you covered. This place also boasts some of the best range of Opals I've seen (Be sure to check out the QLD boulder opal displays) as well as offering up some beautiful jewellery to display them in. So the next time you have an itch for some unpolished gems (or some apology pearls) I highly recommend you pay these guys a visit.

When I came across a rather dismal looking shopping arcade with a sign suggesting stores were…read morehidden within, I didn't expect much. However the very first shop I came across surprised me pleasantly. It's only a tiny jewellery store, there's no way Brangelina and their brood could fit in here. But their jewellery appealed precisely to my taste; a lot of dainty silver and colourful glass beads. They do have a website but it does the store absolutely no justice. You really need to visit the shop to see what this place is all about. So next time you're in Paddington and happen to stumble across a mysterious arcade, venture down and pay this shop a visit.

Do you want to know how much of a fan I am of Georg Jensen designs? This is a standard kinda store…read moreyou'll find anywhere with some amazing designs. But the woman was very friendly and they had some small, quiet diamond rings at 50% off. Which is crazy...who puts diamond rings at half off? There's a small nice selection of mens stuff in the front corner but if you're like me, you'll just like to go 'ooh ahh' while you check out the designs. Oh and there's a homeware store around the corner in the mall which is also cool...don't miss it either.

I have been eyeing off Lannah Dunn for a little while now, so in an attempt not to get attacked by…read moretypical jewellery retail assistants over the busy Christmas period, I told a little fib when I went into their store in Tattersall's Arcade. They asked if I was browsing for anything in particular, and I told them I was looking for a 21st birthday present for my sister, which isn't for another 6 months so I was simply gaging what they had. Lie. Complete lie. But I wanted to avoid the hard-sell. The assistant was lovely and left me to potter around in the store unattended. The jewellery in Lannah Dunn is stunning. Simple, elegant and stunning. It's a mixture of antique and new pieces with something for everyone. I am a huge fan of their monogram rings and was secretly (and selfishly) shopping for one for myself. They are super reasonable in price starting at $89 for a small silver ring, and upgrades in price according to the size of the face and whether you go for silver, gold or white gold. These would make for an affordable and memorable gift for any young woman. Whether you're shopping for an engagement ring, a present or something special to spoil yourself, Lannah Dunn have a gorgeous range worthy of a swoon. The staff are lovely, and not at all as forward as some other unmentionable jewellery stores. I needn't have told that little lie after all!

Great to deal with Ken - a true professional! But, this…read morenumber listed by YELP is incorrect!! Correct number is 3221 7516

I've dealt with Ken in a business capacity but feel as a Jeweller he's top notch. I overheard a…read morecustomer wanting more diamonds in the ring. He dissuaded her and said to keep it simple and elegant. This shows pride in work over greed for profit. I haven't been a customer here but just feel I could be onto a good thing. Ken tells it straight, we need more of that in this world.

Whilst walking through the gallery level of Brisbane Arcade recently, I noticed the boutique Girls…read moreLove Pearls. Pfffffft, I thought. Girls don't love pearls. Girls love puppies and dresses and new shoes and musicals. Old ladies love pearls. Intrigued, I stepped inside. I don't know the first thing about pearls, but from what I learnt when eaves dropping over the conversation the salesman was having with a prospective customer, I found out a number of things: 1) They are expensive 2) They are difficult to acquire 3) They are timeless, often heirlooms and synonymous with class and elegance Learning these things were enough for me to decide on the spot that I would like some. So there you go people, girls actually do love pearls. They just have to know how unattainable they are first.

Terrible quality. My husband purchased 2 different sets of pearlstud earrings and they had flaws…read moreall through them- although he was told otherwise. The gentleman told my husband that they were flawless - and with the lighting in the store my husband couldn't tell that they were far from flawless. It was not until he arrived home and saw them in daylight that he discovered their flaws. Whilst the store owner was happy to exchange or refund, we were disappointed to be told twice by him, that these pearls were flawless (clean surface). Rather, they had noticeable dents in them - the second pair being much worse than the first. This was suppose to be a birthday present to me from my husband. Also he is a very small operation - he went on holidays and shut the store, and so we could not return the dented pearl studs, that he told us were flawless for nearly a week. He is also not open on Sundays or Monday and my husband then went in to the store to return the second set of pearls (that were again terribly flawed and worse than the first pair of pearls) to only find that he was shut on a Monday. My husband had to make numerous trips back and forth from the store to our home to exchange their pearls during his lunchtime at work, and had to stay back after work to make up for the time he lost with all of the running around that this store caused. It wasn't an easy task to find a decent pair of pearls at that store between the price range of $600-$1200. My husband did not end up purchasing any of the pearls. The only response the owner had was when we can afford to pay $1200+ then he may be able to help us find a pair of suitable pearls - flawless. Yet I reiterate, he originally he told us from the beginning the pearls he sold us were flawless! So it doesn't seem to make sense that he would sell us "flawless" pearls - only for us to later discover they were not - and then he admits he has another pair that are flawless - but they are indeed not. And then he basically says it is only if we have more money to spend that he can then help us find a suitable pair of earrings. Why couldn't he then just say that from the onset if this was the case?

Incredible experience with Diamondport, in all my dealings with Diamondport, my expectations have…read morebeen exceeded. Ashley is incredibly passionate about what he does, and takes care of you, irregardless of whether you end up being a customer or not (due to unforseen circumstances, I was unable to go through with my purchase initially). But I know EXACTLY where I will be going when I need to make my engagement ring decision!

From the owner: Diamondport is Australia's finest bespoke jeweller, specialising in diamond engagement rings…read more Discover our collection of handcrafted rings designed with unrivalled expertise and exceptional detail by master jewellers in our Brisbane studio. We work exclusively with hand-selected diamonds that meet our triple excellence grading standards to guarantee outstanding quality and exceptional value. Every Diamondport ring is made with meticulous detail and complemented by a lifetime warranty and True Love Guarantee. Mark the next chapter of your love story with a Diamondport ring.

The metal bars across the entire front of this store make for a fairly formidable, intimidating…read morepicture and make the place look like it's permanently closed. After working up the courage to cross the threshold, I discovered a large jewellery store with nothing to interest me too much (a LOT of gold). The people here are nice enough and their children playing on the floor certainly make an interesting contrast to the barred windows, but their products just really aren't my style. Now let's talk more about these bars. I will give them one point for attempting to make them friendly by having some of said bars formed into the shape of love hearts, and I realise they are simply trying to protect themselves against would be burglars (something they are obviously petrified of), but still, it is not the most welcoming site for customers. Enter if you dare.

This seems to me to be the only semi-decent jewellery store in West End. Of course a lot of other…read moreshops in the area have nice jewellery, but in terms of specialist jewellery shops, most of them are small enough that you might mistake them to be stolen from the set of The Hobbit. This one is bigger and better than the rest. The size obviously results in a larger selection, but it's still not a place I would highly recommend or drag my unsuspecting boyfriend past while dropping hints. There's some lovely stuff but I just wasn't mouth agape, struggling to decide which of their items I could justify buying.

The selection of jewellary and watches in Hall's are all OK, but I must admit I was a little…read moreunderwhelmed by the range. I was on a hunt for a new pair of earrings but didn't find anything that really tickled my fancy. The shop attendant was busy talking to a friend so I didn't really get any assistance in that respect. In terms of repairs though, Hall's does a good job for a reasonable price. I've had a watch fixed there before as well as a necklace which had broken as a result of the debauchery of a night out. It's an OK little jewellary store, but not the kind of place I would rave about to friends.

I was chuffed when I stumbled across Stone and Metal a few days ago. The beautiful store off James…read moreStreet sells a wide range of beautiful bespoke jewellery which you can't find anywhere else. When I went into the store there was a husband trying to choose a special piece for his wife for Christmas. Not wanting to steal his thunder, I browsed quietly and ogled endlessly at all of the beautiful items in the cabinets while the shop attendant helped him (it was obvious he needed special attention). The majority of the items in store are sterling silver, with whatever is gold in appearance being gold plated. A number a international designers house their jewellery in Stone and Metal, with the owner of the store also selling her pieces. There are amazing things like earrings with small bird cages hanging from them, rings with miniature silver houses and beaded necklaces which would make a statement coupled with any outfit. I never normally purchase jewellery for myself, but Stone and Metal might just be an exception in the future. I'll also keep it in mind for birthday presents as well, as the items are usually one off and not easily replicated. A gem of a store!

From the owner: Imagine this. Raw…read morepolished concrete floors, exposed piping and brick walls, specimens of raw gems, lavish chandeliers and a slab of green polished onyx from Pakistan; a gorgeous 'cow lounge' in the corner and simple glass cabinets showcasing luxurious jewellery inside. This haven is the Stone and Metal Gallery that houses the seasonal collections by Brisbane metalsmith Samantha Anderson, the Stone and Metal exclusive label, a collection of emerging designer ranges and an assortment of internationally sourced jewellery. Credit to Brisbane Threads (we couldn't have said it better ourselves) The Gallery is located in the upmarket hub of James Street in Fortitude Valley in Brisbane where there is a strong presence of other Australian designer fashion. On display is contemporary jewellery from around the world as well as hand crafted pieces from Australian designers.