For girls whose taste falls outside of the realms of the cliched, Black Finch has got to be one of…read moreMelbourne's best jewellers. A tiny little boutique within the Westgarth shops, Black Finch sells the kind of avant garde fine jewellery that can be nigh on impossible to find, alongside bespoke, custom made jewellery designed by the shop's in house jeweller Raymond De Zwart. Selling pieces made out of everything from feathers to diamonds, gold to silver and much more in between, and running the gauntlet from pretty and delicate to wearable art, Black Finch is a boutique for those who are serious about beautifully designed jewellery. Prices are attendantly high but the quality is extraordinary, the craftsmanship exemplary and, let's, face it, when it comes to jewellery good stuff don't come cheap.

I don't really buy into this shit but... the jewellery in this joint is absolutely exquisite…read more Black Finch specialise in artist made jewelry, custom design, wedding and engagement, recycled gold and vintage diamonds and they show a bit of work at their High Street store. The house jeweller is this bloke Raymond De Zwart and the best bit is that if you drop by, you can watch him tinkering away in the background while you browse the beautiful rings, bracelets brooches, cufflinks, earrings, necklaces, pendants and the like. There seem to be a few of these designer jewellery shops opening around the place and it's a refreshing change from the big grotesque chain stores cluttering up the landscape. This is jewellery with style, presented in an understated way and it's beautiful to behold.

I'm going to have to describe The Curious Oyster Shoppe as simply adorable. Another of the newer…read moreshops along the junction end of High St in Thornbury, it's filled with jewellery, knick knacks, cards and women's and baby clothes, much of which is made from recycled materials. The clothes are particularly fun and generally one offs, but fairly pricey given the whole locally made/produced/eco-friendly aspect. There's also a really terrific range of cards with funny slogans and cute pictures, some of which have a local twist. A lot of the jewellery is pretty distinctive, such as necklaces made out of old spoons and retro pendants. On the whole, it's basically the kind of store where you can't know what you're going to find in there on any given occasion, just that it'll be something special. At the moment there are some vintage inspired first aid and sewing kits stored in metal, biscuit-esque tins. The owner is lovely and has a really natural smile that puts you at ease. A really fun shop that's great to drop into.

Curiouser and curiouser! The Curious Oyster Shoppe is a little craft box brimming with…read morelocal/national designers of assorted jewellery, homewares, stationery, childrens/womens clothing and just gorgeous little things. Notable items include locally produced lip balm in kitsch tins, 'Things By Bean' gift cards with irreverent and anti Hallmark quotes at affordable prices. This is a cute gift store predominantly for the ladies interested in Frankie or other craft/design oriented individuals. There are some real outside the square gift ideas and is one of the better retail offerings along this stretch of High street. The store is inviting and owner/staff is friendly, not pushy. I did miss their opening hours a few times but eventually found my way in. The majority of the stock is eco-friendly and every sale over $90 is rewarded with the planting of a tree

Aggressive owner very rude and not willing to work with customer for resolution…read more Sub-standard quality products and do not have any regard for consumer laws at all. Preferring threatening stand over tactics. Pricing doesn't match quality of product