A JEWELLER has designed a special York Daffodil collection inspired by the sunny flowers which spring up around many of the city's historic landmarks.

Kay Bradley, owner of Bradley’s Jewellers York, designed the bespoke range of fine jewellery using both yellow and burnt orange sapphires to celebrate York’s displays of wild daffodils.

The flowers are popular features along the city's walls, around York Minster and Clifford's Tower, with many people vying to spot the first ones each year.

Having moved to the city more than a decade ago, Kay said the dependable return of the hardy daffodil is particularly symbolic to her business in Low Petergate, and those like it throughout the city, in the wake of the pandemic.

“The daffodil is a symbol of hopefulness and optimism," said Kay, a jeweller and designer who trained at the International Gemmological Institute in Antwerp.

"On my morning walk to work, the beautiful show of bright yellow daffodils never fails to lift my spirits and remind me that, after the darkness of winter, there’s always summer on the horizon.

“They inspired me to create this very personal collection, which after difficult periods of restriction and closures during the pandemic, symbolises the spirit of new beginnings and steadfast resilience.”

The new collection follows a recent partnership in which Kay designed a solid gold Yorkshire Rose egg pendant exclusively for the luxury brand Fabergé.

This was also inspired by her ties to York where she runs her boutique business in a grade II-listed former apothecary building in Low Petergate.

The York Daffodil collection, manufactured in Britain, includes a ring set with six pear-shaped yellow sapphires surrounding a round brilliant-cut orange sapphire.

There is also a daffodil brooch of yellow and orange citrines; a delicate gemstone, floral pendant; and pretty flower earrings, each set in either 18k gold, 9k gold or sterling silver.

Each piece is personalised with Kay’s own York Daffodil logo, with a Y within a tiny flower, laser marked using the latest technology at the Birmingham Assay Office.

The pieces sit within a wider range of jewellery that pays homage to Kay’s home region of Yorkshire, where she and her family have run successful jewellery businesses for more than 50 years.

The range also includes the York Rose collection, sold exclusively at Kay’s city centre store.

She added: “Even on the darkest of days, shoppers in York have been loyal and faithful, just like these beautiful flowers, and the York Daffodil collection is my way of translating the joy these blooms give m and passing that happiness on to my customers.” 

Bradley’s Jewellers York, which specialises in fine jewellery, luxury diamonds and coloured gemstones, was named Fine Jewellery Retailer of the Year at the 2021 Professional Jeweller Awards in December.