| Industry | Jewellery |
|---|---|
| Founded | Capel Street, Dublin (1720) |
| Headquarters | Grafton Street, Dublin, Ireland |
West of Grafton Street Ltd. or West Jewellers was a jewellery store which was last located on 33 Grafton Street in Dublin, Ireland. It was considered the oldest European jewellery store and one of the oldest companies in Ireland.[1]
West began its existence in 1720 as West Sons on the city's Capel Street.[2] It transferred to College Green in 1845 before its later relocation to 102 Grafton Street.[1] Queen Victoria gave West the royal warrant as her watchmaker, and once bought two replicas of the Tara Brooch from the company.[2] The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was another customer.[2] The company also created the original 22-carat gold chain of office used by the Lord Mayor of Dublin and one replica.[3] West moved to 33 Grafton Street in 1965.[1] Kathleen Watkins, the wife of veteran broadcaster Gay Byrne, confessed in an interview with The Irish Times that she did not own any jewellery from West.[4]
West closed on 13 February 2010 after hosting a closing-down sale.[1][4] In its final week of existence staff said they had not been informed of a definite date of closure.[3] Three jobs were lost due to the closure.[5] Joe Moran was in control of the company at the time, while Geraldine L'Estrange West had a minority share.[1] Robert Halpin, manager of West with 46 years experience at its closure, said as it followed several other stores in ceasing to exist: "We are a dinosaur. Grafton Street just doesn't attract our type of clientele anymore. Our customers were the discreetly wealthy and they are gone now".[2][3] Bigger businesses, such as Boodles, Cartier SA and Tiffany & Co., had opened outlets nearby in the years before West's closure.[1]
The British Royal Collection has two brooches that Prince Albert bought for Queen Victoria from "West & Son" on a visit to Dublin in 1849, presenting them in November and as a Christmas present that year, which were apparently already being made in editions: "...such beautiful souvenirs, both made after those very curious old Irish ornaments we saw in the College in Dublin, one a silver shawl brooch, in smaller size than the original" was her reaction to the November gift.[6]