Thomas Sabo has got to be one of the most gasp inspiring stores I've been to…read more Full of cutesie pie Barbie, Angel, Disney, Mummy & Baby & much much more charms, you're sure to go..'awwwh' once or twice! There are hundreds upon hundreds of categories of charms to choose from and the option to build you own charm necklace, bracelet etc.. The store also sells an abundance of rings, earrings and other costume jewellery. You can expect to pay around £340 for a pair of certain collection earrings but they really are worth the extra pennies. On a whole, they do seem to be cheaper than Swarovski and all the silver they use is sterling. They are now an internationally recognised brand and it's unsurprising really. If anybody wants to buy me a nice present, you know where to go...

Thomas Sabo is really not the kind of shop I would usually consider entering. But on a recent…read moreexploration of the Victoria Quarter I decided to take a look...hmm...let's just say luxury isn't my thing. For jewellery and charms worth hundreds of pounds it looks extremely tacky...maybe that's the point...I don't know...maybe there's something I'm not 'getting'...I suspect not. If I think of a charm bracelet or necklace I think of vintage hand-picked trinkets with sentimental value or pendants rescued tenderly from puddles to be given a new lease of life...not, erm, this. Angry jewel-encrusted skulls, gittering cufflinks complete with brand name, naffly stylised butterflies and peace signs...peace signs? They somehow seem rather incongruous against all the jewel incrusted crassness. Ok enough of the rant...there are obviously people who love Thomas Sabo...I'm just really not one of them!

This is rather sparkly and shiny affair is The Wharf. It must be pretty difficult to stand out in…read moresuch buzzing little market towns, with gift and knick knack stores all over the place. However, The Wharf manages just fine to fit into a more boutique style gift store, which means it offers something a little different to the other shops. It has a range of really cool handbags, which aren't particularly to my interest, some pretty cool gift cards and really classy looking silver jewellery. As well as that there were a few really nice looking vases, but unfortunately, nothing really quite 'me' enough to open my purse. Still, if it sounds like your kind of thing then perhaps it would be worth the visit!

Mainly spangly, shiny silver jewellery this open plan shop was bustling with activity when I went…read moreand luckily for a small shop had plenty of staff on site to help with customer enquires and serving people at the till so there wasn't a backlog of customers clogging up precious space. There are interesting handbags, and a small selection of boutique cards. Nothing particularly inspired me in here I am more of a fan of chunky 'ethnic' style jewellery and since I passed up the opportunity of bulk buying in India I try not to look too closely at what is available here because I simply have to kick myself.

This wonderful jewellers is situated right in the heart of Otley's shopping district. This…read morejewellers has lots to offer, as you'll notice from their windows, and has a range of items that would suit most customers. At the time of browsing they had an excellent offer of half price on some of their antique rings - which are my favourite to browse - and I was truly spoiled for choice. They had all manner of precious gems within a variety of jewellery items, including topaz, amethyst, garnets and more! They also had some more specialist items, such as charms for charm bracelets - cute little zebras, keys, planes and little birds. They, as do all jewellery shops now, purchase your gold for cash and they also offer a great repair service on your jewellery and watch items. They fit batteries while you wait too, which is great as my watches seem cursed to die all too often! A lovely little jewellers in one of the best towns to shop, Otley.

Jackies Jewellery is an unusually -shaped little shop with a delightfully retro front (infact 4…read morejaunty sides to be precise). On display is what I'd call 'typical' jewellery...the kind you might find in the Argos catalogue, at least last time I looked at the jewellery in the Argos catalogue, which was probably about ten years ago!...So I guess it's a rather dated style but many of the pieces are of a very classic or traditional design with quite a timeless aesthetic. From what I could see the majority of the jewellery is 9 carat gold, though some is silver, with many chains, rings and earrings. The rings are mostly of a classic pretty style, either simple bands of gold or silver, or delicately curved or twisted, some with glittering diamonds giving a more vintage costume jewellery look. There are plenty of necklaces, some with pendants including lockets and hearts. Earrings are mainly either small studs or hoops of varying size. Prices are reasonable, with most of the jewellery between £20 and £100 but some of the smaller studs much cheaper. Jackies Jewellery also does piercings (when I visited a little girl of about 6 was sat bravely awaiting the piercing gun!). Despite the somewhat predictable style of the jewellery, much of it has a pretty and classic look, while the more playful styles have a lot of kitsch potential - as I go for jewellery with either a vintage look or deliberately tacky and fun (worn with a hint of irony!) I actually found most of the jewellery here pretty appealing! What the heck, I think I'm a fan!

Very friends and provides a range of jewellery, especially gold, very welcoming, shame it doesn't…read morehave a bigger shop.

Queensbury Jewellers is one of those places that buys old gold - instant cash for any amount in any…read morecondition. So if you happen to have a treasure chest gathering dust on a shelf this might be the place to part with it. Due to the mind-boggling value of the total shop on the shop floor you have to push a buzzer to be let in...I wonder if they quickly assess from your appearance the chances of you smashing your way into a glass cabinet and grabbing a fistful of diamonds before vaulting a few cabinets and darting out the door...either way I passed the test! The shop has a very luxurious feel with plush dark green carpets to match the shop front and a perfectly air conditioned blankety warmth that makes the prospect of leaving the shop decidedly unattractive on a bitterly cold February day. Just having read Susan's review I can't believe I managed to not realise they had a giant Aladdin's cave downstairs and now feel compelled to return for an explore! The ground floor sells a variety of jewellery at a wide range of prices from thousands of pounds for a diamond ring to £15 for a simple silver bracelet. There is quite a traditional slant to most of the jewellery here with few items that stand out as particularly unusual, but most is very pretty. It sounds as though downstairs has more variation - I'll definitely have to check it out! The staff at Queensbury Jewellers are very pleasant and welcoming and I'm sure they would be very helpful with any queries.

A bit of a Tardis of a jewellery shop, Queensbury Jewellers looks fairly small from the outside but…read moreonce you step inside and head downstairs it opens out into a sparkling, immaculate showroom of epic proportions. With such a big showroom, they stock a huge variety of jewellery and you're just as likely to find a £15 silver necklace made in the UK as a £5,000 gold ring from India. When I visited recently I was impressed by the sheer diversity of the collection, which contains a surprising amount of affordable items alongside jaw-droppingly expensive designer items, and with the staff, who were very helpful and knowledgeable. A good place to come if you're looking to buy a special present for somebody but don't have a small fortune to spend.

I always feel like I've walked into somewhere luxurious when I walk into the Market Cross! The…read morestaff are helpful but discreet (I hate being pounced on!) and the range of jewellery, gifts, china, figuirines and photo frames is impressive to say the least. You would be hard pressed to not be able to find a decent gift within your budget hee. The staff are professional and are more than happy to recommend a gift / item dependant on your budget or the occasion. New lines are always available so there is always something new to look at. Credit/debit cards welcome.

If you're on the hunt for a feather boa Suman may be the place to look - they only have a few but…read morethey come in pretty shades of blue, red, mauve and turquoise. They also sell a range of scarves in an array of colours and patterns. Other than this their main stock is jewellery with their signiature style being bright, chunky and glitzy. I would say the range of jewellery is pretty average with a cheaper end of high street look and average high street prices. However, due to the bold designs you are likely to find a few unusual pieces and may well find something you like if you're into loud statement jewellery. They do also sell some more understated pieces, such as small studs and simple rings.

I don't know why but I wasn't really expecting to like Oaks...it just looked as though it might be…read morea little trendy for my tastes, however I was definitely pleasantly surprised. The clothes are unusual and creatively designed, with unexpected added details or special touches which give them character. There's something here to suit every taste with everything from long, baggy jumpers to short sequined ice-skater style dresses. They also have many vintage-inspired dresses - one that caught my eye was a grey woolen long-sleeved dress with gold buttons and there were also dresses reminiscent of Victoria Beckham's designs, with fitted bodices and added pelmets. They also sell a small selection of jewellery and shoes. The fact that all the clothes here are by local independent designers makes me appreciate this shop much more, as it is supporting small businesses, showcasing local talent and providing a unique shopping experience.

I've gone past this shop so many times on the bus that I finally decided to pay them a visit. Oh…read morewow. The layout is open and inviting and styled more like a classy lounge than a shop floor. Bordering the room are rails and rails of quirky, individual and classy items, which, to my delight, I discovered are all by independent local designers. The girls working there were clearly passionate about the clothes, not only since they were dressed head to toe in them, but they went on to explain to me that the shop had been there for around 30 years and so was well established as an independent boutique. They also informed me that they only buy one of each size in so that any item purchased is virtually a one-off - I love one-offs! For this you do have to pay a little more than your average high street brands, but the point is that when you go out in one of their dresses/skirts/tops you know that you are likely to be the only one in Leeds wearing it. Even the scarf selection oozed class and design. It was very exciting, and as Christmas is creeping ever closer, I suggest you go in and and have a search. But not if I get there first...