PRECIOUS stones from all over the world feature in unique jewellery for sale in a new town centre shop.

Family-run business Aray Jewellery has opened up in Festival Place offering shoppers the chance to purchase elegant art deco style pieces designed by founder Amanda Stacey.

Her love of the arts, the art deco movement and her background in art and design inspired her to set up her own business, and she opened her first concession stand in Salisbury six years ago.

The 47-year-old, whose daughter Rhiannon is running the Basingstoke shop with her while her husband – a former plumber – runs another shop in Trowbridge, used to work in antiques and said her passion for stones began when she was just a child.

She said: “I bought and sold art deco jewellery which is hard to get hold of. I have always had an interest in stones. I wanted a diamond before I was even 10. I made my mind up I wanted a diamond ring. I started learning about grading before I was 20. I have been obsessed my entire life. I also like opals and have a lot of stones I collected when I was younger.”

The mother-of-one, who has studied art, said customers visiting the new shop, on the ground floor in Festival Place, have given positive feedback since it opened in November, adding: “I’m very artistic and a lot of people are likening it to an art gallery. The website doesn’t show what a broad range we have.”

Amanda, who used to run an engineering company, sources stones from all over the world, visiting jewellery fairs in other countries to hand pick the ones she likes.

“Buying jewellery is like retail therapy,” she explained, adding: “The key to my success is my taste. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but for anyone who likes something a bit different they love it. Most people who buy from me come back again. I do get a lot of repeat custom. For a jewellers to be successful it has to be about getting what the customers want.”