Retired Yorkshire Jewellery Retailer Roger Mitchell Tells the Story of his 44 Years in the Jewellery Industry

10 Mar 2026

… And ‘Diamond Days’ makes for a great read! Those of a similar vintage will probably recognise and relate to some of his stories and encounters, while those who began their jewellery journey more recently will find them eye-opening. What’s clear is that Mr Mitchell rarely experienced a dull day, whether selling, buying or valuing – he has not forgotten the many comical moments.

Rather than take a chronological approach to his story, the book’s chapters take different aspects of the jewellery trade, leaping in with ‘The Victim’. Crime-related reminiscences range from a snatch and run thief and cat burglar to a nasty robbery and the IRA’s bombing campaign of the 1970s, all recalled in great detail.

The same attention to fascinating, often amusing, detail is applied to chapters such as ‘The Buyer’, ‘The Technician’, ‘The Appraiser’ and ‘The One-Eyed God’ – the latter going back to 1987 when Roger caved in and swapped his lovely, museum piece of a stock book for an Amstrad computer and retail jewellery software. It’s a tale of ups and downs, gains and losses, as many independent jewellers of that time can probably relate to.

If you want to learn about all of the above and more, including the horse that swallowed an earring or the mystery of Mrs Potts’ ring, we suggest you contact Roger who will happily sell you a copy of Diamond Days. But be quick, because it’s a limited edition.

Contact Roger Mitchell

 

Source: Roger Mitchell