450 YEARS OF THE ROYAL EXCHANGE

The Royal Exchange celebrates its 450^th birthday this year, with 23 January marking the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth I officially opening the original building in 1571, and christening it with its royal title. Throughout the year ahead we’ll be marking this milestone anniversary with a host of special events and activations as we look back at the vibrant heritage of The Royal Exchange, and its prominent role at the heart of City life, celebrate the present and look forward to the future, as it continues to evolve as an icon of the modern City.

Visit our heritage page to learn more about the history of The Royal Exchange and keep an eye on our journal and Instagram feed in the coming months for more facts and insights about The Royal Exchange’s past and present

A RARE TREASURE

British jewellery house Boodles unveils a special one-off piece this month featuring an extremely rare 10.05 carat pink diamond. Cut from a rough stone that weighed almost 20 carats, the diamond has been cut into a beautiful pear shape and mounted into a spectacular ring, also set with white and Argyle pink diamonds. Boodles director Jody Wainwright described the stone as ‘the most special pink stone Boodles has ever acquired’.

This unique and magnificent piece of jewellery will be embarking on a tour of Boodles’ UK showrooms during early 2021. To register your interest in viewing the ring when it comes to The Royal Exchange Boodles boutique, please contact them by phone on +44 (0)20 7283 7284 or click here to send a request via their website; boodles.com

FIT FOR A KING

Tuck into Ladurée’s Galette des Rois, or frangipane King’s Tart, this month, traditionally enjoyed in France on 6 January, in celebration of the Christian festival of Epiphany. The seasonal treat of puff pastry filled with almond cream and crushed almonds contains a hidden lucky charm, with whoever finds it crowned king or queen for the evening.

This delicacy is available in a range of sizes, providing 2 to 8 servings, and will be available from Ladurée at The Royal Exchange until 31 January. It can also be ordered for Click & Collect, or for express delivery in Central London; laduree.co.uk

SCARLET FEVER

Jo Malone London introduces a new fragrance to its Cologne Intense collection this January. Scarlet Poppy is inspired by the vivid Great Scarlet Poppy flowers that grow on the wild steppes of Asia. Its voluptuous floral tones are enhanced with notes of iris, barley, tonka bean and fig to create a sophisticated scent, described by Celine Roux, global head of fragrance at Jo Malone London, as: ‘a grand, ravishing, deep floral, and the volume grows and grows as you wear it. It’s a larger-than-life fragrance but still very sophisticated and refined’. Visit the Jo Malone London boutique at The Royal Exchange to discover this evocative fragrance for yourself; jomalone.co.uk

BEADY EYES

Featuring individually cut gemstone beads, Tateossian’s Nodo bracelets are handcrafted to refract the natural light for a subtle sparkle, and come in a range of colours. Mix and match a few to create an individual collection, choose your favourite colour for a more subtle expression, or purchase a pair to match with a partner or friend. Visit the Tateossian boutique at The Royal Exchange to explore the collection and experiment with your favourite pairings; tateossian.com

CAPTURE THE MOMENT

Iconic camera brand Leica has released a new edition of its SL2 camera. The Leica SL2-S is a full-frame camera that marries still and moving image capture with a speedy operating system, allowing users to seamlessly switch between the two. At the heart of the SL2-S is a newly developed BSI-CMOS image sensor, with a resolution of 24 megapixels, and a Maestro III processor with a 4-gigabyte buffer memory that allows for unlimited burst recordings.

The SL2-S’s L-Mount makes it compatible with a vast range of Leica lenses, and its compact dimensions, coupled with its impressive ability to perform demanding videography tasks make it a covetable piece of equipment for filmmakers and photographers who don’t want to be weighed down by kit. Visit The Royal Exchange Leica store to get hands on with the Leica SL2-S and try it out for yourself; leica-camera.com

A NEW DAWN

Inspired by the circular flow of life and the changing colours of light during the period of time from dawn to daybreak, Vashi’s Lumina jewellery collection symbolises regeneration and new beginnings. Comprising 50 styles, there’s something to suit everybody in this versatile collection, with each piece available in white, rose or yellow gold. Rings, bangles, pendants and earrings are embellished with diamonds and pink, yellow and blue sapphires, to capture the changing hues of morning light, while many of the pieces feature moving parts that add a playful touch to pieces that ask to be worn and enjoyed on a daily basis. As with all Vashi creations, personalisation can be added to any piece in the form of an engraving or fingerprint to make it truly unique. Discover the Lumina range with a visit to the Vashi showroom at The Royal Exchange; vashi.com

The Royal Exchange celebrates its 450^th anniversary this year. We look forward to welcoming you during 2021, for a considered shopping experience in spectacular and historic surroundings. Please visit our boutiques page for regular updates on our retailers’ opening information and hours