Caterham Valley’s Longest-Running Business: JJ Browne & Son Jewellers

JJ Browne & Son is a family jewellery business that has been proudly serving the people of Caterham and the surrounding area for over 100 years. Found on Godstone Road, they sell a wide range of vintage and antique jewellery, silver and gold items, as well as premium watches. We caught up with Andrew, the third-generation owner of JJ Browne & Son and Chairman of the Caterham Valley BID, to find out everything there is to know about Caterham Valley’s longest-running business.

Tell us about the history of JJ Browne & Son

My grandfather came over from Cookstown, Northern Ireland, in 1921 and opened our original shop at 39 Croydon Road. My grandfather was a horologist by trade. Every Wednesday, he would go to Caterham Barracks, St Lawrence’s hospital, and the large houses in the Caterham area to wind and maintain their clocks; this is why our tradition of closing on Wednesdays started and still continues. My grandmother was the main jewellery expert, so with their experience, that was the start of the business we have today.

My father, Bill, joined the business at sixteen and continued to take it to the next generation. He was one of the first Omega watch suppliers in Surrey, and he helped to train and grow the repair workshop side of things. He was always standing outside the shop with a friendly and, quite often, cheeky word to say to everyone who was passing by.

I have been helping in the shop since I was ten years old, then joined the business fully at sixteen. My brother Jim joined the business when he left school at 16, then when our father retired, he took over the running of the Croydon Road branch until its closure in 2020.

Tell us a bit about JJ Browne & Son today

We are a third-generation business, and the longest-running business in Caterham Valley. We are proud to use the best of British manufacture and design, and we stock from the simplest of silver jewellery to the most precious diamond items and gem-set jewellery. We are a Rotary watch stockist, and we have the most amazing pre-loved and vintage jewellery and premium watches.

We have used the same jewellery and watch repair workshops for over 15 years. We offer a bespoke design service for the special or more imaginative designs you may have in mind.
We are a gold buying centre for anyone wanting to unclutter their jewellery box or decide to part with an item that is no longer wanted.

Tell us about yourself

I joined the family business at the Croydon Road shop when I was sixteen in 1984, and then on my eighteenth birthday, I opened our current 10 Godstone Road shop. This shop has the only original Victorian frontage left in Caterham Valley and I am so proud of that. With every generation, changes have been made, and my focus has been to not forget the traditions, but to bring the business up to date with the new innovations in jewellery and watch making that match the needs of every one of our customers.

I have always been very active in trying to be a big part of the business sector in Caterham and have been a part of as many business initiatives as possible.

Do you have any exciting plans for the future?

We have found over the past few years that pre-loved and vintage jewellery and watches have become the most popular items which our customers are interested in, so we are growing that side of the business. With precious metal prices being so high it is a much more affordable way to shop and to be able to continue the history which these items have.

Do you have any advice for other business owners in the area?

Since most of the high street had to close for such a long time during Covid, shopping habits have changed. People are using the internet for shopping, and as we know, the high street has suffered. As shop owners and workers, I feel we have a responsibility to shop locally and support each other so we can recommend one another to customers, family, and friends.

Within Caterham Valley, we are so lucky to have the most amazing selection of independent shops, bars, and restaurants, as well as some multinational shops. I have always tried to use local businesses, and I recommend other traders whenever I can. We like to serve our customers as we like to be served ourselves.

What is your favourite thing about Caterham Valley?

My favourite thing must be all our lovely customers I have met over the past forty years of being a business owner in the Valley. I have made so many friends and have struck up such great relationships with the other traders, as well as many of the families who have used my business for generations.

A big thank you to Andrew for taking the time to sit down and answer our questions, and also for all the work that he does for the BID and the Caterham Valley community. With Valentine’s Day coming up, there’s no better time to check out JJ Browne & Son! You can find JJ Browne & Son at 10 Godstone Road, or visit their website here.