Royal: Contemporary New Zealand Jewellery

Royal Jewellery Studio showcased the best of contemporary New Zealand jewellery. All the stock was designed and hand-crafted by local jewellers, whose diverse practices shared a commitment to individuality, wearability, and quality workmanship.

 

 

Royal Jewellery Studio was established by jeweller Ben Flynn in 1998, with a mission to provide an exhibition space for contemporary New Zealand jewellery in Tāmaki-Makaurau Auckland City. He built cabinets from re-purposed timbers from the original floor joists from the building and up cycled Kauri from the original verandah structure. The gallery and store was located in Kingsland, in the iconic Theatre Royal building, built in 1915. Unfortunately the decision was made to close this iconic gallery in March 2025. Ben now operates from his Kerikeri based studio.

The interior featured stained-glass windows made by Richard Thomas from the off-cuts of the Parnell Cathedral windows, designed with inspiration from the original mosaic tile floor patterns.   

Original picture of the outside of Royal Theatre 1915

Opening night of Theatre Royal, Kingsland. 20th May 1915

 

Renamed the Pacific Theatre in the 1970s.

Kingsland's theatre closed in 1978, and and the building was not in commercial use again until 1995. 

It is from the Theatre Royal that Royal Jewellery Studio took its name, as well as its fabulous original floor tiles.