The company was set up in 1979 and is known for using rare gemstones
16:54, 14 Jan 2026
A longstanding Derbyshire jewellers known for its use of rare Peak District and British gemstones has entered administration, with 36 staff made redundant as the company searches for a new buyer.
Lee Causer and Ben Peterson of BDO LLP were appointed joint administrators of watch and jewellery retailer, CW Sellors Ltd, on Tuesday (January 13).
The company was set up by businessman Christopher Sellors back in 1979, who began selling marble and granite pen holders and paperweights to the local gift shops.
In 1985, Mr Sellors opened the business's first jewellery boutique in Bakewell under the name Blue John Gallery - and grew a reputation by repurposing Derbyshire Blue John into jewellery.
The business continued to grow over the decades, and C.W. Sellors expanded to 10 locations across the UK, including sites at Bakewell, Ashbourne, Matlock, Shrewsbury, York and Whitby.
Mr Sellors died at the age of 64 in October 2023.
Tuesday's announcement comes just months after CW Sellors made the "difficult" decision to sell its newly-built Carsington Water headquarters, which itself was the culmination of 15 years of planning and ambition by its late owner.
It had employed 86 members of staff across its sites and workshops before making the 36 redundancies, and it has also confirmed that all its four Whitby stores would be combined into one store going forward.
The joint administrators are now seeking a buyer for the business, with Lee Causer, one of the joint administrators at BDO, saying: "The business has been experiencing challenging trading conditions, with rising overheads and lower demand for its high-end products.
“Regrettably, 36 people have been made redundant with immediate effect. The company’s remaining 50 employees will be retained for a period to assist the Administrators to trade the business whilst a buyer is sought."
All the other stores, except for the Whitby stores, will remain open for the foreseeable future, however orders can only be placed in-person at the remaining stores. Online orders currently out of action.