BEST friends from Basildon are set to open a new jewellery store to bring a “better class of jeweller” to the town.

Samuel Journet, 30, and Perry Wood, 29, are the owners of Samuel Perry, an online jeweller.

After running the business solely online for the last three years, the pair will be opening their first physical shop in their hometown of Basildon at the Eastgate Shopping Centre.

Samuel Perry is set to open on March 30 at the former site of Tiana Marie.

Both Samuel and Perry worked in H Samuel in Lakeside as their first jobs, and have continued to work in the industry since where they later set up Samuel Perry.

Sam said: “As we have ground and become known in the area for being the go-to goldsmiths, we wanted to open a store in our hometown.

“With the recent closures of H Samuel and Ernest Jones, we know the town deserves a better class of jeweller.

“We are really excited to be opening our first store in Basildon’s Eastgate Shopping Centre as we always set our sights on opening store number one in our hometown.

“Both of us are looking forward to welcoming friends, family, and new customers.”

Samuel Perry say they have an exclusive selection featuring British award-winning designers such as Alex Monroe, Lucy Quartermaine, and Kail Forbes.

They also offer ear piercings, personalised permanent jewellery, and tailor-made wedding ring experiences.

Customers can also book 1-2-1 sessions, including for jewellery repairs to ensure “your items are in the best hands”.

Samuel added: “We almost have to pinch ourselves because we see ourselves as just two local lads, who are following and executing their dream.

“We didn’t come from silver spoon families so everything we have achieved was by ourselves.

“I hope that we can be role models for young people in the area that if you have a dream, keep dreaming, working hard, building relationships, and you can achieve anything.”