A YOUNG jeweller who had to re-learn her craft after suffering a serious injury is set to live out her dream by opening her own shop in Lerwick.
Connie Dickie, 22, has taken over the former Refan cosmetics building on the street in town, with big ambitions to make the space a unique jewellery experience.
She will operate under the business name Connie Laureen, having already sold bespoke pieces online, at craft fairs and in the nearby shop Ninian in recent years.
For Dickie – whose interest in making jewellery grew in Covid lockdown – the chance to open her own store on the street is a dream come true.
And it represents a huge comeback for her too, after a rare injury threatened to derail her career before it had even began.
“I graduated at college down in Glasgow in 2024, but then I had a minor injury at work,” she told Shetland News in her new shop on Wednesday.
Dickie was diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome, a rare condition which causes chronic and often debilitating pain in the aftermath of an injury or trauma.
A necklace and matching ear-rings made by Connie Dickie.
The pain affects her hand, and shoots right up to her shoulder, leaving her in agony.
“It spread all the way up my shoulder, and they think it might eventually spread into my spine,” she said.
“That took a big toll, because I had just graduated and then I was diagnosed with this condition.
“I had to try come up with ways of making jewellery without hurting my hand, I had to retrain my other hand.”
She said she had been “so upset” in the aftermath of her diagnosis, which had threatened to end her jewellery career before it had even started.
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“I’d just spent years to graduate, so I was thinking, ‘what else am I going to do?’
“I obviously love doing this, so I didn’t know what I would do next.”
After a long break, Dickie returned to making jewellery through her Connie Laureen brand.
She said it had been a lifelong interest of hers, which started with looking in charity shops as a child at the jewellery on offer there.
That then progressed to a job at Shetland Jewellery, which has given her an insight into what it takes to run your own jewellery shop.
When Shetland News visited on Wednesday then work was in full swing for a grand opening, with Dickie only having had the keys for 10 days.
She outlined her plans for the building – which, in a full circle moment, was formerly Swansons jewellers in years past – which will include a “more earthy” feel, with plants set to feature.
“I didn’t want it to look like a normal jewellery shop,” she said.
The sea is a huge inspiration for her work, and Dickie said that she had plenty of pieces ready to go when the shop opens to the public – which she hopes will be in May.
Dickie said her boyfriend had been the main driver behind her being able to take over the business.
“None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for him,” she said.
“It was a huge surprise to me when he said about buying this – I didn’t expect it.
“I said, ‘I don’t know’ at first, but I thought: ‘Let’s give it our best shot’.”
She said there had been huge interest in the shop already – partly fuelled by Swansons nostalgia – and said people had already been in touch enquiring about jobs or apprenticeships.
Tourists will also be able to watch Dickie making bespoke pieces over the summer months.
“I want to get open as soon as possible,” she said. “This is my dream.”
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