Before Allgem Jewellers opened its doors, the adventure had already begun. In the late 1960s, Joseph, Bessie, and Alfie journeyed across Australia, mining for precious gemstones and opals. Their travels took them to renowned gemfields like Anakie, Sapphire, Emerald, and Rubyvale in search of Australian Sapphire, and to iconic opal towns such as Lightning Ridge, Coober Pedy, and Andamooka.

Joseph soon taught himself how to cut the beautiful stones they uncovered—but there was a catch: few jewellers were willing to work with them, especially the opals. So, in true pioneering spirit, Joseph decided to take matters into his own hands. He became a jeweller and gemmologist, launching a wholesale business focused on jewellery manufacturing, repairs, and gemstone cutting for retail jewellers.

His craftsmanship quickly gained attention from friends, family, and the wider community. With growing demand and passion, opening their very own store was the natural next step—and that’s how Allgem Jewellers was born!

Allgem Jewellers officially opened its doors in July 1978 on William Street in the heart of Perth’s CBD.

By then, Joseph had already completed his TAFE certificate in jewellery manufacturing and earned his Fellowship with the Gemmological Association of Australia (FGAA). With the business underway, Bessie began her own gemmology journey—graduating top of her class and going on to further her studies with the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (FGA), along with training in pearl and bead threading.

At just 14 years old, Alfie was already pitching in after school, learning the ropes of the family trade. He later completed a jewellery manufacturing apprenticeship under Joseph’s guidance, and went on to earn his own FGAA in 2005 and become a registered jewellery valuer in 2007.

The store’s original workshop was modest—a single jeweller’s bench tucked behind the showroom—but it was the heart of the business, where passion, precision, and family legacy came together.

In 1987, Allgem expanded into Shop No. 12 within the historic London Court Arcade.

For a time, we operated across two locations—our original William Street store and the new London Court boutique—serving a growing local and international clientele.

By 1993, we opened a third showroom at 653 Hay Street Mall in the heart of Perth. Then, in June 1997, we brought it all together—merging our three locations into the Hay Street showroom we still call home today, more than 30 years on.

Joseph and Alfie worked side by side as our in-house jewellers, continuing to craft and care for each piece with precision and pride. As the next generation grew up, the tradition continued. Alfie’s children would lend a hand after school and during holidays, learning the family trade from the ground up. After graduating high school, Alfie’s sons officially joined the business, beginning their jewellery manufacturing apprenticeships under the expert guidance of both their dad and grandfather.

Over the years, the store became more than a place of business—it became a second home, where the Gryg family’s passion for jewellery has been passed down through generations.

Our current location on Hay Street has been home to Allgem Jewellers since 1997—and it’s perfectly designed for what we do best.
With our showroom at street level and a fully equipped workshop directly below, we’ve been able to expand our capabilities. The basement now houses multiple jewellers’ benches and a gemmological laboratory, allowing us to take on a wide range of work—including custom designs, repairs, restorations, valuations, and gemstone identifications—all on-site.

In 2016, Joseph and Bessie were honoured with a long-service award from the Gemmological Association of Australia (GAA) for their decades of contribution to the gemmological community. Both Joseph and Alfie proudly served as presidents of the GAA’s Western Australia division. Alfie also shared his expertise by teaching GAA courses and even guest lecturing in Earth Science and jewellery design at his children’s school.

The third generation officially joined the business full-time in 2015, continuing the family legacy. Today, Alfie and his sons, Brendan and Jason, work as the in-house jewellers and designers, while his daughter Sarah manages the showroom and social media—keeping the Allgem story alive both in-store and online.

Joseph and Bessie retired in late 2017. Joseph passed away in February 2018, having earned the distinction of being one of Australia’s oldest and longest-serving bench jewellers. He passed his knowledge of jewellery making to his son and grandsons—skills that will continue to be handed down through future generations.

Bessie passed away in September 2024, leaving behind a legacy of gemstone expertise and a reputation as Perth’s go-to for pearl and bead threading. Her passion for gemmology lives on in the generations she inspired. Joseph and Bessie now rest together, knowing the business they built with love is in the capable hands of their family.

In 2018 and 2019, Alfie’s gem expertise took centre stage as the official valuer for the WA Opal Hunters team featured in Seasons 1 and 2 of Outback Opal Hunters.

Over the years, we’ve had the pleasure of creating and selling jewellery for a wide variety of well-known clients and businesses—from celebrities visiting for Supanova and Comic-Con, to performers, and even AFL stars playing home games in Perth.