Galerie Mirages

I love the entrance to this place. Tucked between two buildings and down a wee alley way, you half expect to find orange marmalade and maps tucked in cupboards on your way to the door. (If you followed this reference, high five yourself. Sure it will just look like an enthusiastic clap, but you’ll know better).
I quite like Galerie Mirages, it’s an interesting little shop to pop into every now and again to see what new finds they’ve uncovered. Most of the wares are lost on me, not being a gal who wears a lot of jewellery or understands what a singing bowl is, but there are always some interesting sculptures, and as Jenny noted, some stunning furniture for those who have pockets deep enough to purchase them. But it’s an interesting place to browse through if you’re looking for a gift and though most of the stuff is rather pricey, there’s a good section of lower priced items that make great trinkets or house warming pressies.
The service is… quiet? I’ve never had a staff member approach me or ask if I need help, but when I’ve approached them, they’ve been quiet pleasant. Overall, it’s well worth poking your head in the door but the price point keeps it from being a regular staple on my Stockbridge list.

I happened by this shop a month ago — sadly on my last day of my holiday and just before they closed for the day. I could have spent a couple hours oohing and ahhing over all the beautiful pieces contained in this shop. It’s probably fortunate for my wallet that I had limited time. I do love the scarf and earrings that I bought. There is a wide variety of items at a large range of prices. Jewelry, home décor, knick knacks. Much of it feels like they are one of a kind sort of items.
I believe the lady that helped us was the owner. She showed us where to find the bargain items and was very upfront about why they were on sale. She also took some time — even though we were keeping her past closing time — to answer our questions and to tell us about her travels — you can really tell that she is living her dream. Quite inspiring! Makes me want to follow in the footsteps of her travels and perhaps follow in her footsteps and find a way to make the passion for travel also my job.

The phrase «hidden gem» is over used these days, but Gallerie Mirage is definitely just that: it’s both hidden, full of gems, and a hidden gem itself. Tucked around the bend near the ‘end’ of Stockbridge, on your way to Henri’s you might see a little sign poking out over what looks like a garden pathway, at a slight down-​hill angle.
Walk down this little garden path, turn a corner and you’ll open a door into an Alladin’s cave of jewellery, with some home wares, singing bowls, scarves and statues. The lady who owns Gallerie Mirage has been travelling the world since the 70s and bringing back jewellery direct from the source. So all these pieces aren’t «bought at cost» from catalogues and shipped over. No, instead the lovely lady is travelling to India, Africa and beyond each year, and bringing back each piece.
And the pieces are stunning. Laid out in different glass cases according to stone type. The sort of silver-​and-​gemstone jewllery that I go crazy for. And in one corner there’s a little glass case with some statues of buddha and some Hindu deities. It was hear I got my beloved Saraswati pendant. And there’s some beautiful singing bowls, and a corner for candles.
Not forgetting the massive four-​poster hand-​carved dark wood bed frame. Oh my. If i had the flat and could afford it, I would bedeck myself in all the jewels, lounge on my beauitfully opulent Indian hand-​carved four poster bed, meditating with my buddha statues using three or four singing bowls.
This shop is like the inside of my head, and I adore it.

‘Oooh. Aaah. Shiny things.’
Galerie Mirages provoked this reaction in me with it’s huge display of beautiful jewellery, trinkets and ornaments. I’m a sucker for cute little ornaments and spent a good while ogling their elephants, birds, everything… It’s all wonderful, trust me!
If you’re on a budget for a gift, they’ve got a wide variety of prices from cheaper little trinkets to more expensive jewellery pieces. I had to show some serious restraint, leaving with only a regal blue clip-​on peacock! (Which looks marvelous clipped to the ornate gold mirror in my room!)
Now go see shiny things!

Dont Buy From Here. They come over as if they are nice, and make a big deal of their stuff. But they are the most predatory capitalist shop I have ever been in. Injured me trying to put on their jewelly then refused to give me back my money at the till when I said I didnt want to buy the item after all. I was appalled. Where very rude to me and attempted to humiliate myself and my friend in front of others. Just dont go here. Their name is no accident, the image of good service and nice stuff is a mirage. Shop somewhere else. Anywhere else.

Stepping into Galerie Mirages, I felt an overwhelming feeling of discovery, and couldn’t wait to get home and Unilocal all about it. I certainly had no idea this place existed until one of my friend’s visiting Edinburgh from Goldsmiths in London told me that one of her mates gets all of her jewellery inspiration from the pieces in here.
Mirages specialise in designer silver and world jewellery, making every piece individual and unique. I was surprised to find yet this is an outlet for Greek and Polish jewellery as well as silver manufactured in Scotland. The people who own the shop also have a range of in-​house designs and can commission jewellery at no extra cost which I thought was brilliant.
I picked up a beautiful Polish silver ring with a brown two tone stone set in a clasp, and my friend took an ethnic beaded necklace home. I loved the home wares too, laterns and cushions with Asian and African inspired detailing. Beautiful.

Walk down a tiny alley way, and through a narrow rustic door to be transported to an unexpectedly large jewellery shop. The jewellery collection itself is very varied and eclectic, making it a good place to find a unique present or to treat yourself. I bought my sister a 40^th birthday bangle from here last year and haven’t seen one like it anywhere else — it’s both unique and stunning. There’s a lot to see in this place so if you’re planning to buy something then allow yourself plenty of time to browse through it all! Definitely one of my favourite jewellery shops in Edinburgh.

Beautiful jewellery, if I have a special present to buy I know I can usually find something nice in here.
Also sell lovely little trinkets, boxes, scarves, nice notebooks etc — I was delighted when one of my friends returned the favour and bought me some nice things from here for my birthday! They sell beautiful hand made paper as well, which they will gift wrap things in for you.
A great shop to pop in to on the way past as they always have something new and interesting to have a look at.

Gorgeous jewellery from around the world. The styles are highly varied, with some more contemporary and others more ethnic.
A good selection of baltic amber and some gorgeous gemstone jewellery

This shop takes the words ‘hidden gem’ to the extremes– I had walked past it every day for months before I realised that it was there! It’s well worth searching for though. The old bakery it’s based in may smell a bit damp, but just walking in transports you straight to North Africa. The store has a fantastic selection of silver jewelry and an array of ethnic homewares, but is fairly pricey– especially if you’ve been to the countries they source from and know the real value!
however if you don’t want to trek to Tunisia or Morocco to buy your throws and crockery, this is the place for you.