The family business spans over a hundred years to the year 1898 when Emmanuel Azzopardi opened a small jewellery workshop in East Street, Valletta. He had some of the greatest craftsmen on the island working for him. Emmanuel was married to Agostina who also came from a family of jewellers and had six children; three boys and three girls, however, only one of the boys, Carmelo was interested in the craftsmanship and at an early age started his apprenticeship at his father’s workshop.

After some time, the workshop was moved to St. Ursula Street, Valletta. The premises were larger so they started manufacturing more hand-made jewellery and, eventually distributed to almost all the jewellers in Malta and Gozo. Carmelo’s brother came into the business’s import division but left after some years, so Carmelo was now the sole owner of the firm.

In 1935 Carmelo married Carmelina who, incidentally also came from a family of jewellers. They had six children: four boys and two girls. Foreseeing that the boys might want to be involved in the family business, Carmelo started looking for the right opportunity to open an outlet in Valletta and in 1952 he opened the shop which is still to this present day in Zachary Street. Carmelo was already by then known as the best jeweller in Malta and, having opened a shop in such a central location made his exquisite hand-made jewellery more accessible to both Maltese and foreigners alike.

Carmelo died in 1987 and left the shop in the capable hands of his four boys Paul, Emmanuel, Joe and Anton. Paul, Emmanuel and Anton ran the shop and the import division whilst Joe was in charge of the workshop where all the wonderful hand-made jewellery that is found at the shop is still being manufactured. All the precious stones and pearls set in jewellery are meticulously selected and imported from select locations all over the world.

In 1997, the family suffered the sad loss of Anton, one of the partners, who died at the early age of 51.