Canada’s legendary Birks sparkles in 2010 souvenir department.

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Olympic athletes won’t be the only ones to shine this winter. Thanks to Birks (Canada’s version of Tiffany & Co.), we can all sport some precious metal around our necks.

As the official jewellery supplier for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the legendary Canadian retailer has created a commemorative line of necklaces, bracelets, pendants and cufflinks crafted from sterling silver with 24-kt gold, bearing the Olympic and Paralympic emblems.

But shopping at Birks is about more than the souvenir bling—it’s a glamorous glimpse into Canadian history. The company that began humbly in 1879 in a 4.6-m-wide (15-ft) store on St. James Street in Montréal, QC, is now one of North America’s most prestigious jewellers, with 37 elegant boutiques across the country.

Visit the flagship locations in Vancouver, BC or Montréal, both set in stunning heritage buildings, and you can soak up the architecture and ambience of a by-gone era while channelling your inner Audrey Hepburn. Once you’ve made your selection, they’ll wrap it in the iconic Birks blue box—itself an object of desire for many a generation of women.

One more reason to treat yourself to some Olympic metal: Birks is a signatory of the No Dirty Gold campaign’s Golden Rules led by Oxfam America and EARTHWORKS in support of responsible mining. So when you’re wearing that new Olympic bobble back home, you can look and feel golden.

www.birks.com
www.vancouver2010.com
www.tourisme-montreal.org
www.tourismvancouver.com
www.bonjourquebec.com
www.nodirtygold.org