Antiques in Oxford

The Padparadscha is a very special cousin to the more commonly found blue sapphire. This pinkish orange stone is rare due to its unusual...

The term ‘castle-top’ is regularly used to describe a variety of silver boxes, primarily made during the early to mid-19th century and...

Every house has a distinct feeling and personality based on its age, its owners and how they use the space. I love the impact antiques...

Born in 1860, René Lalique was an extremely talented and prolific designer who enjoyed great commercial success during his lifetime. He...

The Theodor Fahrner jewellery company is best known for its typical Art Nouveau designs of the late 19th and early 20th centuries....

The beauty of jade has made it treasured worldwide for over 7000 years. A representation of the many secrets of elegant gemstones can be...

Turquoise gets its name from the French ‘turquois’ meaning ‘Turkish,’ relating to the silk road the mineral would have travelled from...

Tanzanite takes its name from its country of origin – Tanzania. Believed to have formed over 585 million years ago. Tanzanite laid...

Topaz takes its name from the Sanskrit word ‘tapas,’ meaning ‘fire’. Topaz is found in an array of colours, including: yellow, orange,...

Citrine is derived from the Latin word ‘citrina,’ meaning ‘yellow’. Citrine is a part of the wider ‘Quartz’ family, as the rarest member...

Tourmaline acquired its name from the Sinhalese word ‘turmali,’ meaning ‘mixed coloured crystals’. Egyptian legend tells how tourmaline...

Opal is believed to take its name from the Indian Sanskrit word ‘upala,’ meaning ‘precious stone’. Opals are categorised based on their...

Sapphire is the name of the gem-quality version of the mineral ‘corundum’. Its name derives from the Latin ‘sapphirus’ for blue....

The April birthstone is diamond. Diamonds are amongst the most sought after and important gemstones, with many factors contributing to...

The birthstone for August is peridot. It is known for its alluring green colour and vibrant lily pad inclusions. Peridot, chrysolite...

Ruby is July’s birthstone, Ruby takes its name from the Latin word ‘rubeus’ for ‘red’. Ruby is the red variety of the ‘corundum’ family,...

Pearl takes its name from the Latin word ‘perna’ meaning ‘leg’ as in the shape of the mollusc which hosts the pearl whilst it grows....

Georgian and Victorian designs Many of the pearls in Georgian jewellery are from the Pinctada radiata oyster found in the Persian Gulf,...

Pearls are back and sparking bidding wars in salerooms In China, as early as 2300BC, pearls were considered as gifts for royalty. In the...

Known historically as ‘smaragdus’, the ancient Greek word for green, emerald has long been admired and adorned. The first know mines can...