Articles about diamond engagement rings, antique jewellery and precious gemstones
Every piece of jewellery is a work of art. Time was spent designing, creating and finishing each and every piece of jewellery in the shop. We do not sell mass-produced jewellery, so every item has a story and a history. Below are some photos of close-ups of rings or gemstones, and some thoughts about each. […]
Oftentimes it can be hard to place the exact age of a piece of jewellery, as styles evolved slowly and organically over time. In a world without mass media, the diffusion and mixing of ideas and patterns was a slow and irregular process. Nonetheless, we can divide most jewellery into a few broad categories over […]
An interesting recent project was a restoration of a sapphire and diamond three stone ring; over 100 years old, the claws had worn away, and the sapphire had become scratched. Although sapphires are exceptionally strong and tough, over a lifetime they can become scratched. In this case, long time wearing had scratched all of the […]
The Alnatt is a 102 carat cushion cut diamond, named after its first known owner, Major Alfred Alnatt. It probably originated from South Africa, as most of the important yellow diamonds in the world come from there. Major Alnatt was a soldier, benefactor, sportsman and patron of the arts. He paid what was then a world […]
One of the most beautiful Royal tiaras in Europe, and certainly the one with the most interesting provenance, is the Vladimir Tiara, originally from Russia, and now the property of Queen Elizabeth II. Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna was the aunt of Tzar Nicholas II, and wife of the Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich. Her most spectacular […]
The Colenso Diamond is an uncut octahedral 133 carat diamond, found in South Africa in 1883, (most likely in the De Beers mine). It was one of the earliest notable large diamonds found there. The story of how it was found is most tragic; a storekeeper South Africa left his shop and went into the […]
One of the more mysterious diamonds in history, the story of the Brunswick Blue is an intriguing one, with unusual gaps in the story and tantalising links to one of the most famous diamonds in the world! The backstory begins with the French Blue, a 115 carat rough diamond of a most wonderful metallic-blue shade. It […]
Despite its name, it would appear that this wonderful 127 carat octagonal cut diamond has no connection to Portugal, but instead is of South African origin. Its name comes from a rumour that it once formed part of the Portuguese crown jewels (in the 18th century) but there is no proof of this. It is […]
We have a wonderful collection of research books at Weldon’s, including some of the most beautiful publications in the world. Here is a quick look inside some of our favourites! They cover everything from the technical aspects and nuances of diamond grading, to the art and beauty of jewellery as fashion items. A few are […]
One of the most audacious jewel thefts in history happened in 1671, when an Irishman called Thomas Blood attempted to steal the crown jewels from the Tower of London. Blood was a Meathman, born there in 1618, the son of a prosperous blacksmith. He fought against Charles I, and was awarded a large estate in […]