Gemstone Focus - Kate Wood Jewellery https://katewoodjewellery.com/gemstone-focus/ Delicate gemstone jewellery, hand made in Brisol Thu, 05 Jun 2025 17:44:25 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://katewoodjewellery.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/cropped-Kate-wood-KW-favicon-32x32.jpg Gemstone Focus - Kate Wood Jewellery https://katewoodjewellery.com/gemstone-focus/ 32 32 Pearl jewellery – adorn yourself with the most ancient of gems https://katewoodjewellery.com/2023/03/14/pearl-jewellery-adorn-yourself-with-the-most-ancient-of-gems/ Tue, 14 Mar 2023 13:37:25 +0000 https://katewoodjewellery.com/?p=3449 Pearls have been used in jewellery for millennia, and it's not hard to see why. They have an otherworldly lustre, a celestial glow which has long been associated with the moon, fertility and femininity.  

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Pearls have been used in jewellery for millennia, and it’s not hard to see why. They have an otherworldly lustre, a celestial glow which has long been associated with the moon, fertility and femininity.  

Often referred to as the world’s oldest gem, it’s likely that pearls were first stumbled upon by chance, by foragers searching for food along the seashore.

The world’s oldest pearl was discovered at Marawah Island off the coast of Abu Dhabi. Archaeologists used radiocarbon dating to determine that the pearl dated back to between 5800 and 5600 BC. Pearls are believed to have been worn as jewellery at the time and used to trade goods with Mesopotamia.

Black lipped oyster with natural pearl,
Robert Wan Pearl Museum

Myth and Symbolism of Pearl Jewellery

Crescent Necklace in pearl and gold vermeil by Kate Wood

Pearl jewellery is surrounded by myth and symbolism in many civilisations.

In Hindu folklore, dewdrops fell from the moon into the sea, turned into pearls, and Krishna picked one out of the water as a gift for his daughter on her wedding day.

Legend has it that Cleopatra crushed a pearl into a glass of wine to prove to Marc Antony that she could give the most expensive dinner in history, proving to him the superior wealth of Egypt.

Seed Pearl Jewellery

Traditionally, the value of pearls for use in jewellery is determined by their lustre, colour, size, lack of surface flaw and symmetry.

Large pearls may be valuable, but I really love the range of sizes and shapes available with freshwater pearls. This allows me to play with texture and form and create barnacle-like clusters.

I particularly love tiny freshwater seed pearls. These are tiny pearls of less than 2mm in diameter, created from freshwater mussels, mainly off the coast of China.

Seed pearls were widely used in pearl jewellery in the 18th and 19th centuries. Georgian jewellers created elaborate floral designs by threading seed pearls onto horsehair on a mother of pearl base. Queen Victoria popularised the use of seed pearls in mourning jewellery, with pearls representing tears for the departed loved one.

Feather Earrings with Seed Pearls

Pearls in Wedding Jewellery

Pompom hook earrings in pearl and gold vermeil
Pompom hook earrings in pearl and gold vermeil by Bristol jeweller Kate Wood

Pearls are a classic and elegant choice for bridal jewellery and complement a wide range of bridal looks. Their natural, ethereal aesthetic and association with purity and fertility make them a popular choice.

Try small pearl stud earrings and a pearl pendant chain necklace, an ethereal pair of seed pearl drop earrings with an up-do, or a pearl necklace with a strapless wedding dress or an open neckline.

Whatever you choose, pearls reflect light in the most flattering way. Bask in that moon-like glow.

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]]> Focus on Emeralds https://katewoodjewellery.com/2019/05/10/focus-on-emeralds/ Fri, 10 May 2019 12:43:34 +0000 https://www.katewoodjewellery.com/?p=1391 One of my absolute favourite stones, emeralds exhibit a gorgeous range of green hues. They range from the traditional 'emerald green' through to the palest mint, stopping off at vibrant kelly green along the way. 

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]]> One of my absolute favourite stones, emeralds exhibit a gorgeous range of green hues. They range from the traditional ’emerald green’ through to the palest mint, stopping off at vibrant kelly green along the way.  Take a look at my emerald ombré Row Necklace and Catkin Earrings, which display this colour range beautifully.

Emeralds are part of the beryl family of gemstones, which also includes aquamarine and morganite.  Its colour, hardness, slow growth and rarity make it one of the world’s most desirable stones.  Despite their hardness, emeralds can crack under pressure or if give a harsh blow, so be careful not to knock your emerald jewellery.  These stunning gemstones are almost always found with inclusions, which tell the story of their growth.  These ‘birthmarks’ have their own beauty do not detract from the stone’s value.

Emeralds are the birthstone for May, and symbolise rebirth – reminiscent of the the green shoots of spring – and love.

Shop emerald pieces here or get in touch to discuss commissioning something using these gorgeous stones.

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