My Story
What started as a casual hobby, then making gifts for family and friends has turned into a creative outlet which has expanded to warrant the launch of my own website in the hope of sharing my designs and love of Nature’s beautiful array of gemstones with like-minded people.
I am based in Reading and my studio is where I develop all of the designs. I’m committed to the ethical sourcing of my raw materials and work closely with suppliers to ensure that they adhere to a code of conduct, which outlines strict standards of business behaviour. Every stone is cut and faceted by hand from rough, using contemporary cuts, meaning your piece of Nic’s Gemstone Jewellery is entirely unique.
I hope you will enjoy browsing through my designs and possibly learning more about your favourite gemstones as well as discovering new gemstones you may never have heard of.
There are many fascinating stories which have grown up around the mystique and myth behind these beautiful gifts of Nature, examples of which you can find throughout the website.
Frequently Asked Questions...
What gemstones do you use?
I use several different gemstones in the jewellery I make, I’ve put together a list with more information simply click here.
Choosing a necklace length!
There are five commonly named lengths of necklace, click here to view the guide and choose which is right for you.
What's my Birthstone?
Want to know which gemstone your birthday is represented by? Click here to view the list.
About the Gemstones I Use...
Emeralds
Emeralds are said to represent the colour of spring and for those who believe in the powers of stones Emeralds bring the meaning of new growth, hope and eternal life. Maybe Alexander Pope had this in mind when he coined the phrase ‘Hope springs eternal’ in ‘An Essay on Man in 1732’ which quickly became proverbial?
Emerald is the birthstone for May, and the anniversary gemstone for not just one but 3 milestones of marriage, the 20th, 35th and 55th.
Emeralds have a highly regarded place in our history. The Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans all had a special place for the green stone, and the Emerald was valued as a holy stone as far back as the Incas and Aztecs.
Pearls
Pearls are June’s birthstone, along with Alexandrite and Moonstone. Greek mythology declared pearls to be tears of joy shed by the goddess Aphrodite. The Greeks also gave us the saying that Pearls would prevent a bride crying on her wedding day. Ancient Egyptians associated Pearls with Isis, the goddess of healing and life.
There are many wonderful myths and legends surrounding Pearls, but one of my favourites is from the Persians. They believed Pearls were formed when a rainbow met the earth after a storm. They explained any imperfections away by suggesting they were created when lightning struck during the storm.
Pearls are a wonderful gift of Nature, but something that was only owned by the wealthy few until fairly recently. Julius Caesar limited the wearing of Pearl jewellery to the rulers of the Roman Empire during the first century B.C. This monopoly of Pearls continued on through the days of the British Empire, when only royalty were allowed to wear them. Fortunately for us, Pearls are no longer the reserve of the rich, becoming more affordable with the emergence of farming molluscs as opposed to free-diving.
Moonstone
Moonstone is June’s birthstone along with Alexandrite and Pearls.
As you can imagine with the name of this stone, there are many myths and legends to be heard linking it with oceans, planting cycles and romance. It is thought by some to protect women and children, perhaps due to the link with fertility.
Ancient Greeks merged the names of Aphrodite (the goddess of love) and Selene (the goddess of the moon) and christened Moonstone as “Aphroselene”. The Romans, never to be outdone, believed that the gem exhibits the image of their moon goddess, Diana.
As for the romantic connotations, Moonstone is also known as an aphrodisiac and when worn by two people, it is believed by some that they will fall passionately in love when the moon is high. Moonstone was once known as the ‘Traveller’s Stone’ because it is said to protect those who travel at night, especially at sea.
Do you know your birthstone?
Did you know that each month of the year has at least one designated gemstone, known as a birthstone? In 1937, the British National Association of Goldsmiths (N.A.G.) organised a uniform ‘official list’. Do you know which gemstone your birthday is represented by?
January – Garnet
February – Amethyst
March – Aquamarine
April – Diamond
May – Emerald
June – Alexandrite, Pearl and Moonstone
July – Ruby
August – Peridot
September – Sapphire
October – Opal, Tourmaline
November – Citrine, Topaz
December – Tanzanite, Zircon and Turquoise
January’s birthstone is Garnet
Garnet is most commonly thought of as only being red. If you are lucky enough to have Garnet as your birthstone you can boast that there are in fact 17 varieties of Garnet.
Garnet comes from the Latin ‘granatus’ meaning seed.
I won’t list them all here, but one example is Hessonite Garnet, also known as cinnamon stone for its brownish-red colour.
There is also a colour-changing variety, a mix of Spessartite Garnet and Pyrope Garnet. It changes from brown or orange in daylight to rose-pink in incandescent light!
Garnet has been enjoyed and admired as a gemstone, for centuries. In fact Aristotle mentions it over 2,000 years ago. He described it as being red like a flame; he obviously hadn’t discovered the other varieties back then!
There are many variations of the legends surrounding the origins of Garnet.
One such story tells that Persephone (the Greek Goddess of sunshine) was stolen as a bride by Hades (the God of the underworld) but would be released so long as she didn’t eat anything while in the underworld. Just before she left, Hades put a pomegranate seed in her mouth, hence the ‘granatus’ or seed of the pomegranate associated with Garnet because of its likeness in colour. As Persephone had broken the agreement not to eat anything while in the underworld, Hades demanded that she return to the underworld for six months in every year. As Persephone was the Goddess of sunshine, for the months that she had to return to the underworld became winter.
The different types of Garnet range between 6.5 and 7.5 on the Mohs Scale.
What necklace length is right for you?
There are five commonly named lengths of necklace, though they do tend to vary from supplier to supplier. For Nic’s Gemstone Jewellery please refer to the list below:
Collar – 12 to 14 inches (30.5 to 35.5cm)
Choker – 14 to 16 inches (35.5 to 40.5cm)
Princess – 16 to 18 inches (40.5 to 60cm)
Matinee – 20 to 22 inches (60 to 56cm)
Opera – 30 to 36 inches (76 to 91.5cm)
Rope – 36 inches + (91.5cm +)
*Please note: inches to cm is approximate according to conversion of 1 inch = 2.54 cm.
To give you some idea of how the different sizes look when worn, please see the image below.
Any Questions? Get in Touch
If you have any questions or would like a bespoke item created please get in touch and I’ll respond as soon as I can. I’ve also created a FAQ’s page that might help you in the meantime.
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