Gem Pursuit: An Antique Jewellery Podcast

As we continue on our mysterious and magical pursuit through the Victorian period, we’re taking a look at the mini-eras defined during the reign of Queen Victoria.  Today we’re moving on from the Romantic era into the Grand era, which began with the sudden death of Prince Albert and was defined by advancements in technology, travel and ancient inspiration. Matthew and Alyce explain the ways of the...

One of the most well-known jewellery movements is defined by the reign of Britain’s Queen Victoria. Having sat on the throne for 63 years, the Queen’s personality, life and interests inspired many evolving trends in the world.  Over this mini-series, we’ll be taking a closer look at the eras of the Queen’s reign, with this episode focusing on the Romantic era. Matthew and Alyce describe what was h...

Courtville recently displayed at an incredible antiques fair in the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York and our very own Alyce got to check out an exhibition of one of the most prestigious art deco artists while on her travels.  Tamara de Lempicka had a fascinating life, one that has now been made into a broadway musical. Her unique, standout style had a lasting impact on the Art Deco movement, and...

One of the beauties of antique jewellery is that it can serve as a reminder of defining moments or movements in history that led to truly unique pieces. Today, we’re taking a look at the jewellery that was inspired by and created for the suffragette movement in the UK. These political pieces are some of the most collectible antique jewellery you will come across and are an important reminder of th...

Unlike the fleeting trends of the modern day, antique jewellery comes from times of defined eras and movements that inspired many artists and makers.  We’ve covered jewellery eras in a past series but we never got to dive into this incredible movement that shaped art, design, architecture and of course jewellery. Although sometimes considered an acquired taste, art nouveau can be appreciated for i...

We’re back with a very special bonus episode of our Royal Regalia: A History of Splendour series after a listener request for an episode on the crown jewels of Sweden.  Sweden’s Kingdom has a history spanning over 1000 years. The protected jewel collection features some of the most impressive parures and tiaras you’ll ever see, including a bejeweled, cowboy-esque crown.  Matthew and Alyce dive int...

We have come to the end of our special series ‘Royal Regalia: A History of Splendour’ and for our final episode we’re taking a look at some jewels close to home.  Although you may not have known this country would have crown jewels, we’ll find out the history that led to their establishment, how they trace back to British royal regalia and the suspicious circumstances of their mysterious disappear...

We’re just over half way through our short series, Royal Regalia: A History Of Splendour, looking at the stories and histories behind some of the world’s most famous crown jewels. Today, we look at a collection shroud in family spats and colonial controversy.  The British Royal Family has always been subject to criticism and the history of their jewel collections are no different. From questions a...

We’re continuing on our magical and mysterious pursuit through the world of royal jewellery and this week, we’re talking about a collection of crown jewels that has been accumulating over many centuries. The Iranian National Jewels stand as one of the world’s most expensive and extensive collections in the world. Matthew and Alyce examine their tumultuous history and decadent taste, including how...

This season we’re taking a magical and mysterious pursuit through the world of Royal Regalia: A History of Splendour, a topic that has been long-awaited and requested many times from our wonderful listeners.  In the first episode of this season we’re taking a look at a country with one of the most magnificent histories and royal jewel collections, Denmark.  Matthew and Alyce dive into the incredib...

For avid jewellery collectors it can sometimes feel like a piece finds its way to you without even having to look for it. That was certainly the case for Victoria Waller, a passionate and knowledgeable collector who received a very unique and special piece just a week after her mother passed away.  Victoria shares the incredible story of how her namesake Queen Victoria’s rare Coburg Eagle landed i...

The world of antique jewellery is both magical and mysterious, and Gem Pursuit is always trying to help you develop your own understanding, and your collection! Whether you’re new to antique jewellery, or a collector trying to broaden your knowledge, Matthew and Alyce are bringing you the ultimate book to guide you. John Benjamin’s ‘Starting to Collect Antique Jewellery’ has been hugely influentia...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year and as a little gift from Gem Pursuit to you this festive season we’ve got a very special edition of Gem Trivial Pursuit! Matthew and Alyce go head to head to see who is the greatest quizmas master of all and not with some laughs, and questionable knowledge, along the way. Find out what year the Hallmark cards began, which country really believes in the pow...

‘Tis the season and for our bonus episode of Season Eight Matthew and Alyce take a look at the history of gift giving from the Three Wise Men to Napoleon. Gift giving can be traced back to 40,000 years ago, with figures made of woolly mammoth ivory. From the thoughtful gifts of the three wise men, to one of the biggest rubies ever documented and even the classic pearls of a fashion icon, Matthew a...

A picture tells a thousand words and long before photography, jewellery was telling the stories of the wearer, memorialising loved ones and even harbouring secrets. Matthew and Alyce take a journey through the history of imagery in jewellery and celebrate a craft that became a dead art thanks to modern technology. People were capturing memories through imagery as far back as the 1500s and in this...

The value of gold has skyrocketed over the last number of decades, which makes it a limited and expensive material to work with. Matthew and Alyce share the unique ways this noble metal was crafted in the past and why many types of goldwork are now considered a dead art. Goldwork traces all the way back to ancient times but in this episode the focus is on filigree and cannetille , how these crafts...

Given the time of year it felt only right to look at some of the what some might call the ‘creepier’ dead arts. Matthew and Alyce take a journey through hair art, teeth jewellery and taxidermy in this shiver-inducing episode.  Although they’re not for everyone, we find out how these pieces were important mementos of times passed for people to remember their loved ones and why taxidermy went from a...

In this episode Matthew and Alyce dive into the dying art of enamelling . Although it’s something we might all be able to find on items in our own homes, finding a skilled enameller who can create art to the standard of the past is next to impossible.  Enamelling can be found in many forms and today we look back on the 2500 years of the art, hear about some of the finest crafts people and their in...

Lapidary Some of the unique art forms of jewellery creation are dying out thanks to modern technology and lack of training options  Today we’re taking a look at the dying art of lapidary or gemstone cutting. Matthew and Alyce discuss the history of the art and why it has become so difficult to find modern masters of the craft, along with sharing the time periods that really highlight the most beau...

To celebrate over 50 episodes of Gem Pursuit Matthew and Alyce are taking you through a journey of their top five episodes.  It was no easy task deciding on our top five but you’ll hear stories of Godly gemstones, the lost city of gold and the brutal standards of one very famous jeweller.  We’ll also be looking ahead to Season 8, which will be in your ears this October and is all about the dead ar...

Onyx has a long and fabled history and although many will (correctly) associate it with the Art Deco era, it was also an important gemstone at many other periods throughout history. We talk about how different cultures have viewed this gem and the way its colouration impacts upon this. We also discuss banding, Tutmania and sugary treatments... View our Onyx collection. www.courtville.ie Get social...

We celebrate our 50th episode with Matthew's favourite gem, that stone with the incredible, one of a kind play of colour that is Opal . Known as the pride of Australia, it's a gemstone Alyce knows pretty well but she talks about how her initial perception has changed since when she was a kid growing up Down Under. Listen to the end for the triumphant return of Gem Trivial Pursuit and find out who...

Renowned for it's remarkable colour-changing properties and 10,000 rarer than diamond, Alexandrite is undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary and sought-after gemstones on earth. Matthew and Alyce give an overview of the short history of the gem, provide some insight into it's fascinating colour change and, as usual, offer a few nuggets of insight from the trade to help you on your own Alexandri...

Jade is a super versatile gem with a rich history and enormous cultural significance all across the world. Matthew explains the difference between toughness and hardness when it comes to gemstones while Alyce shares some more stories from her own cultural heritage and personal jewellery collection. www.courtville.ie A Tape Deck podcast

Long known as "the Great Imposter" due to the frequency with which it was mistaken for ruby and other more commercial gemstones, Spinel is nonetheless a rare, beautiful and durable gem that is especially prized amongst dealers in the antique jewellery trade. Famous Spinels discussed include the Black Prince's Ruby and the Côte-de-Bretagne in the French Crown Jewels. www.courtville.ie A Tape Deck p...