Gemstones

Glossy & glamorous precious gems for stunning interiors and thoughtful gifts. And how about birthstone bunting for a truly lavish celebration? Whatever you choose, let your personality flippin dazzle and your presence (and presents!) totally delight! Each facet is painstakingly hand drawn by me, with mood boards of precious gems as my inspiration. My hand crafted designs are also available on a variety of gorgeous homeware items, made to order just for you. Have a browse and see what you love most! Emma x

Diamond Days

April’s Diamonds are one of Mother Nature’s rarest and strongest creations, so have come to symbolize everlasting love. Formed under intense volcanic pressure and heat, they’re more than 3 billion years old. While the tradition of diamond engagement rings dates back all the way to Ancient Egypt, it was Archduke Maximilian of Austria who truly established them as a modern symbol of love and commitment when he proposed to Mary of Burgundy. Today, like Marilyn Monroe’s famous song, these legendary gems remain a girl’s best friend.

Amethyst

Amethyst is the birthstone for February, and has enchanting symbolism. In Ancient Greece, it was believed to help its wearer think with clarity – as well as prevent drunkenness. Tibetan Buddhist monks regard amethyst as a sacred stone, using it for prayer beads. According to Roman legend, Saint Valentine himself wore a purple amethyst ring with an engraving of Cupid on it. As the holy man travelled around the Roman Empire, people would recognise the image on his ring and ask him to perform marriages. Today, we still celebrate St. Valentine’s Day and the amethyst remains the symbolic gem for attracting love.

Pale Aquamarine

March’ birthstone, is Aquamarine. The sparkle of Aquamarine evokes the glittering beauty of the sunlit ocean. The March birthstone, aligned with Pisces, is the gem of royalty. The British, Dutch and Danish crown jewellery all include impressive collections, and it is a particular favourite of Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth II and Megan Markle. According to Roman legend, it was Poseidon, who crafted the sacred gems out of seawater, and it offers protection from storms. So treat yourself, queen! Then simply relax and enjoy the compliments!

Alexandrite

Alexandrite is the modern birthstone for June (along with pearl) and the Anniversary stone for the 55th year of marriage. It is also considered Friday’s stone, or the stone of “Friday’s Child.” It is an extremely rare gemstone, and a fairly modern one to boot. Furthermore, it does not share the ancient history and lore of most other gems due to the fact that it was first discovered in the 19th Century. The name Alexandrite comes from the fact that the gemstone was first discovered in the emerald mines near the Tokovaya River in Russia’s Ural Mountains in 1830, on the day of Prince Alexander II of Russia’s birthday

Emerald

May’s Emerald birth stone, full of glorious greens, represents the sign of Taurus and symbolises spring, fertility and new beginnings. Cleopatra adorned herself in emerald jewellery, and they have become an emblem of wealth, style and beauty. Many iconic women including Queen Elizabeth II, Jackie O, Grace Kelly and Elizabeth Taylor have admitted to falling in love with emeralds. It is also the traditional gem for celebrating 55th Emerald Anniversaries.

Peacock Aurora

Inspired by the northern lights, this peacock Aurora Borealis gem shimmers with iridescent colour. The northern lights are beautiful dancing waves of light that have captivated people for millennia. This spectacular light show is as beautiful as it is powerful. Energized particles from the sun slam into Earth’s upper atmosphere at speeds of up to 45 million mph, but earths magnetic field protects us from the onslaught. It was Galileo who coined the name after the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and the Greek god of the north wind, Boreas — the earliest suspected record of the northern lights is in a 30,000-year-old cave painting in France. But this beautiful piece will be right at home in your special place.

​Watermelon Tourmaline

In June’s Gemstones, green symbolises springtime, nature, growth and freshness. It brings to mind lush gardens and beautiful forests. It is also a colour associated with money. According to gemstone lore, green gems in engagement rings promote a life full of wealth, fertility and health. Pink, like the sacred lotus flower in Asian lore, stands for beauty, understanding and unconditional love. It is a highly favourable colour for engagement because pink gemstones are said to protect the love between the ring’s wearer and its giver for an entire lifetime. So the Watermelon Tourmaline has it all!

Ruby

July’s birthstone, rubies are possibly the most coveted gems in history. They are mentioned numerous times in ancient Sanskrit scriptures as the “king of gemstones” and are associated with beauty and wisdom. July’s birthstone is the gem for the star sign of Cancer. Its seductive red glow and rarity are linked to passion, love, wealth and power. Rubies are one of the most significant gems in history, featuring in early Sanskrit, Chinese and Greek writings. In the modern day we think of love, enchantment and protection, and of course, Dorothy’s magical ruby slippers in The Wizard of Oz. Each facet is hand drawn by me, Emma Miller at Little Gem Studio.

Peridot

Peridot is often called the “stardust gem” because it is found at meteorite crash sites. Augusts birthstone, it’s the gem for the Leo Star sign. Famous for its double refraction, it sparkles more than most gems and so in ancient history is associated with light. The ancient Egyptians called peridot “the sun gem”. In 2006, NASA’s explorer spacecraft, Stardust, returned to earth with mineral samples gathered from near the sun. Among other things, they found gem-quality peridot, thought to be as old as our solar system. If you peer closely at the gem, you’ll see a clear double image of its pavilion facets. Each facet is hand drawn by me, Emma Miller at Little Gem Studio.

Sapphire

September Sapphire. In old Persian lore, the Earth was said to be balanced on top of an enormous sapphire and its reflection gave the sky its blue colour. The ancient Greeks and Romans also claimed blue sapphires held mystical powers, giving their owners wisdom and health. In the Middle Ages, blue sapphires were often worn by royalty as amulets to ward off evil. Today, blue sapphires are considered to represent loyalty, truth and honesty. They are also closely associated with royalty: blue sapphires feature in several countries’ crown jewel collections, in particular Holland and the United Kingdom. They are said to bring luck, loyalty and happiness in love.

Pink Tourmaline

Tourmaline has been said to be a stone of reconciliation, a stone that fosters compassion and cool headedness, radiates the energy that attracts money, healing and friendship, and is used for grounding purposes, to stabilize, and reaffirm our Earth roots. Tourmaline is the alternate birthstone for October, along with the opal. The stone was first discovered by Dutch traders off the West Coast of Italy in the late 1600s or early 1700s. The name tourmaline comes from the Sinhalese term “turmali,” which was the name given to all coloured crystals on the island of Sri Lanka at that time. I've chosen this vibrant pink, to give it some real sass!

Purple Tanzanite

The colour purple is associated with royalty and signifies creativity, wisdom, devotion, and magic. Purple is so strongly associated with magic and mysticism that fictional characters regularly incorporate the deeper hues in costume design to signify the wearers unique powers. This December birthstone is primarily sourced in Tanzania and is named in honour of its country of origin. Often described as “velvety”, because of its deep and saturated colour, which ranges from a pure rich blue to violet. The traditional gift for 24th wedding anniversary, purple combines the calm stability of blue and the fierce energy of red.

Golden topaz

Topaz is the birthstone for the month of December, and the stone given in celebration of the 4th and 19th anniversaries of marriage. Topaz is a symbol of love and affection, and has been said to be an aid to one's sweetness and disposition, which explains why I'm such a legend! Hehe! The stone is also deemed to be able to ignite creativity and fire up unused talents. It can come in Brown, blue, yellow, orange, pink, red, purple, green and clear and is the stone for Sagittarius

Garnet

January’s birth stone, this sparkling red gem is a legendary precious stone which comes in a variety of colours including red, green and yellow. The red variety is so opulent and striking, and is the most often used in jewellery. It is the gem of royalty, and has been discovered in the tombs of Egyptian Pharaohs. In ancient Persia, only the royal family was allowed to own and wear this highly valued gemstone. Its sparkle is so intense and captivating that it is referred to as “fire” by gemmologists

Blue Topaz

Topaz is the birthstone for the month of December, and the stone given in celebration of the 4th and 19th anniversaries of marriage. Topaz is a symbol of love and affection, and has been said to be an aid to one's sweetness and disposition, which explains why I'm such a legend! Hehe! The stone is also deemed to be able to ignite creativity and fire up unused talents. It can come in Brown, blue, yellow, orange, pink, red, purple, green and clear and is the stone for Sagittarius.

​Padparadascha Pink Sapphire

This precious lotus pink gem never fails to dazzle, its colours are also deliciously exotic, with warm pink and orange hues reminiscent of tropical fruit and sunsets. They honour the higher mind, bringing intuition, clarity and self-mastery. Worn throughout the ages for protection, good fortune and spiritual insight, Sapphires are not only symbols of power and strength, but also of kindness and wise judgment. Each facet is hand drawn by me, with love and care. The rarest form of sapphire. Originally discovered in Sri Lanka, the prized gem gets its name from the Sinhalese language, meaning ‘aquatic lotus blossom’, which has a similar hue and is also native to that region.

Aquamarine

Poseidon crafted these sacred gems out of seawater, according to legend, and it has long been believed to offer protection from storms - so is traditionally carried by seafarers. The sparkle of Aquamarine evokes the glittering beauty of the sunlit ocean. A clear, sparkling gem, they adorn the crowns of many a regal family, and it is a particular favourite of the fabulous Megan Markle. So treat yourself like a princess!