A maiden born when autumn leaves

Are rustling in Septembers breeze,

A sapphire in her brow should bind;

To bring her joy and peace of mind

Our birthstone for September is sapphire, a gemstone variety of the mineral corundum and a close relative to ruby. Sapphire measures 9.0 on the mohs scale leaving only diamond as a harder gemstone.

Arguably the most valuable shade for a traditional sapphire is a rich royal blue to a deep cornflower blue, interestingly though the addition of traces of either iron, chromium or titanium can lend the sapphire a variety of colours including yellow and pink.

According to ancient folklore sapphire holds the power to bring spirtual enlightenment and inner peace to it’s wearer, it is also one of the birthstones for the following zodiac signs Virgo, Pisces, Taurus and Sagittarius

If you would like to have a sapphire set in any of our Love Letter or Moon-sign collections or to arrange a private viewing of our featured piece, a breathtaking 6.12ct carat sapphire and diamond ring handcrafted in platinum, then please feel free to contact one of our helpful and experienced team.

Platinum, sapphire & diamond ring £31,285

No conjugal fidelity,

The August born without this stone,

‘Tis said, must live unloved; alone.

Peridot is our birthstone for the month of August, and as you can tell by the poem above to be without a peridot is no trifling matter!

Many names for precious gems can be traced back to ancient Greek, as covered in our previous posts on birthstones, peridot however is uncertain. The Oxford English Dictionary suggest a variant of Anglo Saxon - pedoretes -  a kind of opal.

Peridot has a beautiful olive green appearance and unlike many other gemstones exists totally in this one colour, although the amount of iron present will determine it’s appearance from a yellowish green through to a brownish green.

We find peridot a beautiful coloured gemstone to work with and think it stands out stunningly with gold or paired with other gems such as mandarin garnet.

To see more of our peridot range please click here, alternatively to see our featured peridot in more detail please click the image.

18ct peridot & diamond pendant, £2295

Situated as a reception room upon entering the mill in Guernsey the Crystal room is a beautiful spacious area that embodies all the character of Catherine Best Jewellers.

We have had some wonderful feedback from clients already who have enjoyed a coffee whilst falling in love with our jewellery in this alluring surrounding.

The possibilities at the Crystal room are infinite and we would love for you to join us. Whether you would like to showcase an exhibition, entertain clients with a wine tasting or host a prestigious dinner party then the Crystal room is perfect.

For further information please feel free to have a friendly chat to a member of our team on 01481 237771.

All those who in July are born,

For thus they’ll be exempt and free,

From lover’s doubts and anxiety

Ruby is our birth stone for the months of July, long considered one the most precious stones keeping company with other marvels such as diamond, sapphire and emerald. Ruby has a hardness of 9 on the mohs scale, amongst others only diamond and the synthetic moissanite are harder gems.

To the ancients Ruby was known as “the king of the gems” and represented intergrity, devotion, happiness, romance and generosity. According to legend, warriers implanted rubies under their skin to bring valour in battle.

Of course if warriors and battles aren’t to your fancy then ruby is also the traditional wedding gift for a couples 15th and 40th wedding anniversary.

To see our beautiful ruby heart pendant ,pictured below, in more detail please click here and make your loved ones dreams come true with a luxury piece only available from Catherine Best.

Ruby and diamond pendant £4785

We met some great people over the course of the week and it was very rewarding to hear all the praise for Catherine’s internationally acclaimed designs and also for the immaculate craftmanship from our master jeweller, a fellow of the IPG, and our other top class jewellers.

For all of you that visited us at the exhibition, thank you. We look forward to seeing you soon in our exotic mill studios in Guernsey and Jersey to provide the opportunity for you to aquire one of our world exclusive pieces for you or your loved one to cherish forever.

Paraiba tourmaline diamond pendant £29,865

We are proud to showcase our newest treasured creation, this beautiful sapphire ring, crafted in platinum set with diamonds (2.346ct g-h vvs) focusing on a elegant, staggering sapphire weighing 6.12ct.

Catherine waxed lyrical on what is fast becoming to all of us one of our favourite ever pieces.

“The sapphire we have used has got to be the best I have ever seen in my life, everything about this stone from the cut to the colour range is incredible. I felt it had to be made into ring above everything else so I endeavoured to design a traditional ring with a modern twist, the ring has a beautifully made under bezel that really sweeps the diamonds into the sapphire”

The price for this ring is £31,285 and would be a truly unique aquisition as this is a one off piece designed especially for just one person…you.

To have a closer look and be seduced further please follow this link, alternatively if you desire this ring please call Catherine or a member of the team on 01481 237771

By her who in June was born                               

No gem save Pearls shall be worn

They will  ensure her constancy

True friendship and fidelity

Pearls are our birthstone for June, a beautiful organic gem formed inside mollusks such as oysters and mussells. They are formed when an irritant such as a tiny stone or bit of sand gets inside the mollusk’s shell. A lustrous substance, called nacre, is secreted around the object to protect the soft internal surface of the mollusk. As layer upon layer of nacre coats the irritant, a pearl is formed. Light that is reflected from these overlapping layers produces a characteristic iridescent luster. This process of building a solid pearl can take up to seven or eight years.

Cultured or freshwater pearls are considered to offer the power of love, money, protection, and luck. Pearls are thought to give wisdom through experience, to quicken the laws of karma and to cement engagements and love relationships. They are thought to keep children safe.

Early Chinese myths told of pearls falling from the sky when dragons fought. Ancient legend says that pearls were thought to be the tears of the gods and the Greeks believed that wearing pearls would promote marital bliss and prevent newlywed women from crying.

Some of our favourite pearls we use are Eyris Blue pearls farmed and cultured in New Zealand, these have amazing colours that work wonderfully in jewellery, to see some of our Eyris pearl jewellery please click here alternatively to see our full pearl range please follow this link

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about pearls and we look forward to sharing July’s birthstine with you soon.

We will be taking part in Treasure, the centrepiece exhibition of London Jewellery Week where you will be able to speak to Catherine face to face about the jewellery scene, what we are showcasing and selling at the exhibit and also about any bespoke pieces you may have dreamed of!

We’re looking forward to what will prove to be a wonderful week, to find out more about London Jewellery week then please visit their website here. To find out more about the Treasure event please visit their website here.  Please find below some details for Treasure, we look forward to seeing you there!

We will be there on Friday 11th June 12pm - 8pm, Saturday 12th June 10am - 6pm and Sunday 13th June 10am - 6pm at…

Victoria House

Victoria House, Southampton Row, London WC1B 4DA
WC1B 4DA

It’s repair week here at Catherine Best, for your FREE repair assessment and no obligation quote, visit our beautiful St Martin’s studio, while Catherine’s Master Jeweller assesses your treasured jewellery and provides innovative ideas on how to bring it back to it’s former glory.

Call in between 24th - 30th May and you can restore yourself as well as your jewellery with a complimentary glass of champagne. If you’d like to arrange a personal appointment please call us on 237771.

To see our full cameo collection with all the new editions please click here