Delving into the World of Jewellery with the Michael Jones Jeweller Blog — Banbury

Frequently, the first time we are introduced to jewellery is when we get our ears pierced. It is a very special time that often marks a transition from childhood to adolescence, so here at Michael Jones Jeweller, we do our best to make sure it feels like a special occasion.We offer an ear-piercing service in our Grosvenor Centre showroom where we have...

      If you are a fan on The Great British Bake off, Sewing Bee and the Pottery Throwdown, then you will want to tune into BBC 2 at 8pm on 13th April for the all-new show, “All That Glitters” featuring the very lovely Shaun Leane as one of the judges. This new show features the usual layout that...

We all know first impressions are important, you only get to make one. With image always at the forefront of our minds, we are constantly examining how we are perceived and what type of impression we give to others, this is influenced by so many things like the way we style ourselves or how we speak. There are so many...

We know that sometimes the hardest part of buying Christmas gifts is thinking of what to get! So we've asked our staff to pick their favourite pieces in the hope that it can help inspire you with your own Christmas shopping. Natasha's Pick Shaun Leane Talon Earrings We recently took on the brand Shaun Leane in our Banbury Showroom. I...

When we have a beautiful or expensive piece of jewellery that we love and cherish, we want it to look aesthetically pleasing and to sparkle forever. Caring for, and looking after your jewellery, is important and integral to it keeping that sparkle. We believe that you should take care of your jewellery as you would your favourite item of clothing....

As you may be aware, our watch workshops at Michael Jones Jeweller have been authorised to carry out Rolex service work for a number of years and employ and train some of the best watchmakers in the country. Now we are especially proud to announce that our watchmaker Lynette has just become only the third watchmaker in the UK awarded...

Gemstone of the Month: October NAME: Opal MEANING: The name “opal” originates from the Greek word opallios, which means “to see a change in colour.” COMMON SPECIES: Many opal varieties exist, but only a few (like Fire Opal and Boulder Opal) are universally recognized. Opals are often referred to by their background “body colour”—black or white. COLOUR: Each Opal is...

Gemstone of the Month: September NAME: Sapphire MEANING: Some linguists propose that the word sapphire derives from Sanskrit “Shanipriya”. Literally meaning "dear to Saturn". Alternatively, other believe that it derived from the Latin word “saphirus” and the Greek word “sapheiros,” both meaning blue. COMMON SPECIES: Sapphire is a variety of the mineral corundum. COLOUR: It is typically blue, but sapphires...

Gemstone of the Month: August NAME: Peridot MEANING: The origin of the name peridot is unknown. The Oxford English Dictionary suggests it has an Anglo–Norman origin (classical Latin pæderot), but could also originate from the Arabic word faridat, meaning "gem" or the French word peritot, meaning gold. COMMON SPECIES: Peridot is a silicate mineral, a magnesium rich variety of Olivine....

Gemstone of the Month: JULY NAME: Ruby MEANING: Rubies are said to represent love and happiness. The name ruby comes from the Latin word ruber, which means red. COLOUR: The most preferred colour is a deep blood red with a slightly bluish hue. Such Ruby is known as "Burmese Ruby" or "Pigeon's Blood Ruby". MOHS HARDNESS: 9 – Very tough....

NAME: Pearl MEANING: A pearl traditionally symbolizes love, happiness and success. In many cultures, pearls symbolize purity and innocence, which is why it’s traditional for a bride to wear pearls on her wedding day. COMMON SPECIES: Pearls have an organic origin are not found within the Earth like most gemstones. The rarest pearls are natural pearls made in the wild....

NAME: Emerald MEANING: Emerald comes from the word “smaragdus,” which means “green” in Greek. COMMON SPECIES: Emerald is a variety of beryl. COLOUR: Light green to a deep rich green. MOHS HARDNESS: 7.5-8 OPTICAL PROPERTIES: Double refractive. HISTORY IN JEWELLERY: Cleopatra was known to cherish emeralds, even claiming ownership of all emerald mines in Egypt during her reign. TREATMENTS AND...