Bespoke pearl jewellery

Pearls are stunning in their own right and here at Coleman Douglas Pearls we believe the addition of coloured gemstones can also really lift a piece and give a new take on pearl jewellery. Our bespoke service is the perfect way to design a totally new piece for yourself or to give an old piece a new lease of life.

Topaz is one of the birthstones for November and is most commonly thought of as being blue in colour. Although natural blue topaz does exist in nature, it is rare and most of the blue topaz that you see has actually been irradiated to get its hue. Topaz is colourless but also comes in shades of brown, yellow, orange and pink depending on impurity elements or structural defects within the crystal structure. The name topaz is thought to have two different origins; the first coming from the word “Topazios”, an old Greek name for the island now called Zabargad, and although the island never produced topaz, it did produce similar coloured minerals. People just didn’t have the resources to differentiate the two. The second origin could be from the ancient Sanskrit language from the word topas or tapaz, meaning “fire.”

Citrine is the second birthstone for November and is already incorporated into a lot of our pearl designs. Citrine is the yellow variety of quartz and ranges in shade from pale yellow to deep orange resulting from the amount of iron in the crystal structure. The name is derived from the Latin “citrina” meaning yellow and it is thought this is the origin for the french word “citron” meaning lemon. Citrine’s have been confused with Topaz for centuries due to their similar colours and lack of obvious inclusions. Most citrine on the market is actually heat treated amethyst, although it does occur naturally.

We want to pass on our love for gemstones and pearls in jewellery and would love for you to book a design consultation with us at our pearl jewellery store in London. We are open Monday – Saturday from 11am – 7pm.