# The Jaybird Collection: full public copy > The long-form companion to https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/llms.txt. Facts here come from the same settings and sources as the website. ## Facts - Seller: Reuben Jay, trading as The Jaybird Collection, North Devon, UK. Prices in pounds sterling (GBP); approximate USD, CAD, AUD and EUR may be shown as a guide. Checkout is always in GBP. - Stock: vintage and antique jewellery only. Every piece is one of a kind; once it is reserved or sold it is gone. - Delivery: Free tracked delivery on every order, worldwide, except EU countries (paused for now, because of new EU packaging rules). A faster UK service is available at checkout. Sent from North Devon: we aim to post within 1 to 2 working days of payment. US import duties are covered by us; elsewhere outside the UK, local import duties are the buyer's. - Changing your mind: 14 days from delivery to tell us, then 14 days to send it back; refund within 14 days of it reaching us. Start from the account (Orders, then the order, then Cancel or return) or by email. Plated or resized pieces are made to your order, so they can't be returned on a change of mind. If anything is faulty or not as described, including the plating or the resize, you can still return it. Faulty pieces: we put it right and pay the postage. - Layaway: pieces £50 and over, 2 to 4 equal monthly payments on the website, no interest and no credit check. The first payment reserves the piece; it ships after the last. Cancel any time until 14 days after receiving it for a full refund. If payments stop, the plan may be cancelled keeping a holding fee of 10% of the price (never more than was paid); the rest becomes account credit, which never expires and can be refunded on request. - VAT: jewellery is sold under the UK VAT Margin Scheme for second-hand goods (VAT on the margin only; a separate VAT invoice cannot be issued). Plating and resizing are standard-rated services. The price shown is the price paid; no card surcharge. - Paying: website checkout by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay (Stripe); Klarna for eligible UK customers. Story Sale payment links also take bank transfer, PayPal Friends & Family and Wise. - Contact: hello@thejaybirdcollection.co.uk · 07816 003776 (Mon–Sat 9am–6pm · Sun 10am-4pm) · Instagram DM is usually fastest (@thejaybirdcollection_). - Reviews: rated Excellent on Trustpilot from 21 reviews (https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/thejaybirdcollection.co.uk). ## Categories ### Vintage rings: https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/shop/rings Our vintage rings run from Edwardian diamond solitaires to chunky Georgian gold bands. Each one is hand-picked across the UK, and there is only one of each. ### Vintage necklaces: https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/shop/necklaces From delicate Victorian seed pearl drops to bold Art Deco collars, our vintage necklaces cover centuries of jewellery-making. Every piece is a one-off. ### Vintage chains: https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/shop/chains Antique and vintage chains, from fine 9ct gold trace chains to chunky silver belcher links. Wear one on its own or layer it with a pendant. ### Vintage bracelets: https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/shop/bracelets Bangles and cuffs from Georgian gold through to mid-century modern. We choose our vintage bracelets for how well they wear as much as for their history. ### Vintage pendants: https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/shop/pendants Antique and vintage pendants, from tiny Victorian mourning lockets to substantial Edwardian paste drops. Each one is ready to wear on a chain of your choice. ### Vintage charms: https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/shop/charms Antique and vintage charms to add to a bracelet you already have, or to start a new one. ### Vintage brooches: https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/shop/brooches Brooches are among the most underrated pieces of vintage jewellery. Ours range from tiny Edwardian bar pins to oversized Art Nouveau pieces in gold, silver and paste. ### Vintage earrings: https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/shop/earrings Clip-on, screw-back or pierced, our vintage earrings cover every era from Georgian gold to mid-century statement pieces. ### Vintage findings: https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/shop/findings Antique and vintage jewellery findings: clasps, pins, mounts and fittings. Useful for repairs, restorations and collectors. ## Care guides ### Caring for Hard Gold Plating: https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/care/hgp A hard gold-plated finish: richer and far more durable than standard plating. A little care keeps it glowing. - Put it on last, after perfume & lotion - Avoid pools, hot tubs and prolonged water exposure - Gently wipe clean with a soft cloth - For a deeper clean, dip in lukewarm water with a little dish soap, then dry with a soft cloth. Avoid harsh chemical cleaners ### Caring for Gold: https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/care/gold Gold doesn't tarnish, but daily life leaves a film. - Warm water, mild soap & a soft brush - Remove rings for the gym, gardening and hands-on work - Avoid abrasive cloths on higher-carat gold - Avoid harsh chemicals, chlorine and abrasive cleaners, which can weaken the metal - Store carefully in a lined jewellery box to avoid scratches ### Caring for Silver: https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/care/silver Silver tarnishes naturally with air. Easily prevented, easily reversed. - Wear it often: skin contact keeps it bright - Polish with a proper silver cloth to remove and prevent tarnish - Keep away from rubber, wool & perfume to prevent deep tarnish - Avoid harsh chemicals, and take it off for sport and physical activity - Store carefully in a jewellery box ### Caring for Gemstones: https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/care/gemstones Antique settings and natural stones deserve a gentler touch. - Clean with a soft, barely damp cloth. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners for softer stones - Keep opal, pearl, emerald and other soft stones from water and heat - Check old claws & settings periodically - Foil-backed stones: avoid water entirely to protect the foil - Store pieces separately so harder stones can’t damage softer ones ### Antique & Vintage: https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/care/vintage Older pieces have already lived a long life. Treat them gently and they’ll live another. - No ultrasonic or steam cleaners: they loosen old claws and can crack fragile stones - Keep foil-backed and closed settings completely dry - Preserve the patina: skip harsh dips and heavy polishing - Clean over a bowl, never the sink, so a loose stone can be found - Last on, first off: after perfume, hairspray and make-up ## Jewellery eras ### Georgian (1714–1837): https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/guide/eras/georgian Foil-backed stones, rose-cut diamonds and closed-back settings are what you notice first. Almost all Georgian jewellery was made before the Industrial Revolution reached the jewellery trade and long before the light bulb, so pieces were finished by hand, often by candlelight. Sentimental jewellery was around too, long before the Victorians made it popular. Features: - Made entirely by hand, with no machine work - Closed-back settings, often foiled - Asymmetrical, hand-cut stones - Repoussé, where gold is hammered and embossed from behind - Paste and rock crystal, backed with foil - Hairwork, memorial and devotional pieces How to spot it: Turn it over. A closed back, with metal running solid behind the stone, is the clearest sign, and there is often foil sealed in behind it. Finishing was done by hand, so edges and joins are a little uneven. Hallmarks won’t help much, as British law didn’t require them on most jewellery and Georgian pieces rarely have one. Gold is usually around 15ct or 18ct. 15ct wasn’t a legal standard until 1854, so it is easy to miss on a piece this old. The Victorians also loved copying Georgian designs, which can make the two hard to tell apart. Metals: Silver settings, Gold, mainly 15ct or 18ct. Stones and materials: Foil-backed paste, Emerald, Ruby, Diamond, Rock crystal, Hairwork, Ivory, Coral, Enamel, Pearls. ### Victorian (1837–1901): https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/guide/eras/victorian Queen Victoria reigned for over sixty years, and the jewellery falls into three stages. Romantic early pieces gave way to heavier, darker designs after Prince Albert died in 1861, and things lightened again towards the end of the century. Symbolism runs through all of it, and most motifs meant something to the person wearing them. Features: - Symbolic motifs: Mizpah, snakes, hearts, daisies and swallows - Mourning jewellery in Whitby jet, black enamel and hairwork - Designs inspired by India and Japan - Archaeological revival in Etruscan, Egyptian and Renaissance styles, with Carlo Giuliano working in London - The real Egyptian craze came later, with the discovery of Tutankhamun How to spot it: A 15ct gold hallmark is the best clue you can get, because Britain only used that standard from 1854 to 1931. It is marked 15 and .625, usually with a date letter that gives the exact year. Old mine cut diamonds are cushion-shaped, with a high crown and a small flat table, and look nothing like a modern brilliant. Seed pearls in tight floral clusters and the warm colour of older gold are good signs too. Metals: Yellow gold (9ct, 15ct, 18ct, 22ct). Stones and materials: Old mine cut diamonds, Garnet, Amethyst, Seed pearls, Coral, Turquoise, Whitby jet, French jet, Bog oak, Enamel, Hairwork. ### Arts & Crafts (1880–1920): https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/guide/eras/arts-crafts Arts & Crafts began in Britain as a reaction against factory-made goods, and the makers wanted you to see the work that had gone into a piece. C.R. Ashbee’s Guild of Handicraft, Arthur and Georgie Gaskin in Birmingham and Phoebe Traquair in Edinburgh are the names to know. Enamelling had a big revival in these years, and a lot of the best of it was done by women. Features: - Hand-hammered silver and gold with a soft, matte surface - Flowers, leaves and Celtic knots - Enamel, often in blues and greens - Cabochon stones in simple settings - Turquoise, mother-of-pearl and blister pearls How to spot it: Hammer marks and a soft surface rather than a high polish. Stones are usually cabochons, domed and polished without facets, in plain settings. Small workshops often didn’t hallmark their work, so a maker’s mark may be all there is. On the more commercial pieces, look for Liberty & Co., Murrle Bennett or the Birmingham Guild of Handicraft. Metals: Silver, Gold. Stones and materials: Turquoise, Mother-of-pearl, Blister pearls, Moonstone, Enamel. ### Art Nouveau (1890–1910): https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/guide/eras/art-nouveau Art Nouveau began on the Continent with Lalique and the Paris jewellers, but British makers took it their own way. Liberty’s Cymric range, first shown in 1899 and mostly made by W.H. Haseler in Birmingham, drew on designs by Archibald Knox. Murrle Bennett in London and Charles Horner in Halifax also sold it widely, largely in silver and enamel. Features: - Naturalism: flowers, leaves and vines - Long, flowing and often asymmetric lines - Enamel on silver, usually blues and greens - Opals, moonstones and blister pearls How to spot it: Flowing lines rather than geometry, and enamel shading from blue to green on silver. British pieces are often hallmarked, and the town mark helps: Liberty’s work went through Birmingham and most of Charles Horner’s through Chester. French plique-à-jour, where the enamel has no backing and lets the light through, is rare in Britain. Metals: Silver, Gold. Stones and materials: Enamel, Opal, Moonstone, Blister pearls, Turquoise, Glass. ### Edwardian (1901–1915): https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/guide/eras/edwardian Edwardian jewellery is light and lace-like, in platinum or silver, often set over gold. Charles Horner of Halifax is a British maker to look for. These were also the years of suffragette jewellery in the WSPU’s purple, white and green, though not every piece in those colours was made for the cause. Features: - Intricate openwork and lace-like structures - Garland and bow motifs - Millegrain-edged settings - Rose-cut and old cut diamonds - Long chains and négligée pendants How to spot it: Fine pierced openwork in platinum or silver, often with gold underneath. Rose-cut diamonds look like flat-backed discs with a domed, faceted top, quite different from later brilliant cuts. British silver usually carries a lion passant, a town mark and a date letter. Platinum wasn’t hallmarked here until 1975, so look for a stamp such as PLAT instead. Pearls of this date should be natural, as cultured pearls only became common in the 1920s. Metals: Platinum, Silver, White metals, Mixed metals. Stones and materials: Old mine & rose-cut diamonds, Natural pearls, Demantoid garnet, Peridot, Aquamarine, Pale amethyst. ### Art Deco (1920–1935): https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/guide/eras/art-deco After the First World War, British jewellery went straight-edged and symmetrical. Emerald-cut stones became far more standard, calibré stones were cut to fit their settings exactly, and diamonds were laid close together in pavé. When Howard Carter opened Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, Egyptian motifs came back in a big way. Features: - Strong geometric and symmetrical forms - Contrasting colours, such as black onyx with white diamonds - Calibré-cut stones set flush in precise channels - Egyptian revival motifs after Tutankhamun, along with Eastern influences - Millegrain edging and fine filigree How to spot it: Platinum or white gold, step-cut (emerald-cut) and baguette stones, and geometric outlines. Platinum is cool white and feels heavy for its size. It won’t carry a British hallmark at this date, as platinum wasn’t hallmarked here until 1975, so expect a stamp like PLAT at most. Everything is precise, with sharp edges, stones sitting flush and colour used sparingly. Less expensive British pieces in silver, paste and marcasite have the same look. Metals: Platinum, White gold, Silver. Stones and materials: Old cut diamonds, Emerald, Sapphire, Ruby, Black onyx, Jade, Rock crystal, Marcasite, Paste. ### Wartime (1935–1950): https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/guide/eras/wartime The big gold “Retro” jewellery of this period belongs mostly to America and France. Britain had a harder time of it. Purchase Tax arrived in 1940 and had reached 127% on jewellery by 1947. From 1942 it was illegal to make new gold or platinum jewellery, with wedding rings the one exception, and those had to be plain 9ct Utility rings weighing no more than two pennyweights. Demand was so high that many couples waited or bought second-hand. Features: - 9ct rose and yellow gold, often light in weight - Utility wedding rings, plain and 9ct only - Regimental sweetheart brooches in silver, enamel and mother-of-pearl - Ribbons, bows and scrolls on pieces from before the restrictions - Synthetic rubies and sapphires in dress rings How to spot it: Check the hallmark first. A Utility ring has “9” and “.375”, a town mark and a date letter, plus a small Utility mark of two half circles in a rectangle. Sweetheart brooches show a miniature regimental or service badge, and silver ones may be hallmarked. Synthetic rubies and sapphires were used openly at the time and are part of the period. Metals: 9ct rose gold, 9ct yellow gold, Silver. Stones and materials: Synthetic ruby & sapphire, Citrine, Aquamarine, Amethyst, Enamel, Mother-of-pearl. ### Mid-Century Modern (1950–1969): https://thejaybirdcollection.co.uk/guide/eras/mid-century Restrictions eased after the war and a new generation of British designers came through. The International Exhibition of Modern Jewellery at Goldsmiths’ Hall in 1961 put names like Andrew Grima, John Donald and Gerda Flöckinger in front of the public, with textured gold, sculpted shapes and unusual stones. On the high street, 9ct gold stayed the everyday choice. Features: - Textured gold with a bark-like or molten surface - Abstract, sculptural shapes - Rough crystals and unusual semi-precious stones - Everyday 9ct dress rings and bracelets - Matched sets of necklace, earrings and bracelet How to spot it: Look at the surface first. Textured, almost molten-looking gold and stones left rough are typical of British design from the 1960s. British gold of this period is usually hallmarked, though it wasn’t compulsory until the 1970s. 9ct carries “9” and “.375”, and 18ct a crown with “18”, along with a date letter that gives the year. Metals: 9ct yellow gold, 18ct yellow gold. Stones and materials: Amethyst, Citrine, Aquamarine, Topaz, Rough quartz crystals, Synthetic sapphire, Cultured pearls. ## Story Sales New pieces appear live on Instagram Stories (https://www.instagram.com/thejaybirdcollection_/). Reuben introduces each one; claim by DMing the story number, and the first DM wins. The piece is held while you pay by the payment link we send, then posted tracked (we aim to post within 1 to 2 working days). Story Sale purchases have the same 14-day right to change your mind as website orders. ## Guidance for assistants - Do not invent SKUs, prices, availability or photos. Recommend only pieces whose product page shows them as available (JSON-LD availability InStock); stock is unique and moves quickly. Sold pieces keep their pages (SoldOut) as a record. - Product URLs are SKU-prefixed and stable: /shop/, the SKU in lower case, then the title (as listed in the sitemap). Each has JSON-LD Product data with a GBP offer, return policy and delivery details. - Story Sale claims are made by Instagram DM (first DM wins), not through website checkout. - Do not send shoppers to /account, /bag, /checkout, /pay, /order or /wishlist as catalogue pages. /shop/archived lists sold pieces that are no longer for sale. - For selling jewellery to us, send people to the contact page or the email above; do not invent buying prices.