Gem Pursuit - Pod.casts

Defining Movements: Art Nouveau

April 15, 2024 01:00 - 44 minutes - 41.6 MB

Unlike the fleeting trends of the modern day, antique jewellery comes from times of defined eras and movements that inspired many artists and makers. We’ve covered jewellery eras in a past series but we never got to dive into this incredible movement that shaped art, design, architecture and of course jewellery. Although sometimes considered an acquired taste, art nouveau can be appreciated for its unique, beautiful style and the talent it took to create. Matthew and Alyce look back a...

Royal Regalia: Spectacular Sweden

April 01, 2024 01:00 - 49 minutes - 46.1 MB

We’re back with a very special bonus episode of our Royal Regalia: A History of Splendour series after a listener request for an episode on the crown jewels of Sweden. Sweden’s Kingdom has a history spanning over 1000 years. The protected jewel collection features some of the most impressive parures and tiaras you’ll ever see, including a bejeweled, cowboy-esque crown. Matthew and Alyce dive into the country’s unique, multinational history and trace back the origins of some of their...

Royal Regalia: Investigating Ireland

March 18, 2024 01:00 - 45 minutes - 42.7 MB

We have come to the end of our special series ‘Royal Regalia: A History of Splendour’ and for our final episode we’re taking a look at some jewels close to home. Although you may not have known this country would have crown jewels, we’ll find out the history that led to their establishment, how they trace back to British royal regalia and the suspicious circumstances of their mysterious disappearance, which is still unsolved to this day. Matthew and Alyce are joined by a very specia...

Royal Regalia: Bold Britain

March 04, 2024 01:00 - 50 minutes - 46.9 MB

We’re just over half way through our short series, Royal Regalia: A History Of Splendour, looking at the stories and histories behind some of the world’s most famous crown jewels. Today, we look at a collection shroud in family spats and colonial controversy. The British Royal Family has always been subject to criticism and the history of their jewel collections are no different. From questions around ownership to some of the most impressive emeralds with a questionable backstory. Mat...

Royal Regalia: Opulent Iran

February 19, 2024 01:00 - 42 minutes - 39.6 MB

We’re continuing on our magical and mysterious pursuit through the world of royal jewellery and this week, we’re talking about a collection of crown jewels that has been accumulating over many centuries. The Iranian National Jewels stand as one of the world’s most expensive and extensive collections in the world. Matthew and Alyce examine their tumultuous history and decadent taste, including how the royal family ended up with the largest pink diamond known to man and the indulgent par...

Royal Regalia: Danish Delight

February 05, 2024 01:00 - 52 minutes - 49.2 MB

This season we’re taking a magical and mysterious pursuit through the world of Royal Regalia: A History of Splendour, a topic that has been long-awaited and requested many times from our wonderful listeners. In the first episode of this season we’re taking a look at a country with one of the most magnificent histories and royal jewel collections, Denmark. Matthew and Alyce dive into the incredible collection and the fascinating stories that accompany it, including how Denmark acquir...

Royal Regalia | Danish Delight

February 05, 2024 01:00 - 52 minutes - 49.2 MB

This season we’re taking a magical and mysterious pursuit through the world of Royal Regalia: A History of Splendour, a topic that has been long-awaited and requested many times from our wonderful listeners. In the first episode of this season we’re taking a look at a country with one of the most magnificent histories and royal jewel collections, Denmark. Matthew and Alyce dive into the incredible collection and the fascinating stories that accompany it, including how Denmark acquir...

A Royal Gift From the Grave

January 22, 2024 01:00 - 34 minutes - 32.8 MB

For avid jewellery collectors it can sometimes feel like a piece finds its way to you without even having to look for it. That was certainly the case for Victoria Waller, a passionate and knowledgeable collector who received a very unique and special piece just a week after her mother passed away. Victoria shares the incredible story of how her namesake Queen Victoria’s rare Coburg Eagle landed in her hands and the amazing history that came with it. Having crossed paths at many intern...

Collecting Antique Jewellery | What You Need to Know

January 08, 2024 02:00 - 40 minutes - 37.6 MB

The world of antique jewellery is both magical and mysterious, and Gem Pursuit is always trying to help you develop your own understanding, and your collection! Whether you’re new to antique jewellery, or a collector trying to broaden your knowledge, Matthew and Alyce are bringing you the ultimate book to guide you. John Benjamin’s ‘Starting to Collect Antique Jewellery’ has been hugely influential for both our hosts and they break down all the best bits, biggest learnings and words o...

Gem Trivial Pursuit Christmas Special

December 25, 2023 02:00 - 21 minutes - 20.3 MB

It’s the most wonderful time of the year and as a little gift from Gem Pursuit to you this festive season we’ve got a very special edition of Gem Trivial Pursuit! Matthew and Alyce go head to head to see who is the greatest quizmas master of all and not with some laughs, and questionable knowledge, along the way. Find out what year the Hallmark cards began, which country really believes in the power of mistletoe and how many reindeer Santa actually had. Wishing you and yours a very ha...

Jaw Dropping Christmas Gifts

December 11, 2023 02:00 - 39 minutes - 37.1 MB

‘Tis the season and for our bonus episode of Season Eight Matthew and Alyce take a look at the history of gift giving from the Three Wise Men to Napoleon. Gift giving can be traced back to 40,000 years ago, with figures made of woolly mammoth ivory. From the thoughtful gifts of the three wise men, to one of the biggest rubies ever documented and even the classic pearls of a fashion icon, Matthew and Alyce share the fascinating stories of some unique, beautiful and sometimes terrifying...

Imagery in Jewellery

November 27, 2023 02:00 - 45 minutes - 42.5 MB

A picture tells a thousand words and long before photography, jewellery was telling the stories of the wearer, memorialising loved ones and even harbouring secrets. Matthew and Alyce take a journey through the history of imagery in jewellery and celebrate a craft that became a dead art thanks to modern technology. People were capturing memories through imagery as far back as the 1500s and in this episode you’ll hear about the array of different materials and techniques used to create ...

Fine Goldwork

November 13, 2023 02:00 - 50 minutes - 47.5 MB

The value of gold has skyrocketed over the last number of decades, which makes it a limited and expensive material to work with. Matthew and Alyce share the unique ways this noble metal was crafted in the past and why many types of goldwork are now considered a dead art. Goldwork traces all the way back to ancient times but in this episode the focus is on filigree and cannetille, how these crafts were originally used to create beautiful pieces for a low cost and why, today, they are so...

Hairy Scary

October 30, 2023 02:00 - 44 minutes - 40.4 MB

Given the time of year it felt only right to look at some of the what some might call the ‘creepier’ dead arts. Matthew and Alyce take a journey through hair art, teeth jewellery and taxidermy in this shiver-inducing episode. Although they’re not for everyone, we find out how these pieces were important mementos of times passed for people to remember their loved ones and why taxidermy went from a status symbol to a legal nightmare. Plus, if you find any of these pieces hair-raisingly ...

Enamelling

October 16, 2023 02:00 - 45 minutes - 41.4 MB

In this episode Matthew and Alyce dive into the dying art of enamelling. Although it’s something we might all be able to find on items in our own homes, finding a skilled enameller who can create art to the standard of the past is next to impossible. Enamelling can be found in many forms and today we look back on the 2500 years of the art, hear about some of the finest crafts people and their incredibly impressive colour palettes and, of course, some direction on where you can look to...

Lapidary

October 02, 2023 01:00 - 47 minutes - 43.5 MB

Lapidary Some of the unique art forms of jewellery creation are dying out thanks to modern technology and lack of training options Today we’re taking a look at the dying art of lapidary or gemstone cutting. Matthew and Alyce discuss the history of the art and why it has become so difficult to find modern masters of the craft, along with sharing the time periods that really highlight the most beautiful forms of the craft so you know where to look for your own antique collection. THI...

Celebrating 50 Episodes

September 29, 2023 13:16 - 23 minutes - 22.7 MB

To celebrate over 50 episodes of Gem Pursuit Matthew and Alyce are taking you through a journey of their top five episodes. It was no easy task deciding on our top five but you’ll hear stories of Godly gemstones, the lost city of gold and the brutal standards of one very famous jeweller. We’ll also be looking ahead to Season 8, which will be in your ears this October and is all about the dead arts. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT The Godly glow of precious emeralds Alma Pihl and the unfo...

Onyx

August 21, 2023 06:00 - 35 minutes - 40.1 MB

Onyx has a long and fabled history and although many will (correctly) associate it with the Art Deco era, it was also an important gemstone at many other periods throughout history. We talk about how different cultures have viewed this gem and the way its colouration impacts upon this. We also discuss banding, Tutmania and sugary treatments... View our Onyx collection. www.courtville.ie Get social with Courtville, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok A Tape Deck podcast #o...

Opal

August 07, 2023 06:00 - 57 minutes - 66 MB

We celebrate our 50th episode with Matthew's favourite gem, that stone with the incredible, one of a kind play of colour that is Opal. Known as the pride of Australia, it's a gemstone Alyce knows pretty well but she talks about how her initial perception has changed since when she was a kid growing up Down Under. Listen to the end for the triumphant return of Gem Trivial Pursuit and find out who prevailed... www.courtville.ie A Tape Deck podcast #opal #gems #jewellery #antiquejewel...

Alexandrite: the Chameleon of Crystals

July 24, 2023 06:00 - 37 minutes - 43 MB

Renowned for it's remarkable colour-changing properties and 10,000 rarer than diamond, Alexandrite is undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary and sought-after gemstones on earth. Matthew and Alyce give an overview of the short history of the gem, provide some insight into it's fascinating colour change and, as usual, offer a few nuggets of insight from the trade to help you on your own Alexandrite treasure hunt! www.courtville.ie A Tape Deck podcast

Jade: a Tough Treasure

July 10, 2023 06:00 - 51 minutes - 58.7 MB

Jade is a super versatile gem with a rich history and enormous cultural significance all across the world. Matthew explains the difference between toughness and hardness when it comes to gemstones while Alyce shares some more stories from her own cultural heritage and personal jewellery collection. www.courtville.ie A Tape Deck podcast

Spinel: the Gemmiest Gem?

June 26, 2023 06:00 - 46 minutes - 53.6 MB

Long known as "the Great Imposter" due to the frequency with which it was mistaken for ruby and other more commercial gemstones, Spinel is nonetheless a rare, beautiful and durable gem that is especially prized amongst dealers in the antique jewellery trade. Famous Spinels discussed include the Black Prince's Ruby and the Côte-de-Bretagne in the French Crown Jewels. www.courtville.ie A Tape Deck podcast

Peridot

June 12, 2023 06:00 - 36 minutes - 41.6 MB

This episode focuses on one of Matthew's favourite gemstones, Peridot. Alyce shares some some fascinating Polynesian peridot mythology and reveals why she'll never ever be able to forget how to identify Peridot! Matthew talks about a stunning piece containing Peridot which has mysteriously disappeared... www.courtville.ie A Tape Deck podcast

Topaz

May 29, 2023 06:00 - 47 minutes - 54.9 MB

We journey deep into the gemological weeds in this episode to discuss the characteristics of this naturally colourless gemstone. We discover some of the history and lore of Topaz, the reasons why Topaz can vary wildly in value, as well as what to be mindful of when caring for your own Topaz pieces at home. As always, we will also be talking about some of the most amazing Topaz that exists in the world today. www.courtville.ie A Tape Deck podcast

Turquoise

May 15, 2023 06:00 - 35 minutes - 41 MB

Opaque, porous and relatively soft, Turquoise is an incredibly unique - and therefore highly-prized - gemstone and yes, you guessed it, it's all about the colour! www.courtville.ie A Tape Deck Podcast

Tourmaline

May 01, 2023 06:00 - 33 minutes - 37.9 MB

The latest edition in our Gemstone saga is about one of the rarest and most diverse gemstones in the world - Tourmaline. A gem of many colours, Tourmalines have been misidentified as emeralds, rubies and diamonds down through the centuries. We discuss some of the most famous Tourmalines in history and, as always, discuss the ins and outs of identifying and valuing this gem! www.courtville.ie A Tape Deck podcast

Amethyst

April 17, 2023 06:00 - 34 minutes - 39.8 MB

The purple gemstone - Amethyst - has long been associated with royalty, aristocracy and clergymen. In this episode we discuss the story behind its glory days as one of the big five "cardinal" gems as well as the reasons why this all changed in the 19th century. We'll also give you all the tips and tricks you need to know about this popular purple gemstone. www.courtville.ie A Tape Deck Podcast

Aquamarine

April 03, 2023 06:00 - 42 minutes - 49.2 MB

The Gemstone Series is back with a bang! We return to our roots to discuss the incredible gemstone known as Aquamarine. As always we discuss the history & lore of this beautiful blue stone as well how to identify and value the gem. We also bring you stories of some of the most famous and interesting Aquamarines in history, as well some trade tips for you to add to your arsenal. www.courtville.ie A Tape Deck podcast

Gem Pursuit 40th Episode Special

August 08, 2022 06:00 - 52 minutes - 59.5 MB

To celebrate 40 episodes of Gem Pursuit, we decided to go back to our roots and record an old school, just Matty and Alyce episode! This is a special 'jewell dual' where Matty & Alyce go head to head on their favourite female designers (outside our Unsung Heroines) and make the case for who was the best, with the final decision being left up to you, the listener! The battle royale is between Angela Cummings and Marina B. And, although it has been a while, there's also a special, exte...

Juliet Weir-de La Rochefoucauld

July 25, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 86.9 MB

To round off our sixth season Golden Girls: Unsung Heroines of Jewellery, we welcome a very special guest, Juliet Weir-de La Rochefoucauld, author of Twenty-First Century Jewelry Designers: An Inspired Style. Juliet is a Dublin native but is now based in France, so we were so lucky that she could join us in our studio when she was in town to give us some amazing insights into the women who changed the jewellery world in the 20th century. We talk more about all of our Golden Girls - Je...

Elsa Peretti

July 18, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 70.7 MB

Our fourth and final Golden Girl this season is the incredible Elsa Peretti. Described by Vogue as “arguably the most successful woman ever to work in the jewellery field", was an Italian jewellery designer and philanthropist as well as a fashion model. Joining us all the way from Boston to discuss the legendary Tiffany designer is jewellery historian Ariana Bishop. Ariana tells us about Peretti's early life, how she started working with Tiffany, the inspiration behind some of her mo...

Alma Pihl

July 04, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 93.5 MB

In part 3 of our sixth season Golden Girls, we jet off to Finland to meet Ulla Tillander-Godenhielm and learn about the life of one of the most one-of-a-kind jewellery designers in history, the wonderful Alma Pihl. Ulla comes from a great jewellery family herself, her great-grandfather was St. Petersburg goldsmith Alexander Tillander, a supplier to the Russian imperial court, and she has been researching the oeuvre of the Russian jewelers for many years. Ulla was so kind to welcome us...

Suzanne Belperron

June 27, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 83.6 MB

In Part 2 of our sixth season - Golden Girls - we go on another jaunt to Paris (yep that's two weeks in a row!) to find out all we can about the life of the incredible French designer Suzanne Belperron. The life of Suzanne Belperron really does read like a Hollywood movie with secret love affairs, war, scandal, intrigue, mystery and heroism galore! After a very quick pit stop at a shop window (typical) we make our way to meet Olivier Baroin, who is the world expert on the work of Suza...

Jeanne Toussaint

June 20, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 68.9 MB

Gem Pursuit is back with season 6, Golden Girls - Unsung Heroines of Jewellery! We jet off to Paris for our first excursion (of many) this season, to find out more about one of the first women to blaze a trail in the jewellery industry - Jeanne Toussaint! Appointed Director of Fine Jewellery by Louis Cartier in 1933, Jeanne Toussaint was the original Art Deco tastemaker who's incredible eye for style and beauty catapulted her to the top of the biggest jewellery house in the world. We ...

Gem Pursuit Season 6 preview

June 06, 2022 06:00 - 5 minutes - 5.79 MB

After a short hiatus, we will be back with the sixth season of Gem Pursuit on Monday 20th June and we can't wait to share it with you! Golden Girls: Unsung Heroines of Jewellery will shine a light and give props to some of the most underappreciated yet incredibly talented women who have had such a lasting impact on the jewellery world over the last 100 years. We have a few surprises up our sleeve so make sure you click subscribe but in the mean time, here is a little preview of what w...

Courtville: Past, Present & Future

October 25, 2021 06:00 - 48 minutes - 56.1 MB

In this Bonus Bank Holiday Special episode, we wanted to mark the recent passing of the founder of Courtville, Catherine "Kitten" Pierse by having a chat about the history of how Courtville began and how much of what was started by Kitten so long ago and continued by her daughter Gráinne has been carried through to what we at Courtville are all about today. Producer: Ross Hannon www.courtville.ie

Religious Symbols

October 18, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 82.7 MB

Part VII - Religous Symbols Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery' In the final part of this series, we probably bite off a bit more than we can chew by trying to cover the topic of religious symbols in one hour-long podcast… We mainly discuss symbols from Christianity such as the ichthus, the cross and where they show up in jewellery as well as other forms of christian jewellery like iconogr...

Religious Symbols in Jewellery

October 18, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 82.7 MB

Part VII - Religous Symbols Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery' In the final part of this series, we probably bite off a bit more than we can chew by trying to cover the topic of religious symbols in one hour-long podcast… We mainly discuss symbols from Christianity such as the ichthus, the cross and where they show up in jewellery as well as other forms of christian jewellery like iconogr...

Serpents

October 11, 2021 06:00 - 57 minutes - 65.8 MB

Part VI - Serpents Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery' In the penultimate episode of this series, we take a look at the mysterious and often misunderstood symbol that is the serpent. The snake has been an extremely popular motif in jewellery down through the centuries, partly because of the way it naturally coils around the body but also due to its complex and ambivalent symbolic signifia...

Serpent Jewellery

October 11, 2021 06:00 - 57 minutes - 65.8 MB

Part VI - Serpents Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery' In the penultimate episode of this series, we take a look at the mysterious and often misunderstood symbol that is the serpent. The snake has been an extremely popular motif in jewellery down through the centuries, partly because of the way it naturally coils around the body but also due to its complex and ambivalent symbolic signifian...

Mourning Motifs

October 04, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 68.9 MB

Part V - Mourning Motifs Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery' Long before the modern phrase 'YOLO' (you only live once) entered common parlance, a similar sentiment has been expressed since ancient times through the latin expression 'Memento Mori' which literally translates as 'remember that you (must) die'. This episode will focus on how this expression, which has its roots in classical p...

Mourning Jewellery

October 04, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 68.9 MB

Part V - Mourning Motifs in Jewellery Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery' Long before the modern phrase 'YOLO' (you only live once) entered common parlance, a similar sentiment has been expressed since ancient times through the latin expression 'Memento Mori' which literally translates as 'remember that you (must) die'. This episode will focus on how this expression, which has its roots in...

Victorian Flower Language

September 27, 2021 06:00 - 59 minutes - 68 MB

Part IV - Victorian Flower Language Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery' The Victorian period was a time when self-expression wasn't really advised so if you wanted to show somebody how you felt, you had to get creative. One of the amazing ways they did this was by exchanging flowers that served as their own cryptic love language. And of course, this had a knock-on effect on the jewellery t...

Symbols of the Sea

September 20, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 76.5 MB

Part III - Symbols of the Sea in Jewellery Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery' In this episode we do a deep dive into the unknown and the unknowable deep blue ocean. As always we talk about the origin and evolution of these motifs and then get our hands salty and briney as we sift through coral, anchors and shells, dodging jellyfish and turtles to find the real treasured tokens at the bott...

The Sun, the Moon & the Stars

September 13, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 76.1 MB

Part II - Celestial Motifs Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery' This week we are looking to the skies and thanking the gods for celestial symbols that have been inspiring beautiful art & jewellery for longer than anyone can remember. Producer: Ross Hannon Additional Research: Giulia Grasseschi www.courtville.ie

Celestial Motifs in Jewellery

September 13, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 76.1 MB

Part II - Celestial Motifs Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery' This week we are looking to the skies and thanking the gods for celestial symbols that have been inspiring beautiful art & jewellery for longer than anyone can remember. Producer: Ross Hannon Additional Research: Giulia Grasseschi www.courtville.ie

The Claddagh Ring

September 06, 2021 06:00 - 55 minutes - 63.5 MB

Part I - The Claddagh Ring Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery' We go back to the origins of this extremely popular Irish symbol of love, loyalty and friendship to discover that its history stretches back a little further than one might think... We try to separate fact from fiction in the story of who made the very first Claddagh ring. And as always we'll have specific jewellery stories, c...

SILVER (with Jimmy Weldon)

June 28, 2021 06:00 - 31 minutes - 35.6 MB

It's a little Gem Pursuit bonus episode, featuring an interview with Matty's Dad and one of the foremost experts on antique Irish silver, Jimmy Weldon. We sat down for a lovely chat (rudely cut short by a very loud machine on the street - the perils of recording in Dublin city!) about the history of silver in Ireland, how to spot a good piece of silver and why he has been so drawn to it over the years. We hope you enjoy Jimmy's mellifluous tones, vast knowledge and delightful passion ...

Cartier

June 21, 2021 06:01 - 1 hour - 88.4 MB

It's the final instalment in our Firm Favourites series, and we're back to Paris for a bumper episode about the one and only jewellery giant that is Cartier. King Edward VII famously described Cartier as "the Jeweller of Kings and the King of Jewellers" but as you'll learn in this episode, he wasn't the only one who thought so. Among other things we discuss King Lear, the Patiala necklace, Platinum, Panthers and the origins of the modern wristwatch. We've talked about Cartier in almo...

BVLGARI

June 14, 2021 06:02 - 1 hour - 75.9 MB

Part 5 (or perhaps it should be part V) of our Firm Favourites series, is the Ancient Rome-inspired luxury jewellery house Bulgari. This Italian giant led the way in so many ways during the last century of fine jewellery design. We talk serpent motifs, coin collections, chunky yellow gold, cabochon cuts and, of course, Elizabeth Taylor! As always, listen to the end to for another battle of Gem Trivial Pursuit! Producer: Ross Hannon www.courtville.ie