All of our jewellery comes presented in our classic Ravensbury Antiques boxes, and you will receive a branded polishing cloth in each package.

Yes, of course. If you're looking for something specific or unusual, let us know exactly what you're after and we will do our utmost to source it for you. Please get in touch via the contact form or email info@ravensburyantiques.com.

Over the years we have handled extraordinary amounts of antique jewellery, and we can identify the age of a piece quite accurately by studying its hallmarks, construction techniques, stone cuts, historical design and materials. We are obsessed with researching and sharing the history of each jewel with you. Each piece is rigorously studied, and for older and rarer pieces we always try to match it with similar examples in museum collections or jewellery reference books. We take our due diligence and art historical responsibility very seriously.

Despite much of our jewellery being well over a century old, we pride ourselves on selecting only the finest examples in the best possible condition. If an item does have condition flaws, they will be specified in the listing. High-quality photos from all angles (and video where provided) form part of the condition report, so please examine them carefully. Antique jewels show signs of age: they are neither mint nor brand new. Each is a handmade survivor of history, and nearly all pieces bear some form of imperfection, such as age-related wear, production quirks, damage or restoration. If you have any questions, please contact us before placing an order. In the rare event that we have missed a flaw in the condition report, we will make it right through a partial refund or a return for a full refund. Following delivery, Ravensbury Antiques is not liable for damage, loss or theft resulting from careless ownership, but we will always do our best to advise on wear and tear, including stone replacements and repairs.

The rules of hallmarking differ from country to country and period to period. We will always mention in the listing if an item is hallmarked, and explain the origin and significance of the marks.

It is common for antique jewellery to be entirely unmarked, especially pieces made before 1800. Even countries with standardised hallmarking systems, such as Great Britain and France, produced a great deal of jewellery without discernible marks, and marks are sometimes lost during conversions, repairs or resizing. We test all unmarked gold thoroughly: first with an electronic gold tester, then verified with an acid test.

It's a frequently asked question and a closely guarded secret in the trade. For us it involves tirelessly searching auction houses all over Europe, building a network of trusted dealers and looking in places where others don't think to look.

We are so thankful for the Rijksmuseum leading the way with its Open Data Policy to allow the general public to connect the treasures in its collection. Not only do they provide high-resolution digital images of objects from the collection, but they also allow the general public unrestricted use of the images, even for commercial purposes.

For a list of the artists and artwork titles that we have used, please check out our Rijksstudio gallery here.

Clean antique jewellery gently. Avoid strong chemicals, cleaning solutions and abrasive sponges. For harder gemstones, use warm soapy water and a soft toothbrush, rinse well and pat dry with a cloth. If a ring has foil-backed stones or closed-back settings, never submerge it in water; use a dry cloth instead.

Yes. Conflict diamonds are illegally traded stones mined in recent decades to finance wars and insurgencies. Because we only sell antique and vintage diamonds that predate this period, our jewellery is completely conflict free. Initiatives such as the Kimberley Process aim to curb the trade but have shortcomings; the only way to guarantee a conflict-free diamond is to choose antique and vintage stones, which is exactly what we do.

To be formally graded, diamonds must be removed from their settings, which risks damaging antique pieces, so this is not always possible. We will always give carat weights where we can, describe the type of cut (which helps place a stone in the history of diamond cutting) and note whether a diamond is tinted.

Historic diamonds can't be judged by today's standards. Before the South African discoveries of 1867, diamonds were far rarer, coming from Brazil in the 18th and early 19th centuries and earlier from India's Golconda mines. They were cut by hand and assessed by eye, and often show surface blemishes, inclusions and asymmetry that are part of their character.

We are constantly on the hunt for new treasures and add new finds to the website almost every day. Join our mailing list to see them first.

You can read about us here. Our founder Callum is one of the youngest specialist dealers in the trade and is a member of several reputable trade organisations and societies, including the National Association of Jewellers and the Society of Jewellery Historians.

Yes. We have a private showroom in Shoreditch, London, open by appointment only. We would love to welcome you: get in touch or email info@ravensburyantiques.com to book a viewing, and let us know which pieces you'd like to see so we can have them ready.

Yes. We offer resizing on most of our rings, carried out by our specialist bench jeweller who is experienced with antique pieces. Get in touch before you order with your ring size, and we'll tell you whether the ring you love can be sized and by how much. Some rings are not suitable for resizing because of their construction or age, and we may advise against it to protect the ring's structure and historical character.

Please get in touch and we'll talk you through your options, including resizing where it's suitable. If the ring can't be sized, you can return it within 30 days of delivery for a full refund (see our returns policy below).

If you have a ring resized elsewhere, please only use a jeweller experienced with antique jewellery. Repairs and resizing should be done with a laser welder rather than an open flame where possible, repolishing will remove an antique patina, and ultrasonic cleaning will damage foiled stones. Ravensbury Antiques is not responsible for damage or loss of value caused by third-party jewellers.

We accept all major credit and debit cards, as well as PayPal.

We do not offer our own layaway, however Shopify Payments allows a ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ option over 3 installments with Klarna at checkout.

All card payments are processed through Shopify Payments (powered by Stripe), which keeps your details safe and secure. We never have access to your card details. If you pay with PayPal, you can read about their security on the PayPal website.

No. We price our pieces fairly based on the current market.

In general no, but very occasionally we offer promotions to coincide with special events. Mailing list subscribers hear about them first.

To process your order we need some personal information, such as your name, address, telephone number and email address. We only use it to make sure your item is delivered safely, and we never share it with third parties.

We offer free, fully insured worldwide shipping on every order, sent by a secure and trackable service, and we aim to dispatch within one working day. We do not dispatch on Saturdays or Sundays.

• UK: Royal Mail Special Delivery, next working day.
• United States: DHL Express, typically 1–2 business days.
• Europe: DHL Express, typically 1–2 business days.
• Rest of the world: DHL Express, typically 2–5 business days.

Full details are on our delivery and returns page.

Yes. Every order is sent tracked, and we'll email your tracking number as soon as your item is dispatched.

We offer a no-hassle returns policy. If you are not completely satisfied, get in touch within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. For US orders over £2,000 we provide a prepaid DHL return label; otherwise buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. Items must be returned in their original condition and packaging. Rings that have been resized at your request, and items damaged after delivery, cannot be returned. Full details are in our returns policy.

Every US order ships from London by DHL Express, fully insured and tracked, at no cost to you. We aim to dispatch within one working day, and delivery typically takes 1–2 business days.

No. Antiques over 100 years old enter the US duty-free, so there is nothing to pay on delivery.

Yes. Prices are shown and charged in US dollars when you shop from the US, so the price you see is the price you pay.

You have 30 days from delivery to return any piece for a full refund. For US orders over £2,000 we send you a prepaid DHL return label, and for any US return just email us and we'll send the paperwork and help arrange everything.