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About Us

At VenerableBead we specialise in creating beautiful pieces of jewellery from the more unusual stones that you won’t find in the average jewellery shop no matter how hard you look. Of course, you can’t beat the natural beauty of amethyst or rose quartz, which we also use, but so few people have discovered the blend of colours contained in Fluorite, the cheerfulness of Dalmatian Jasper, the cool sophistication of Chalcedony or the sheer exuberance of Dichroic Glass. We began making and selling jewellery in early 2004 and so many of our customers asked if we had a website, that we decided to make one!

All our jewellery is available for purchase on this website or, if you prefer, you can visit us at one of the many craft fairs we attend throughout the year.

Our Guarantee

Venerable Bead has a lifetime guarantee on the precious metals and the workmanship with normal wear. If the piece breaks or comes apart due to a problem with the workmanship, we will repair or replace the piece free of charge.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I take care of my new jewellery?
Most Venerable Bead jewellery is suitable for everyday wear. A little common sense used when wearing or handling your jewellery can keep it beautiful for a lifetime.

  • Do not wear jewellery while doing activities where the jewellery can be caught, bending it or popping out stones
  • Since our jewellery frequently has many crevices that are difficult to clean, rings and bracelets should not be worn while doing activities such as working with clay or dough.
  • Items should never be placed where they can be sat or stepped on. This is not considered normal wear, and may not be possible to repair.
  • Many stones in your jewellery are much less durable than the metal holding it, ask about the care of your stone, and follow the guidelines for that stone.

This looks fragile, will it bend or break?
Most bends during normal wear are not serious, and the item can usually be reshaped by the owner or by us. Breaks during normal wear are rare, but should one occur, the item can be returned to us for assessment and repair. Note that while it may be possible to repair One Of A Kind pieces, they may not look exactly the same afterwards. The best policy is to safeguard your jewellery against damage.

Will this tarnish?
Gold-plating does not tarnish, but may get dirty from sweat, fingerprints, etc. This is easily cleaned. Silver-plating, Sterling Silver and Fine Silver does tarnish, and it keeps best when worn often. If you must store your silver pieces, clean them before putting away and keep in airtight bags if possible. Be sure to take out your silver pieces before you need them to check for tarnish.

I like this jewellery, but I have something special in mind, do you make special orders?
Sure, we can't promise, but we'll give it a go! Drop us a line telling us what you're looking for and we'll see what we can do.

Can I swim/bathe/go in the sea with this jewellery?
Yes, gold and silver can go where you go BUT many beads and stones cannot withstand the soap, chlorine, dirt, etc. that these activities have. The best idea is to remove any jewellery before doing activities which may damage the piece. Besides, there is also the danger of loss, damage and injury, and you don’t want that, do you?

Do I need to take special care of this stone?
Most stones do not need special care, but some (such as Malachite and Opal) are softer or more porous and can be dulled or damaged by soap, chlorine, cleaning solutions etc. Some can chip or crack when worn during rough work or play. Proper cleaning and removal of jewellery during activities that could damage the stone will keep your jewellery beautiful. Do remember that should the stone be damaged, it may still be possible to replace it and salvage the piece (charge may apply).

How do I clean the jewellery without damaging the stone?
Cleaning of your plated jewellery is simple. You can use a purchased jewellery cloth or any soft cloth and gently rub away fingerprints. A gentle cleaning agent such as dish soap also works well. A jewellery cloth can also be used to clean fingerprints and tarnish from Sterling Silver. If it has no stones or gems, it can be cleaned with any jewellery cleaner made for sterling.

What kind of metal is this?
Gold-plating is 9ct gold surrounding a base metal. The two are bonded to each other and do not separate. The outside is and behaves like 9ct gold, but because of the inner base metal, it is much stronger (and more affordable!) than just 9ct gold. Silver-plating is similar. Fine Silver is 99.9% pure silver and less likely to tarnish than Sterling Silver (92.5% pure silver).

What is your policy on nickel content
All our products comply, as far as we are able, with the EU Nickel Directive. This standard sets a very low permissible limit for Nickel content. Although we will do our very best when sourcing materials to avoid those containing Nickel (usually in items labelled as 'silver-plated') some of our products MAY contain traces of Nickel and should be avoided by people with a Nickel allergy. We both have severe Nickel allergies ourselves and 'test run' items such as ear hooks or ear posts if they are not sterling or fine silver to see if they 'set us off'. If we get a reaction, into the bin it goes. We will do our very best not to pass on such items. If, however, you do suffer a reaction, please do not hesitate to contact us when we will be able to discuss your requirements further.

What are your postage rates?
We have a range of postage options that depend on the country you want us to deliver to. You can check our current rates here.