In this final episode of my exclusive interview with Kieran McCarthy, director of Warstki and curator of Faberge in London: Romance to Revolution at the V&A Museum, we discuss the utterly extraordinary circumstances that led him to discover the long lost "Third Imperial Easter Egg" by Fabergé. It had originally been given by Tsar Alexander III to his wife, Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, for Easter in 1887. Kieran describes what is thought to have happened to the egg from the time it was...

In the second part of my exclusive interview with Kieran McCarthy - organised in collaboration with the V&A Museum and recorded in London in October 2021 - we discuss Faberge's firm entry into English society with, firstly an office in London and then a standalone store.  The boutique at 173 Bond Street became the home away from home for the Russian emigré community, many of whom had escaped their motherland in the early 1900s. Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich, grandson of Emperor...

In this exclusive episode - organised in collaboration with the V&A and recorded in London in October - I speak with Kieran McCarthy, director of Wartski (Faberge experts and dealers of the finest antique jewels and objets) and curator of the forthcoming exhibition at the V&A in London.  This is the first of two (hour long!) episodes with Kieran, in which he speaks to me about Faberge, the Imperial Family, the British Royal family and of course, wonderful Wartski's centennial...

In this episode I speak with Susan Foster - one of the most talented independent jewellers on the island of Manhattan, as well as a dedicated philanthropist. Susan grew up in East Hampton, surrounded by creative spirit and flair. Jackson Pollock’s house and the studio of Dutch American abstract impressionist, Willem de Kooning, proved an important influence in her childhood; and consequently her career. Her colourful upbringing led her to study ancient art and architecture at UCLA, followed...

In this episode, I speak with Cynthia Morrow the founder of COVETT - the world's first fine jewellery platform that offers shared ownership, and a pretty snazzy subscription service.  Written about in Forbes and Wallpaper magazine, amongst others - this is the trailblazing way of being able to own some of the finest of jewels, without worrying about how to insure them, look after them or even lock them up in a safe hidden in your house. The jewels in Covett's Vault are constantly being...

In this episode, recorded remotely in early August, I speak with Kate Flitcroft - one of the incredible jewellery experts on the iconic UK BBC programme, The Antiques Roadshow.  Kate, who is now part of the jewellery team at Bonhams, divulges what goes on behind the scenes, some of the amazing pieces of jewellery that she has discovered on the show and what it is like to film in some of the country's most spectacular stately homes and gardens. This episode is in memory of my father, Mark...

In this episode I speak with Katya Hills of The Art Loss Register, the UK based international database of over 700,000 stolen items of art, musical instruments, historical artefacts and of course watches and jewellery, the division of which, Katya set up and runs.  Experts around the world use their services to check the provenance of items before they buy or handle them. Police, insurers, the trade and the public may record items that have been stolen to maximise their chances of recovery,...

Today, Saturday 12th June 2021, is Her Majesty the Queen's official birthday - yes, she has two! In this episode, I discuss some of her early brooches - given to her at some of her early royal engagements. I do hope that you enjoy this short Birthday episode and go to my website/ Instagram for photographs. @josiegoodbody www.josiegoodbody.com

In this episode I speak with the authors of BEYOND FABERGE, the encyclopaedic book on Russian jewels, Marie Betteley and David Schimmelpennick Van der Oye. We talk about how Vladimir the Great introduced Christianity to Russia in the 10th Century and thereby importing, from Constantinople, the most innovative goldsmithing and jewellery techniques, which paved the way to the Russian jewels we know today. We learn how, centuries later, the St Petersburg jewellers such as Pauzié, Carl Blank,...

In this episode I speak with this inimitable icon of British jewellery and silverware about his fascinating career, from his first job documenting silver at Barnard's in Hatton Gardens, to selling his design at smart Chelsea dinners, his incredible exhibition at The Royal Academy of Arts in 2007 and his important work with the jewellery designers of tomorrow, part of his Gilded Youth initiative.   Follow on Instagram @officialtheofennell for more incredible jewellery photography,...

In this episode, I speak with Dr Sharon Novak, jewellery collection curator, private client and brand advisor, about her fascinating career.  We talk luxury goods and why, in particular, high jewellery.  She tells us how to build a collection - your intention for the collection and your specifics for inclusion in the collection. Travelling the world for jewels. Buying at auction. And teaching jewellery and gemstones to us all over Instagram, and her complimentary Zoom classes of kids on...

In this episode I speak with Eddie LeVian, ninth generation of the family jewellers of Le Vian. He tells the wonderful tale of his ancestors, the Levys, who in the 1700s guarded the Shah of Persia's treasures; which included the Koh-I-Noor and how the Shah took it from a Mughal emperor of India. He also talks about the beautiful elephant on the episode cover, set with hundreds of Persian turquoise cabochons and how Le Vian famously made Chocolate Diamonds the delicious treat they are...

In this episode, entitled 'Coco Chanel's Diamonds', I speak with Sarah Duncan, Head of Jewellery at Chiswick Auction House in London. We talk about the one and only collection of real diamond jewellery that Gabrielle Chanel herself created in 1932, in collaboration with the De Beers endorsed, Guild of Diamond Merchants.  For someone who had hitherto criticised the "ostentatious glitter of real jewellery" and designed only costume jewellery "because it was devoid of arrogance in an era of...

In this episode, entitled Plastic Fantastic after her latest collection, I speak with jewellery designer Tessa Packard. Tessa has innovatively upcycled lucite to create the fittings, in which are set beautiful gemstones that both clash and complement the bold coloured plastic shapes and forms. Plastic Fantastic is inspired by the glamour of the 1950s pool party. Tessa and I also discuss the use of plastic in costume jewellery since its invention in 1907. I can't wait for you to fall in love...

Today, jewellery historian and lecturer, Vanessa Cron talks about the spectacular sparkles of the Belle Epoque.  The Belle Epoque of Continental Europe, The Edwardian Era of England and The Gilded Age of America was a period of frivolity and excess - seen in enormously luxurious houses, parties and jewels. The Court of Versailles and Queen Marie Antoinette were sought as inspiration for the years 1890 to 1900s and ribbons, garlands and florals were interpreted in decadent white jewels - a...

Today on the day of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral - I am releasing a short podcast on his little known role as a jewellery designer of three significant pieces that he gave Her Majesty the Queen.  You can view images of the pieces on my instagram @josiegoodbody as well as the full transcript of the podcast on my website www.josiegoodbody.com  To view the Antrobus Collection, jewels inspired by the original designs by the Duke of Edinburgh at George Pragnell jewellers click...

In today's episode I speak with Emily Barber, Jewellery Director of Bonhams UK.  Tune in to hear of her meticulous journey to authenticate the extraordinarily beautiful Hope Spinel. Bonhams sold the jewel, set as a brooch surrounded by diamonds, in September 2015 for three diamonds its estimate at just under a million pounds/ £1m! It was last sold 98 years previously for £1,060 – the equivalent of £80,000 in today's money. The Hope Spinel was a sister stone to the Hope Diamond: both part of...

Just in time for Easter - I am talking with Sophie Law, a Bonhams Russian expert and Faberge Egg aficionado, oh yes - and fellow author. Tune in to learn everything about the most beautiful eggs in the world. Including the extraordinary story of a missing egg that was almost melted down, but instead proven to be Faberge - and sold for £20m! And one of the Queen's exquisite eggs which forever had been thought to be by Boucheron, but instead was a Tsar Imperial Faberge Egg. Why Tsar Alexander...

In this episode I speak with Diane-Sophie Lanselle, director of communications at Mellerio.  Mellerio is the oldest jeweller in the world which not only still exists, but remains in the same family as when it began almost five hundred years in the mid 1500s. In the early 1600s, Marie de Medici granted them the permission to sell their jewels in France and since that date, they have created jewels for every queen and empress, including of course Queen Marie Antoinette and Empress...

Ever since a new actress called Sharon Stone asked to borrow a choker and earrings for the world premiere of Basic Instinct in 1992, Martin Katz has "jewelled" many of the world's most famous actresses for the red carpet.  In fact between 1995 and 2000, it was Martin Katz who was dominating the red carpet with his vintage pieces, even bouncing off Harry Winston who had dressed the stars with diamonds for decades. Just after Sense & Sensibility, Kate Winslet wore an Edwardian diamond bib...

Tristan Atkins is a jewellery expert at SJ Phillips, one of the oldest family owned antique dealers in London, if not the world. Tristan and I chat about the firm's remarkable history, their buying of most of the Russian Crown Jewels at the famous sale in the 1920s and other spectacular jewels that they have sold over the years, including a collection of stick pins from one of the forgotten founders of The De Beers Group. www.sjphillips.com www.josiegoodbody.com

Welcome to The Jewellerian, the podcast about magnificent jewels and their stories; with me Josie Goodbody, jewellery historian and author of the Jemima Fox Jewellery mystery series, which have just been optioned for adaption to the screen. I have loved stories for almost as long as I can remember, in fact – just a little longer than I have loved jewels! And over the past two decades of working in the jewellery and gemstone world,  I have learned more and more insane stories partly in my...

How did the world's most valuable, and well-known, pearl go from being discovered in the 16th century off the coast of Panama, to ending up in the mouth of one of Elizabeth Taylor's Pekingese in Vegas, as well as raising money for AIDS and HIV?  Tune in to listen to me, Josie Goodbody, tell it's magical and very majestic story. To learn more about Elizabeth Taylor's AIDS Foundation, and donate, please click here. For photographs of La Peregrina on my Instagram please click here. Edited by Tom...