Modern heirlooms
We love gemstones and jewellery. We believe spectacular pieces have a role in our everyday lives; inspiring energy and fire, love, adventure and escape.
Ancient and W is all about bringing hidden treasures to the light of day. We truffle out antique and vintage pieces, giving them a little makeover or create modern heirlooms from ethically sourced gems and gold.
Ancient Weirdos
We are not especially old nor particularly peculiar, but we’ve known each a very long time. Our friendship was cemented when we both lost husbands within 12 months of each other. Our daughters were each aged 6 at the time of their respective father’s deaths. We holidayed with our girls and they coined the expression “Ancient and Weird” to describe their beloved mothers. We feel that Ancient and Weird is something to be rather proud of and something we aspire to be, but we’d rather allow others to interpret the W however they wish. Maybe wonderful, maybe wishful, always wild.
What we believe
We believe jewellery should be worn and make you smile. Mesmerising, eye-catching gems up the ante and bring a fizz to any outfit and attitude.
Our aim is to bring a fresh perspective to a typically traditional, conservative and conventional space by sourcing unique one off pieces of fine diamond, precious and semi-precious gem jewellery for discerning, fashion disruptive, impulsive, self-rewarding wearers. We have a keen eye for interesting and beautiful worn artefacts, which hold history as well as aesthetic allure.
Ancient and W sources both distinctive fame driving, hero pieces as well as offering more permanent collections. The majority of our pieces are created using recycled materials, and our beautiful leather boxes are handmade by artisans in India.
Why the Beetle?
Scarab beetles are ancient and weird, brightly coloured and beautiful, with saturated peacock blues, emerald greens and rich, iridescent golds.
Ancient Egyptians placed them on the hearts of the dead, believing the heart carried the love and soul of a being to the afterlife. They are amulets and lucky charms and quite appropriate for two beautiful, colourful, irreverent optimists.
Handmade leather heirloom boxes
Our beautiful leather boxes are handmade by artisans in Bangladesh, using traditional blockwork and hand dyeing. Our packaging partner company was originally started by three women working with a well-established NGO to help female artisans earn a living, using their traditional skills to support and educate their families. Every process in our jewellery box production is done by hand despite best efforts to modernise the process.
Each piece is unique and each lid and base made only for each other (a perfect match). Box fresh they are stunning, but like men and fine wine, we think they get even better with age.