Hello August!

August is a month of vibrant culture, timeless beauty, and summer’s big highlight events. From the soaring symphonies of the BBC Proms to the joyful energy of Notting Hill Carnival, the season brims with colour and rhythm. With school holidays in full swing and long, sun-drenched days stretching ahead—even if it is abroad, it’s the perfect time to reflect, reconnect—and sparkle with friends and family. August’s birthstone, the pistachio-coloured peridot captures the spirit of the month. If the luminous lime shades of peridot are too citrusy for you but you love green try some mint-ice-cream coloured tourmalines this summer instead! Fresh green brilliance bursts with energy and looks great in both white and yellow gold and pairs with many colours for a truly tropical style.

🗓️ Important Dates for Your Diary

Do you need an insurance valuation for your jewellery or a renewal?

The next available appointment is Tuesday 2nd September. Be sure to book soon to secure your place. If you miss this date, the next available valuation appointments are:

• October: Tuesday 7th

• November: Tuesday 4th

• December: Tuesday 2nd

Please remember to bring: all original packaging, receipts, and certificates for an accurate valuation.

A New Timothy Roe Collection Revealed!

Unveiling our New Timothy Roe NOVA Collection — a radiant fusion of celestial brilliance, futuristic geometry, and the twinkling allure of starlit skies.
Minimalist and modern, romantic and luxurious: where stellar sparkle collides with avant-garde design resulting in cosmic elegance for impact.

“Timeless Craft, Revival Spirit.”

As we look ahead to the Goodwood Revival, where vintage motoring meets timeless style, we’re reminded of the shared artistry between classic engineering and fine jewellery making—precision, heritage, and an eye for enduring beauty. This August, take a peak at our Goodwood Revival inspired window displays and let us take you behind the scenes of our own “pit stop”: the atelier workbench. It’s here that each piece begins its journey—from raw metal and gemstones to wearable heirlooms—crafted by hand with tools as treasured as the stories they help shape. Step inside our workshop to witness the magic in motion: the tools and torches, the skilled craftsmen and the steady perfection of detail that defines every jewel we create.

“Inspired By The Past, Created For The Future”

Our Goldsmiths and Stone setters: 140 years combined.

Dimitrios: 27 years
Graeme: 32 years
Mike: 10 years
Sam: 2 years

Stone Setters:

Karl: 34 years
Recto: 35 years

Each piece of jewellery we make has been crafted by hands with 140 years of experience!

Craftsmanship in a Changing World

There’s a quiet, powerful joy in shaping raw materials with your own hands—blending tradition and skill to create something both beautiful and built to last. To take an idea, a quick sketch, or even a doodle on a napkin, and transform it into a high-end, three-dimensional piece of art is nothing short of magical. It’s a journey that demands time, patience, and deep dedication to the craft.

Yet, fewer people are choosing this path. In a world increasingly leaning toward convenience and automation, many are turning to CAD and AI to bypass the hands-on, time-honoured process. The desire to sit behind a screen rather than stand at a bench, to skip the years of training and avoid the grit of the workshop, is changing the face of our industry. Across the UK—and globally—traditional workshops are becoming rarer, small independent makers are closing their doors, and mass production by overseas manufacturers is taking hold.

That’s exactly why what we have here in Chichester is so special.

Our workshop is a living, breathing space of true craftsmanship. We’re proud of it, and we love welcoming visitors in to meet our goldsmiths—real people who dedicate their lives to this remarkable trade. We invite you to step inside, see the tools, smell the metal, hear the sounds of the bench, and feel the connection to your jewellery from the very hands that made it.

Our Goldsmiths: Masters of Microengineering and Creative Craft

At the heart of our workshop are our exceptional goldsmiths—highly skilled artisans whose talent, precision, and individuality shape every piece from the ground up. Their work goes far beyond craftsmanship; it’s an intricate blend of engineering, intuition, and artistry. Each goldsmith brings their own perspective and technique to the bench, resulting in creations as varied and unique as the individuals behind them.

The Core of Craft: Mastering the Tools

There are three fundamental skills every goldsmith must master: control of the jeweller’s torch, precise handling of bench tools such as files, burrs, and saws, and expert use of the modern laser welder. These tools form the backbone of the trade, and while every project must be completed using these core techniques, how each goldsmith chooses to execute them is entirely their own. There are no fixed methods or industry standards that limit creativity—each piece is a reflection of the maker’s relationship with their tools, materials, and accumulated experience. Machines just do not get the finesse and precision you achieve with hand tools so mastering these skills is vital.

A Creative Role with No Rulebook

This freedom means that no two goldsmiths work exactly alike. Whether it’s forming a component, assembling a complex design, or refining the smallest detail, each goldsmith develops a personal approach. Some may favour finesse with a file, while others may lean on the precision of the saw first or enjoy laser work.

Understanding the nuances of different metals and designs is part of the creative problem-solving they bring to each project. In this way, goldsmithing becomes a highly individual craft, where skill and artistry blend into a signature style.

The Bench: Engineered for the Artist

To support this individuality, even the bench itself is tailored to each goldsmith’s needs. The way it is cut out to allow free movement, the drawers and cubby holes for easy access tools and parts and then there is the famous bench peg. This is the core work surface, which begins as a standard block but slowly evolves into a unique form—shaped over time by the goldsmith’s habits and working methods. Some file at sharper angles, others develop grooves to rest specific tools on or to stabilise components during assembly. It’s not uncommon to flip the peg for a smooth working side or alternate between surfaces for different tasks. No two bench pegs are ever the same; each one becomes a fingerprint of its owner’s craftsmanship, a physical record of their technique and evolution as a maker. Machines just don’t have this personal character.

Precision at a Microscopic Level

Our goldsmiths work under 50x magnification microscopes, pushing their work into the realm of microengineering. This level of magnification requires immense control and patience but allows for an extraordinary degree of finesse. Under the lens, even the tiniest details are brought into sharp focus, ensuring the structural integrity and refinement of every component before it reaches the hands of a stone setter.

To our goldsmiths, their work is the chassis of a car—the essential foundation that holds everything together. It’s the silent strength behind the brilliance, precision-built to support the beauty and sparkle the setters will later bring to life. This synergy between structure and decoration, engineering and artistry, is what makes their work truly exceptional.

Come and experience the bespoke design process and commission your own jewellery project! We can’t wait to work with you!

Peridot: The birthstone for August

💚 Peridot: Fun Facts & Lore

1. Born of Fire and Light
Peridot, like diamonds, is one of the few gemstones that forms deep within the Earth’s mantle, brought to the surface by volcanic activity. Ancient Hawaiians believed peridot was the tears of Pele, the goddess of volcanoes.

2. A Gem from Outer Space
Despite being a 6.5-7 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, this delicate gem has been found in meteorites, specifically pallasites, making it one of the only gemstones that also occurs extraterrestrially. Tiny peridot crystals have even been discovered on the Moon and in comet dust.

3. Cleopatra’s Favourite?
Historians believe many of the “emeralds” Cleopatra adored may have actually been peridots from Egypt’s Zabargad Island—the oldest known peridot source, mined as early as 1500 BCE.

4. A Symbol of Protection
In ancient times, peridot was thought to ward off evil spirits and nightmares, especially when set in gold. Sailors wore it as a talisman for safe passage and peaceful sleep.

5. August’s Radiant Birthstone
Peridot’s vivid green—tinged with gold—is said to symbolise renewal, abundance, and clarity. It’s a perfect match for August’s energy: vibrant, warm, and full of life.

6. Always Green, Never Dyed
Unlike many gemstones, peridot’s colour is natural and part of its chemical composition. Iron gives it its famous green colour, ranging from a fresh lime green to a deep olive, depending on its iron saturation. It is rarely enhanced, making it an untreated stone. Some unique stones have what we call lily pad inclusions and collectors will seek these out.

7. Green Cactus in the Desert
Beautiful quality peridots are found in the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona, USA, as well as Pakistan, China, Myanmar (Burma) and Africa.

Keep reading to see our latest releases from the workshop and catch up on some gem and jewellery reading via our blog! Do you have any questions? Can we help in any way or do you want to see something particular featured in our newsletters? Get in touch and let us know! We love hearing from you!

Stay sparkling, and have great summer!

Your trusted jewellers

The Timothy Roe Team

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Latest Releases From The Workshop:

140 Years of Crafting Experience in Every Piece

Latest Must-Read Blog Articles:

For jewellery fans here is a round up of our latest blog posts we think you’d enjoy!