Historically, the deity in sculpted form was the focus of humans’ worship of the divine. No wonder then, that ancient cultures everywhere adorned their idols with the most precious of gems, for gemstones have always exerted a sort of mystical pull in the human psyche. And it is also no accident that jewelry has long cherished the principle of anonymous creation, with countless unknown jewelers toiling to best display the wonders of nature for the pleasure of gods and royalty.

We hope to reconnect you with the history of mankind's fascination with gemstones, as well as with past ideals of beauty and the craftsmanship that developed to express them. All of our pieces are chosen with an understanding of history and of good design and craftsmanship, and a firm belief that good design of any era is just as relevant today as it was in its own day. Its associations have only expanded and deepened. We also choose our pieces with a belief that the wear and imperfections of time are all part of the deeper meanings of antique and vintage pieces. Each slightly mismatched stone or artfully worn enamel tells a story and adds a layer of uniqueness that simply cannot be found in a new piece of jewelry. In these pieces, the past comes to life.

But the kind of pieces we love the most are the ones whose creators' awe at the natural beauty of gemstones clearly shines through even centuries later to mirror our own, the kind of pieces whose creators have tried to pay homage to natural beauty rather than make it conform to an unnatural ideal. To us these pieces are rare and timeless. They go straight to the core of our never-ending fascination with gemstones' mystical power. They tell us a story not of a brief moment in history, but of the eternal.

We hope that our shop can become a destination for lovers of stories from the past, as well as lovers of that which transcends time and place. We carefully select all of our pieces to try to bring you both in good measure, and we try to share a little bit of our knowledge and passion in every item description. Our knowledge of design history and period jewelry-making techniques ensures authenticity, as does our testing of all metals and gemstones. So all you have to do is choose the pieces that speak to you, and wear them or gift them with love!

The Idol’s Eye, New York City

*All shop images are copyrighted.