Count down to Christmas Day with The Jewellery Cut this December, as we reveal a different jewel each day in our annual jewellery advent calendar. Hand selected by our editorial team, these are the jewels we would love to discover underneath the tree this festive season.

Join in the fun on Instagram, swiping open the calendar doors each day to see what lies behind, and do tag your loved ones for some not-so-subtle hint dropping. Or hit play to open the doors below.

It’s a joyous month of jewellery discovery that will leave you filled to the brim with Christmas jewellery gift ideas. So keep checking back here each day for a new bejewelled surprise.

The Jewellery Cut advent calendar 2020

A shade lighter than the poinsettias currently filling homes across the country, these Rose Sapphire Poppy earrings by Anabela Chan are a beautiful bloom to kick off our jewellery advent calendar. Crafted in recycled rose-tinted aluminium, the petals of these flowers have been decorated with pavé-set laboratory-grown rubies. At the centre of the large statement earrings are two laboratory-grown Kashmir-blue sapphires. Jewellery designer Anabela Chan describes these earrings as her “favourite Zoom earrings of all time”, and it’s hard to disagree with her. And a brilliant tale to tell while wearing them on Zoom is that that aluminium used to craft these red carpet-ready earrings – a material that ensures they are nice and light to wear – was melted down from recycled drinks cans.

Anabela Chan aluminium, gold, gold vermeil, lab-grown ruby and lab-grown sapphire Rose Sapphire Poppy earrings, £1,590  Shop at Anabela Chan

Personal talismans have been a huge trend in jewellery in 2020, and these Zodiac rings by London jewellery brand MXBX cleverly harness the protective powers of your star sign in a series of striking designs. This particular ring, with its blend of smooth curves and sharp edges, is for those born under the Aries sign. “The beauty of the angular nature of this collection, alludes to a celestial characteristic in each piece,” says MXBX co-founder and designer Bex Condon. “Stars are often drawn with points and triangles, and as the highly polished metal on these rings catch the light when worn, they almost twinkle like a star.” Each ring is made to order, using recycled and Fairtrade precious metals. “It is very important to us for our customers to receive luxury jewellery that is not only accessible financially, but also ethical in its production,” says Bex. While this version of the MXBX Zodiac ring is handcrafted in silver and plated with yellow gold, you also have the choice of a plain silver ring or rose gold plating…. that, and 11 other star sign designs to choose from.

MXBX gold-plated silver Aries Zodiac ring, £95, Shop at The Jewellery Cut Shop

Solo earrings are the jewel of choice for bold women. Those unafraid to deftly swipe away the heckles about losing an earring. Those who relish a sense of individuality. Though sold as a pair, these Mariana earrings by VMAR, with one enormous hoop and a complementary stud, have a brilliant imbalance that is sartorially combative – in the best way. VMAR creative director Maral Melhem is known for collaborating with visionaries from outside the jewellery world, and these earrings were designed in collaboration with PR maven Mariana Wehbe. Crafted in purple titanium, the earrings are light despite their size. The hoop is edged with diamonds, and jutting out unapologetically from its centre is stonking kite-shaped emerald.

VMAR titanium, diamond and emerald Mariana earrings, $6,750, Vmar

There is something that feels almost celestial about matte white gold – an otherworldly texture in a universe of high polish. Add to this two very special diamonds, and you have yourself a distinctive ring. This particular matte gold open ring, with its two elegantly tapered marquise-cut diamonds, was one of the founding designs of Reframed Jewelry. “I loved marquise diamonds and wanted to design a ring that would look different to any other I have seen before,” says Kinda Baasiri-Mouawad, the designer behind Reframed Jewellery, who dreamt up this design back when the brand first started out in Los Angeles. Now based in London, Reframed Jewelry is the go-to jeweller for a serious diamond stack with a rock ‘n’ roll edge, and this ring – with its diamonds that seem to float between the fingers – is a perfect way to start it off.

Reframed Jewelry open gold ring with marquise-cut diamonds, £5,000, The Jewellery Cut Shop

The soft, dusky hues of morganite have made it one of the most sought-after coloured gemstones of the past few years, and this cocktail ring by Charlotte Cornelius shows it off to brilliant effect. Cupped in warming rose gold, the gem sits at the heart of a striking design that shoots intertwining bands of platinum across the finger. “I wanted to create a statement ring that is bold, elegant, yet comfortable enough to wear every day,” says British jewellery designer Charlotte Cornelius. “The clean lines of the trilogy of platinum bands frame this exquisite stone.” Pavé-set white diamonds dotted along the central platinum bands add some extra sparkle. Best of all, this ring has been crafted ethically, made by hand in the Charlotte Cornelius workshop in Southsea. “You will fall in love with this dazzling peachy morganite, handpicked from our trusted and ethical family of gemstone cutters,” promises Charlotte.

Charlotte Cornelius platinum, 18ct rose gold, diamond and morganite ring, £4,250, The Jewellery Cut Shop

The past year has left us looking for any sign of a rainbow, and this longing for hope and vibrancy and light has been carried through into jewellery in our desire for bold colours. A well-chosen gemstone is not the only way to bring the rainbow to jewellery, as these vibrant earrings by Andy Lif show. The translucent cobalt blue panels in the 18ct yellow gold and diamond earrings are achieved by mastering a style of enamelling called plique-á-jour. Translate the French name of this enamel style and you’ll find it loosely refers to letting in daylight – a perfect sentiment both for this beautiful style of jewellery artistry, and for us all as we move into 2021 in the hope that we can put a turbulent year behind us.

Andy Lif 18ct gold, diamond and plique-á-jour enamel Cobra hoop earrings, $6,300, Andy Lif

This year in jewellery has been defined by the Zoom earring, and styles than dangle have become a jewellery-box must have. These Happenstance Chain Studs by Alison Macleod are the perfect example of earrings guaranteed to get you noticed on screen and beyond. Crafted by hand in Fairtrade gold in Alison’s Scottish studio, the earrings have a long double chain that loops down from the studs. The studs themselves have a special story to tell, with a cluster of round blue diamonds, oval-cut rubies and pear-shaped tourmalines. “I designed these earrings to bring together gems I have collected over many years,” says Alison. “I love to combine rich jewel tones with lustrous Fairtrade Gold. These are great Zoom party earrings, with the chains dancing as you move.”

Alison Macleod 18ct Fairtrade gold, ruby, tourmaline and blue diamond Catkin Happenstance chain earrings, £2,300, The Jewellery Cut Shop

Charms have made a comeback this year, but if you are digging out your Pandora bracelet while reading this – stop. 2020’s charm is different. To tap into the new style, try hanging charms from earrings or necklaces, or if you do opt for the classic charm bracelet, go for something with a twist, like this Love Always Identity gold and diamond bracelet by Robinson Pelham. Though not your traditional charms, these reversible ID plates allow you to customise your jewel to your mood that day. Are you feeling Love? Is it Always? Either way, spell it out in diamonds. You could always get additional plates made, and those chunky gold links are begging to be adorned with a charm or three, should the pull of that classic charm bracelet look become irresistible.

Robinson Pelham 18ct gold and diamond Love Always Identity bracelet, £11,030, Robinson Pelham

Love is all you need. The Beatles made it an unforgettable phrase in 1967, and it still rings true more than half a century later; even more so after the year we’ve all endured. What better way to show your love this Christmas – for a lover, sibling, friend, self – than with that classic, saccharine and entirely anatomically incorrect symbol… the heart. Heart jewellery has made a storming comeback in 2020, and we love the subtle play on that trend in this 9ct yellow gold and diamond One Love ring by Origin 31. Intricately crafted hands form the secret code for love that has been subversively flashed across playgrounds and offices for generations, and on the finger it looks super stylish. We’re in love.

Origin 31 9ct gold and diamond One Love ring, Origin 31, £450, The Jewellery Cut Shop

Do you crave something a little extra in your jewellery? Coin necklaces have been a popular jewellery trend in 2020, but this design from Dubini takes it that bit father. This 18ct yellow gold choker necklace, with an emerald disc, has at its centre a coin – not a carved piece of gold that looks like a coin, but an actual antique Venetian ducat. The ducat dates back to the late 14^th century and depicts Christ the redeemer. “I’ve been working with numismatic dealers in London and internationally [to source antique coins],” says Dubini founder Benedetta Dubini. “I take these ancient pieces and set them inside of my work. I love to use these past elements, miniature artworks, and emphasise or use their attributes to offset them with something modern and timeless.” This is collectible jewellery at its peak, for historians and magpies alike.

Dubini 18ct gold, emerald and Venetian ducat (circa 1382 to 1400) choker, £6,100, Dubini

Did you know that tourmaline can be found in a rainbow of hues? This particular tourmaline, set in a necklace by Libby Rak, is a beautiful dark green. Cupped in an 18ct gold bezel setting – handcrafted by Libby herself in her workshop in Oxford, this gem has an appeal that feels both modern. and timeless at once. Rather than set this standout gem on a simple gold chain, Libby has created a luxurious necklace of faceted dark-green tourmaline beads, interspersed with 18ct yellow gold spacers. Laying directly on the skin, you’ll not only feel the smooth tactility of the gems but you should – if gemstone folklore is to be believed – better benefit from tourmaline’s healing properties, which include banishing fear and increasing happiness and self-confidence.

Libby Rak 18ct gold and green tourmaline necklace, £1,820, The Jewellery Cut Shop

Pink! Hearts! Diamonds! Could this be perfect necklace? Designed and handmade in New York City, this Prive Pink Sapphire Heart pendant by Jemma Wynne has a lot going for it. Firstly, there’s that show-stealing 1.75ct oval-shaped pink sapphire. Set at the centre of an 18ct gold heart, it is surrounded by 1.75cts of diamonds in rhodium-blackened settings, giving it an almost Victorian appeal. With a simple gold loop at its apex, you can attach the pendant to any necklace of your choice (or a bracelet). We’d recommend a nice chunky gold chain like the one it’s been paired with here. Each pink sapphire and diamond heart pendant is made to order.

Jemma Wynne 18ct gold, pink sapphire and diamond Prive Pink Sapphire Heart pendant, $12,600, Jemma Wynne

One of the most lusted-after pairs of earrings from our last The Jewellery Cut Live in February, the Daphne earrings by Deborah Blyth are everything you need from jewellery in 2020. Crafted in silver, and plated with a generous lashing of 24ct gold, these statement earrings are perfect for Zoom calls or helping to summon your inner goddess. The earrings are, in fact, from Deborah’s Goddess collection and take their name from Daphne, a nymph associated with fresh water, fountains, springs and streams. These gloriously large, textured earrings have one edge that curls inwards, like a breaking wave. Despite the boldness of design, the Daphne earrings are very comfortable and light to wear. Speaking to the type of modern goddess she would like to see wear these earrings, Deborah says: “She is an inspirational woman, possessing huge strength and a magnetic quality that draws others to her. She is kind and not judgemental, is courageous, and a role model for all women. She strives to make positive change in the world. She could be the woman sitting next to you.” And if she happens to be wearing these earrings, you’ll know for sure.

Deborah Blyth gold vermeil Daphne earrings, £225, The Jewellery Cut Shop

Don’t you just love a good jewellery collab? This ring emerged from a collaboration between London-based jewellery designer Liv Luttrell and peridot miner Fuli Gemstones earlier this year. The 3.94ct grass-green Fuli Gemstones peridot has been set at the centre of Liv’s Spear Tip ring design in 18ct yellow gold. The design’s highly polished deep grooves create an almost reflective bowl beneath the gem that bounces back light. “I love working with unusual gemstones and it was an amazing opportunity to work with a peridot of this size and quality,” says Liv. “The stone really lends itself to my signature Spear Tip ring and the collaboration with Fuli was an incredibly dynamic process, which encouraged me to engage with the design in a new way.” We would say this was an excellent meeting of minds, skills and gems, and we look forward to seeing more from both Liv Lutrell and Fuli Gemstones in 2021.

Liv Luttrell 18ct yellow gold Spear Tip ring set with a 3.94ct Fuli Gemstones peridot, £6,700, Liv Luttrell

Sometimes a piece of jewellery is more than adornment, it is art. That is most definitely the case with this Last Supper necklace by Ruby Taglight. Inspired by the biblical scene of the same name, the pendant shows tiny hand-carved figures scrabbling towards a table – or, in the case of this supper, an enormous oval-shaped pink cubic zirconia. Each of the individual figures were created using the skill of lost-wax carving before being cast in silver and plated with 18ct gold. “I enjoy combining precious metals with synthetic stones, kitsch colours and figurines to explore the beauty of humanity’s multifaceted experience in this world,” says Ruby. Whether on display as an ornament or worn round your neck with its chunky link chain, this is art jewellery at its conceptual zenith.

Ruby Taglight gold vermeil and pink cubic zirconia Last Supper necklace, £800, The Jewellery Cut Shop

If you’re the type who likes to make a fresh start at the new year, might we suggest investing in some lapis lazuli? Not only is this gemstone said to protect its wearer from undesirable influences, it is also claimed that it purifies negative energies from the body and aligns it with healthier vibrations. Also, it’s just pretty – that royal blue hue with its golden flecks of pyrite have made it a sought-after gem throughout the centuries. Combining history and lapis lazuli is this vintage 18ct gold and diamond pendant from 1975 – part of Baroque Rocks’ hoard of vintage gold jewellery treasures. Emma de Sybel, the magpie behind Baroque Rocks, describes the pendant as “smouldering”, while pointing out that with its pretty gold bow and cluster of diamonds, the rectangular cut of lapis lazuli looks just like a gift ripe for the giving. And for those really into cosmic energies, this necklace – like all Baroque Rocks vintage jewellery – has been soundcleansed to clear it from any past traumas.

Baroque Rocks vintage gold, lapis lazuli and diamond Dazzling pendant, £795, The Jewellery Cut Shop

You might be wondering, as you gaze into the azure depths of these Emily P. Wheeler earrings, what exactly those striking gemstones are. Opal? Abalone? Turquoise? All incorrect. What you are actually fawning over are two triangular cuts of shattuckite. This mineral, first discovered in the copper mines of Arizona in 1915, is a gorgeous hue of blue and if you are into your crystal healing, you’ll know that it promotes intuition and psychic abilities, allowing you to access your higher truth. In these Hourglass earrings, Emily – who is known for her love of colour – has set them in 18ct gold with blue enamel detailing and 3cts of trillion-cut peridot. “Colour is one of my main inspirations,” says Emily, who believes that this year colourful jewellery is in demand as a mood booster. “When designing a collection, I always create a colour palette once I have an idea of the direction I’m going. That palette can be pulled from a variety of places including an era, a place, a thing or a memory. To me, colour has a similar nostalgia to scent or music.”

Emily P. Wheeler 18ct gold, enamel, peridot and shattuckite Hourglass earrings, $8,600, Emily P. Wheeler

The clever jewel has to be one of the most innovative that we’ve had the pleasure of playing with in recent years. Inspired by a family collection of kaleidoscopes, the mother-and-daughter team behind fine jewellery brand Drutis set out to create a precious version of their favourite plaything. Lift the 18ct gold Drutis Kaleidoscope to your eye and give it a twist and you’ll discover a working kaleidoscope within it. Rather than coloured glass, the patterns that will shift and change before your very eyes are actually created with tumbling pearls, Swiss topaz, tanzanite, emerald and apatite. “Every one of our designs is a little or a lot more than what meets the eye initially; be it a design feature, an engineering or practical solution or a kinetic feature, or a hidden meaning – there is always more,” says designer Dana Drutis. This particular Sea Dreams yellow gold Kaleidoscope pendant has been decorated with seaside-inspired engravings and studded at each end with very light-coloured pave-set aquamarine.

Drutis Jewellery 18ct gold and aquamarine Sea Dreams Kaleidoscope pendant, £4,670, The Jewellery Cut Shop

Diamonds can come in all shapes and sizes, as this playful Buddha charm from Jade Trau shows. The easiest way to create this design would have been to form the buddha shape in gold and fill it with small round diamond pavé. Instead, Jade tested the skill of her diamond cutters by opting for a bespoke 0.39ct diamond cut in the shape of a buddha, and the result is breathtaking. Alternative diamond cuts have been a popular trend in 2020, from traditional cuts in unusual settings, such as the increasingly popular east-west engagement rings with diamonds set lengthways, to quirkier bespoke cuts like this charm. So how to wear this alternative diamond charm? For those who hold true to traditional Buddhist values, images of Buddha should be placed in the highest possible place, therefore we’d suggest fixing this beautiful Buddha charm on a necklace rather than a bracelet.

Jade Trau 18ct rose gold and bespoke-cut diamond Buddha charm, $4,950, Jade Trau

Celestial jewellery has continued to be a huge trend in 2020, and this necklace by Kassandra Lauren Gordon takes us further out to space than mere stars. For this design Kassandra has taken inspiration from Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. The Jupiter necklace has been crafted in recycled silver, and then plated with lashings of yellow gold. Across the pendant, you’ll see striations inspired by the stripes we can see on the planet, caused by differences in the chemical composition and temperature of its atmospheric gas. In Roman mythology, Jupiter was also the name of the king of all gods and master of the universe, so if you’re planning on making some major moves in 2021, this would be an excellent talisman to accompany you on your journey. Just make sure to occasionally touch the pink sapphire set in the pendant as a reminder to keep yourself grounded as you grow.

Kassandra Lauren Gordon gold vermeil and pink sapphire Jupiter Grande necklace, £399, The Jewellery Cut Shop

British jewellery designer Jaqueline Cullen is taking us to the stratosphere with this wonderfully textured Stardust Sphere ring. The 18ct yellow gold ring has been given a matte finish that Jacqueline evocatively describes as “frosted gold”. The sphere that domes this ring has a fissure crackling through its centre to remind us of the raw majesty and power of the cosmos, and its beauty is the very definition of perfectly imperfect. The shape of the fissure was cloned from carved Whitby jet, a black British gemstone that Jacqueline often works with, pioneering its use in contemporary fine jewellery. Pushed into the yellow frosted gold are tiny round brilliant flush-set diamonds, which radiate a twinkle reminiscent of the night’s sky. To put it mildly, we’re starstruck.

Jacqueline Cullen 18ct yellow gold and diamond Stardust Sphere ring, £1,375, Jacqueline Cullen   

The One-of-a-Stone collection by Alexia Gryllaki is a celebration on the cornucopia of colours found in natural gemstones. Each of the one-of-a-kind designs takes inspiration from abstract art, and Alexia describes each jewel as being akin to a mini painting, “where gold is the canvas and gemstones are the paint”. “Inspiration came from the marvellous colours, shapes and characteristics of gemstones, and the intended simplicity of the designs emphasises these features,” she continues. “While colour is the prominent ingredient of the collection, other gemmological concepts, such as transparency and gemstone cuts, are incorporated in the designs to create a stimulating diversity of hues, tones, textures and volumes.” These 18ct white gold earrings from the collection are set with bold cabochon cuts of amazonite, chrysoprase and turquoise, with baguette-cut diamonds for a flash of sparkle.

Alexia Gryllaki 18ct white gold, amazonite, chrysoprase, turquoiseand diamond One-of-a-Stone earrings, £1,810, Alexia Gryllaki

If trend forecasters are to be believed, one of the key colour trends for 2021 is shades that are hard to pin down; colours we can’t quite name. That description could easily be applied to this 1.55ct teal sapphire, set into an 18ct yellow gold engagement ring by Michelle Oh. Stare into its table and it seems to offer a shapeshifting colour experience that throws out greens and blues and yellows. Michelle describes the one-of-a-kind Danja ring as “a modernist engagement ring”, with contemporary twists offered by the bespoke hexagon cut of the teal sapphire, the chunky spear-tipped claws that hold it, and the unusual kite-shaped diamonds that flank it to create a trilogy. If you’re a bride seeking colour and style and a hypnotic gem to lose yourself in, you might have just met the one.

Michelle Oh 18ct gold, teal sapphire and diamond Danja ring, £6,500

For our final instalment in this year’s jewellery advent calendar, we had to bring you a pure blast of jewellery magic, so come and chase the rainbow with us as we crush on these Pavona Crescent earrings by Sorellina. Decadent swathes of 18ct yellow gold have been decorated with carved black onyx and edges with a perfect blend of vibrant rainbow sapphires that runs the gamut from green to blue to purple to pink to orange to yellow. As if this wasn’t enough drama going on, please direct your eyes to the outer edge of these statement earrings and you’ll find on each 15 perfectly round white pearls in an undulating size formation. As Kim and Nicole Carosella, the sisters behind Sorellina suggest on their own Instagram page, grab life by the (pearl) balls and serve these fierce earrings with a side of tequila. Cheers to that! And merry Christmas all.

Sorellina 18ct gold, black onyx, rainbow sapphires and pearl Pavona Crescent earrings, $7,000, Sorellina

All prices were correct on the date of publishing, but may be subject to change