Hands-On Science · Est. 1795★★★★★ 150 reviews

The crystal set that turns muddy hands into real science

£13.99£18.99 Save 26%

or 4 payments of £3.49 with Klarna

🛡️ 30-day full refund, no questions. Fewer than 30 returns from 23,000+ orders.

Express · order today for next-day delivery

Standard · 2-3 working days

No batteries needed
Ages 3 to 7
Real crystals inside
Hands-on excavation
Ships in 2-3 days
Ribbon-wrapped gift-ready
30-day returns
Klarna available

Delivery in 2-3 working days · 30-day returns · Est. 1795

as seen in

Real talk

The moment she stops asking for the iPad

This isn't a screen replacement. It's what happens when a 4yo gets to dig up actual crystals from soil, hold them in her hands, and build a real collection. No app, no Wi-Fi, no timer. Just focus.

You get 20 minutes of unguarded play. She gets the quiet confidence of a young explorer who found something herself.

Joe Jaques, Jaques of London

What's in the box

Everything to start excavating. No extras to buy, no assembly, no hidden parts.

Gem Discovery Kit box and contents laid out

In the box

The excavation block

A single block of soil and plaster with real crystals sealed inside. The whole kit fits on a kitchen table. Kids use the digging tools to carefully excavate each gem without damaging it.

✓ Real crystals buried inside
✓ Includes 3 plastic digging tools
✓ No mess outside the block

Child's hands excavating crystals from the digging block

Play style

How it plays

She works slowly, using the tools to chip away the plaster and release each gemstone. It's archaeology meets geology. No speed, no competition, no screens. Just concentration and discovery.

✓ 20 to 40 minutes of play
✓ Solo or side-by-side
✓ Teaches precision and patience

Collection of polished crystals and gemstones uncovered from the kit

Play style

What she finds

Real, polished crystals and gemstones. Not plastic, not painted. She'll want to keep them, sort them, and start a collection. That's the point.

✓ 8 to 12 different gemstone types
✓ Real minerals, polished smooth
✓ Storage pouch included

Order by 2pm, arrives Tuesday

Was £18.99

Crystal Set - Gemstone Digging: £13.99

While they play

What she quietly learns while digging

Looks like play. Works like a lesson.

🔍

Precision and patience

Digging too fast breaks the gems. She learns to slow down, feel the tool, work deliberately. That focus carries to other things.

🪨

Geology and natural science

Each crystal has a name, a mineral family, a story. She's doing real archaeology, not pretend play. The curiosity is genuine.

🧠

Problem-solving in real time

Which tool works best? How do I angle it? Should I spray with water? She's solving problems with her hands, not watching someone else solve them.

💪

Confidence and ownership

She found these. She didn't buy them, didn't unlock them, didn't level up. She earned them. That matters at this age.

What families say about Jaques of London

Parents and grandparents say it best

★★★★★

"Excellent quality wood toys, so well made, no sharp edges, all lovely & smooth, very colourful & plenty of choice. Very reasonably priced & so beautifully wrapped you don't want to open them. Highly recommend this company."

Lynda Evans✓ Google review

★★★★★

"Fast delivery, excellent products, extremely good quality and long lasting. My granddaughter loves the toys from here. Good age ranges covered."

Danella Jones✓ Google review

★★★★★

"These toys tick all the boxes, educational, colourful, fun, well made and great service. I just keep buying more and more."

Irene Johnstone✓ Google review

★★★★★

"We love our toys from Jaques of London. The quality is excellent and they're the perfect size for little hands to hold and play with easily. Beautifully made, sturdy wooden toys that will last for years. Highly recommend!"

Tegan✓ Google review

★★★★★

"Harrods grade gifting for a very reasonable price. Not the usual tat from China. Had several hand picked orders fron Jaques, nice to know its a UK business with old school quality."

John A✓ Google review

★★★★★

"I am a real fan of this company. If only I had come across them years ago when my boys were little. It's my go to for beautiful, good quality toys for my granddaughter now and any gift I need to buy. They arrived quickly, prices are reasonable and the special touch is they are beautifully packaged too. I love the heritage of this business!"

Sarah Lardner✓ Google review

★★★★★ 4.8/5 rated by families across Google and Trustpilot: real reviews, quoted word for word

Get ready for life

Why real play matters

Real brain growth comes from real play.

23,000+

Families have ordered

Across Jaques, parents and gift-givers trust us because we've been making hands-on play for 231 years. No shortcuts, no trends.

→

20 mins

Of genuine focus time

One parent told us her 4yo didn't ask for the iPad once. Not because she was bribed. Because she was too busy discovering.

→

Real gemstones to collect

Polished, named, holdable. Each one sparks a question. That's how curiosity starts, and why screen time feels small after this.

Why this matters right now

Est. 1795 Britain's oldest games company We've watched how children actually play for 231 years. We don't follow trends. We set them.

60-day Warranty on every set If the block doesn't deliver what we promised, or a crystal doesn't survive play, we replace it. No questions.

0 Batteries, screens, or apps This works because your child's attention does. Nothing between her hands and the discovery.

230 yrs of making things worth keeping Jaques of London has been crafting games and toys since 1795. This one is built to be handed down, not thrown out.

We really are different

Why this kit beats the supermarket version

	Jaques Crystal Set - Gemstone Digging	Cheap Alternatives
Real crystals inside	✅	❌ Plastic fakes
Proper digging tools (not toothpicks)	✅	⚠️ Flimsy or missing tools
Keeps her off screens for 20+ mins	✅	❌ Toys kids abandon fast
Teaches geology, not just play	✅	⚠️ Just sensory, no learning
Heirloom packaging, gift-ready	✅	❌ Plastic clamshell
60-day returns if it disappoints	✅	⚠️ Final sale, buyer beware
Made to last years of play	✅	❌ Breaks or bores in weeks

Jaques

✅ Real gemstones
✅ Proper tools
✅ Real focus time
✅ Teaches geology
✅ Gift wrapped
✅ 60-day returns
✅ Plays for years

Cheap alternatives

❌ Plastic fakes
⚠️ Cheap tools
❌ Abandoned fast
⚠️ Just sensory
❌ Plastic box
⚠️ Final sale
❌ Breaks quick

Order by 2pm, arrives Tuesday

Was £18.99

Crystal Set - Gemstone Digging: £13.99

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Not right? Return it within 30 days. Full refund, no questions.

Questions & answers

Questions parents ask before ordering

Is this the right gift for a 4yo? Or should I get something else?

If your child is 3 to 7 and you want 20+ minutes of genuine, screen-free focus, this is the one. No assembly, no Wi-Fi, no frustration. Buying for a 6th birthday or a gift where you don't live with the child? This is the safe choice, Catherine McCulloch said it's a perfect gift for any child's birthday. Grandparents over-index on this kit because it works.

Will she actually dig for 20 minutes, or get bored fast?

Kids slow down when they realise each crystal is real and they earned it. The pace is built in, not forced. It's not a race. Most parents tell us their child plays for 20 to 40 minutes without asking for the iPad once. If she doesn't love it, 30-day returns.

Is it messy? Sticky? Will I find plaster dust everywhere?

The block is self-contained. All the excavation happens in one place. Keep it on a kitchen table or a tray outdoors if you're cautious. Kids can even spray with water to soften the plaster, which keeps dust down. No batteries spilling, no plastic pieces scattered. Clean-up is two minutes.

When can she have it? I'm a birthday panic buyer.

Order by 2pm and it arrives Tuesday. Ships in 2-3 business days as standard. It arrives in our signature ribbon-tied packaging, ready to give. Leigh Hemmings told us it arrived next day and saved Christmas. If you're cutting it close, order today and confirm your delivery date at checkout.

How much does it cost?

The Crystal Set - Gemstone Digging is £13.99 today (down from £18.99). Klarna is available at checkout if you prefer to spread the cost.

What's your returns policy?

30 days, full refund, no conditions. Return it for any reason and we refund in full. We've been standing behind what we make since 1795.

Order by 2pm, arrives Tuesday

Was £18.99

Crystal Set - Gemstone Digging: £13.99

Our story

Making toys worth keeping since 1795.

Jaques of London was founded in 1795. We invented croquet, table tennis, and the Staunton chess set. For 230 years, we've been making things that pull children away from passive entertainment and into active, curious, hands-on play.

Jaques has been making hands-on play since 1795. We watch how children focus best: with real materials, real discovery, and no screens in the way. This gem kit is built the same way we build everything,solid, safe, and designed to last years of play. We use real crystals because plastic fakes teach nothing. We include proper digging tools because toothpicks miss the point. And we guarantee it for 60 days because we know what we're making.

Toys and games that leave something behind: a skill, a memory, a piece of play that gets passed on.
Joe, Jaques of London

Ready when you are