Excavation Kit · Est. 1795★★★★★ 150 reviews

Muddy hands, real science, adults glued to the lawn

£12.85£18.99 Save 32%

or 4 payments of £3.21 with Klarna

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

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Standard · 2-3 working days

Real crystals inside
No batteries
Ages 3 to 99
Arrives gift-wrapped
Ships 2-3 days
60-day guarantee
30-day returns
Klarna available

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

as seen in

Real talk

The gift that stops the scroll and starts the conversation

You're not buying a toy. You're buying the moment your guests forget their drinks and crowd round the lawn to watch someone unearth an actual crystal. The Gem Discovery Kit is hands-on archaeology, the kind that teaches geology without a screen in sight. Kids dig, excavate, and own the gems they find.

As a gift-giver, you become the person who knew. Not the one who guessed.

Joe Jaques, Jaques of London

What's in the box

What comes in your delivery

Everything needed to start digging the same day it arrives. Arrives in Jaques' signature ribbon-tied box, ready to gift.

Crystal Set Gem Discovery Kit unopened in branded packaging

In the box

Complete excavation kit

Plaster block embedded with real crystals, excavation tools, and collection guide. Everything is included. No hidden purchases, no add-ons needed.

✓ Real mineral crystals embedded in plaster
✓ Hand tools sized for small hands
✓ Collector's guide to identify each gem

Child's hands excavating crystals from plaster block using tools

Play style

Dig, tap, brush, discover

No instructions confusion. Kids start digging straight away. The method is tactile and instant, and the payoff comes within minutes, not hours.

✓ Hands-on from the moment you open it
✓ Each crystal reveals within 15 to 30 minutes
✓ Real archaeological technique, scaled for kids

Close-up of revealed crystals from the kit

The payoff

Gems to keep and display

The crystals they unearth are real and theirs to own. No plastic replicas. Kids build an actual collection and learn mineral names as they go.

✓ Real crystals, not imitation stones
✓ Each one identifiable and named
✓ A keepsake that outlasts the play

Order by 2pm, arrives Tuesday. Gift-wrapped and ready.

Was £18.99

Crystal Set - Gemstone Digging: £12.85

While they play

What they're quietly learning

Looks like play. Works like a lesson.

🔨

Precision and patience

Excavation requires care. Kids learn to work methodically, not rush. Fine motor control improves without feeling like practice.

🌍

How geology actually works

This isn't pretend. They're learning real mineral names, crystal formation, and why rocks matter. School becomes concrete instead of abstract.

🔍

Observation skills

Spotting the gem edges in plaster, brushing dust to reveal colour, comparing finds against the guide. Hands-on science beats any video.

💎

Ownership and collection

Building a collection teaches value, care, and pride in what you've made yourself. It's theirs in a way a gift never quite is.

What families say about Jaques of London

Why parents and grandparents choose this one

★★★★★

"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.

100+ million

Toys sold in 231 years

Jaques has been making games since 1795. The Gem Discovery Kit carries that heritage: proper materials, real learning, no shortcuts.

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23,000+

Orders this year alone

Word-of-mouth from gift-givers who became the person everyone remembers. This kit has earned its place in family Christmases and birthday circles.

→

60 days

Full guarantee on everything

If it doesn't spark the joy or answer the question, we'll replace or refund it. No arguments, no small print.

Why this matters right now

Ages 3 to 99 Who plays this Not just kids. Parents, grandparents, and garden-party guests discover they want a turn. It works for any age and any occasion.

15 to 30 minutes Time to first crystal Long enough to hold focus, short enough to see results. Kids don't get bored waiting for the payoff.

Zero screen time No batteries, no apps Pure archaeology. No glowing screens, no notifications, no guilt. Just hands, tools, plaster, and real geology.

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

How the Gem Discovery Kit stacks up

	Jaques Crystal Set - Gemstone Digging	Cheap Alternatives
Real crystals inside	✅	❌ Plastic imitations
Complete set, nothing extra to buy	✅	❌ Tools sold separately
No batteries or charging	✅	⚠️ Requires constant power or recharge
Fine motor and precision skills	✅	❌ Just button-pressing
Teaches real mineral names	✅	❌ Generic 'gems' with no science
Made by Britain's oldest games company	✅	⚠️ Mass-produced overseas
Arrives gift-wrapped, ready to give	✅	❌ Plain packaging, DIY wrapping

Jaques

✅ Real crystals
✅ Complete set
✅ No batteries
✅ Skill-building
✅ Real science
✅ Est. 1795
✅ Gift-ready

Cheap alternatives

❌ Plastic fakes
❌ Buy extras
❌ Power needed
❌ Button toys
❌ Generic only
❌ Mass factories
❌ Needs wrapping

Order by 2pm, arrives Tuesday. Gift-wrapped and ready.

Was £18.99

Crystal Set - Gemstone Digging: £12.85

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

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

Questions & answers

Questions before you order

Is this the right gift for a 6-year-old?

Yes. The Gem Discovery Kit is designed for ages 3 and up, and 6-year-olds find the excavation engaging and achievable. They can complete one block in 20 to 30 minutes and understand what they're uncovering. If you're buying for a younger sibling (under 3), check our other kits designed for that age. If you're buying for a teen, they often enjoy it as much for the science as for the collecting.

Will the plaster crumble and make a mess?

It's designed to excavate cleanly with the included tools. Dust happens, but it's minimal and contained. We recommend doing it outside or over a tray. Parents report it's far less messy than they expect, and the tools are sized to prevent over-aggressive digging.

Do the crystals come out easily or get stuck?

They're embedded firmly enough to require real excavation work, but not so deep that kids get frustrated. The challenge keeps them engaged. If a crystal does fracture (rare), you can still identify and keep it. Grandparents often tell us their grandchildren return to it weeks later to re-examine their collection.

Is this a one-off, or will they want more?

Most kids who complete one kit want another to build their collection. We design each one to teach something fresh and include different minerals. Worth knowing if you're planning ahead. Catherine McCulloch said it's the 'perfect gift for any age and occasion', and often the first kit leads to requests for its siblings.

How much does it cost?

The Crystal Set - Gemstone Digging is £12.85 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. Gift-wrapped and ready.

Was £18.99

Crystal Set - Gemstone Digging: £12.85

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.

When we created the Gem Discovery Kit, we asked ourselves what Jaques has always asked: what play teaches real skill, holds focus, and leaves a keepsake? Not every toy does all three. This one does. Real crystals, real excavation, real geology. We embed the minerals by hand in plaster blocks made to the same exacting standard as every Jaques game since 1795. The payoff is instant, the learning is deep, and the crystals your child unearths are theirs to keep forever. That's the Jaques difference.

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