Hands-on exploration · Est. 1795★★★★★ 150 reviews

Muddy hands, real science, one kit for years

£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.

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Standard · 2-3 working days

Real crystals inside
No batteries needed
Ages 3 to 7
Hands-on learning
Played for years
Gift-wrapped ready
30-day returns
Klarna available

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

as seen in

Real talk

The digging set that doesn't end up in the charity bin

A Buy-It-For-Life parent knows the difference between a toy and a thing your child actually does. The Gem Dig Kit is the latter. Kids dig, discover, keep the crystals. Years later, a younger sibling digs the same block again and finds new ones. It's the kind of thing you find in the back of the cupboard in 2035 and think: that was money well spent.

You buy it once. They play it for a decade, hand it down, and you never buy this category again.

Joe Jaques, Jaques of London

What's in the box

What arrives

The Gem Dig Kit comes in ribbon-tied Jaques packaging, ready to give. Everything needed is inside the box.

Gem Dig Kit excavation block with digging tools

In the box

Excavation block with crystals

A solid block packed with real crystals. Kids use the included tools to carefully dig around and release each gem. The block is sized for small hands and designed to stay together through years of digging.

✓ Real crystals embedded throughout
✓ Stays intact during play
✓ Works for multiple diggers over time

In the box

Tools and collection guide

Comes with a small chisel and brush sized for 3-year-old hands. A visual guide helps kids identify what they've found and store their collection.

✓ Child-safe metal and wood tools
✓ Brush for cleaning finds
✓ Identification reference card

In the box

Signature Jaques wrapping

Arrives gift-ready in Jaques' ribbon-tied box. No separate wrapping needed. Parents and grandparents say the packaging alone makes it feel like you've given something that matters.

✓ Ready to give, no rewrapping
✓ Protects the kit during delivery
✓ Looks like a real present

Order by 2pm, arrive by end of week

Was £18.99

Crystal Set - Gemstone Digging: £13.99

While they play

What it quietly teaches

Looks like play. Works like a lesson.

🔬

Geology basics

Kids learn where crystals come from, how different minerals look and feel, and why digging carefully matters. Real science, hands in the dirt.

✋

Precision and patience

Using small tools to excavate without breaking the gems teaches fine motor control and the reward of taking your time.

🎯

Focus without screens

20 to 40 minutes of absorbed, goal-driven play. No batteries, no app, no time-limit anxiety.

🏛️

Collecting and cataloguing

Building a personal mineral collection gives kids ownership and pride. They learn to organise, sort, and remember what they've found.

What families say about Jaques of London

Why parents and grandparents keep buying this for every age group

★★★★★

"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.

Ages 3-7

Fits every birthday

Works for a 3-year-old with help and a 7-year-old solo. One kit serves years of different play. Gift for a 6th birthday? This is the one.

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231 years

Built to outlast trends

Jaques has been making toys that survive childhoods since 1795. This kit is made the same way: solid materials, hand-finished, designed to pass down.

→

52%

Bought as gifts, treasured as keepsakes

Over half our orders are grandparents, aunts, and parents buying for children who don't live with them. They choose this because it lasts.

Why this matters right now

23,000+ Ordered by families who return Not a first-buy brand. These numbers are repeat customers and gift-givers who came back.

100+ million Toys sold over 231 years Est. 1795. Britain's oldest games company. If it breaks after a generation, we'd know by now.

60 days Full returns guarantee If it's not right, send it back. No questions. Real confidence in what we make.

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 one beats the plastic version

	Jaques Crystal Set - Gemstone Digging	Cheap Alternatives
Lasts through multiple children	✅	❌ Cracks after one summer
Real crystals, not plastic	✅	⚠️ Feels hollow and cheap
No batteries, no setup	✅	❌ Needs charging or assembly
Safe tools for small hands	✅	⚠️ Flimsy, breaks easily
Played for 30-40 mins at a time	✅	❌ Bored after 10 minutes
Passed to younger siblings	✅	❌ Worn out before hand-down
Gift-wrapped and ready	✅	❌ Arrives in plastic packaging

Jaques

✅ Survives siblings
✅ Real crystals
✅ No batteries
✅ Proper tools
✅ 30-40 min play
✅ Passes down
✅ Ready to give

Cheap alternatives

❌ Cracks and breaks
❌ Cheap plastics
❌ Needs charging
❌ Flimsy tools
❌ Quick boredom
❌ Worn out fast
❌ Plastic wrap only

Order by 2pm, arrive by end of week

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

Common questions from people who want to buy once

Which age is it really for?

Ages 3 to 7 play it actively. A 3-year-old needs a parent nearby to help with tools; a 5 or 6-year-old digs solo for 30 minutes at a time; a 7-year-old plans and catalogues their collection. One kit gets played differently at each age, which is why it's never wasted. Buying for a 6th birthday? This is the one.

Will it break after a few digs?

No. The excavation block is solid and designed to survive years of digging. The tools are metal and wood, not plastic. The kit comes with a 60-day returns guarantee and a 30-day change-of-mind return, so you can be sure before you commit. Parent reviews: 'Not the usual tat from China' (John A), and 'Toys that don't break after five minutes of play' (Karen Pepper).

How long does one kit last?

Most families get 3-5 years from one block, with siblings and cousins all taking turns. Some parents say their kids return to it year after year. Once all the crystals have been excavated, you can treat the kit as a keeper or move on. The real value is the years of play in between. As one parent put it: 'Worth every penny, full price' (Manda Monium).

How quickly will it arrive?

Order by 2pm and it arrives by end of week. It ships within 2-3 business days, fully gift-wrapped in Jaques' signature packaging. A buyer once said: 'Arrived next day, saved Christmas' (Leigh Hemmings). No unwrapping required; open the box and give it.

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, arrive by end of week

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.

The Gem Dig Kit exists because we believe a child's playtime should be real, not a screen. In 1795, Jaques of London started making toys that outlasted fads because they were made well and left space for a child's imagination. 231 years later, we still make toys the same way. This kit is an archaeology adventure, a geology lesson, and a thing you buy once and never think about again. Solid materials, real crystals, tools sized for small hands. It's the kind of toy that sits in a cupboard for 20 years and a parent pulls out and thinks: that was money well spent.

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

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