Laura Ashley Jewellery: Is It Good Quality?
Short Answer
Laura Ashley jewellery offers good quality for its price point. The collection is built on 925 sterling silver — a genuine precious metal — with select ranges in gold plating. Designs translate the brand’s iconic archive prints into three-dimensional jewellery forms. At £25–£65, it is an accessible entry point for sterling silver jewellery with a distinctive, recognisable aesthetic that stands apart from generic fashion pieces.
The One-Sentence Version
Sterling silver base, heritage floral designs, £25–£65 price range — good value for the material and the brand identity you are buying into.
Brand Heritage
Laura Ashley was founded in 1953 when Laura Mountney — later Laura Ashley — began screen-printing tea towels and headscarves by hand at a kitchen table in Pimlico, London. The initial investment was £10. The name came from her husband Bernard, who felt a woman’s name suited the product better than their original “Ashley Mountney” registration.
The jewellery line is a licensed extension of that 70-year heritage. It is produced by Gecko Jewellery, a UK-based company founded in 1991 and accredited by the Responsible Jewellery Council. The designs are developed to translate Laura Ashley’s archive textile prints — Camelot, Wild Meadows, Waters Edge, Wildflower — directly into wearable jewellery forms.
Materials
Material quality is the foundation of any jewellery assessment. Laura Ashley jewellery uses genuine precious metal rather than base-metal alternatives.
925 Sterling Silver
The base metal for most pieces. 92.5% pure silver, 7.5% copper. The 925 stamp confirms composition. Copper adds durability to what would otherwise be too-soft pure silver. Hallmarked where legally required under the Hallmarking Act 1973.
Recycled Sterling Silver
Many pieces use 100% recycled sterling silver. Metallurgically identical to mined silver after refining — same 925 composition, same appearance, same hallmarking eligibility. The distinction is environmental, not material.
Gold Plating
Select designs feature electroplated gold finish. Applied over a sterling silver or brass base depending on the piece. Not a solid gold product — a surface layer of gold. Wear rate varies by piece type and frequency of use.
AnchorCert Protect
All pieces carry AnchorCert Protect certification from the Birmingham Assay Office, UKAS accredited. Tests for metallic allergens beyond standard nickel screening. Independent, third-party verified — not a self-declared claim.
What This Is Not
- Not stainless steel
- Not brass without precious metal content
- Not silver-plated base metal (the silver is the material, not a coating)
Design DNA
The design question matters as much as the material question for Laura Ashley. The value of this jewellery is partly material (sterling silver at an accessible price) and partly identity (wearing a piece of recognisable British design heritage).
The collections draw directly from Laura Ashley’s textile archive — prints that were developed across decades and that carry specific cultural associations. These are not generic floral designs; they are translations of specific named archive prints into three-dimensional form.
The Collections
| Collection | Inspiration | Design Mood |
|---|---|---|
| Camelot | Iconic archive botanical print | Classic English garden, formal |
| Wild Meadows | Romantic meadow print | Loose, natural, countryside |
| Wildflower | English summer floral motifs | Delicate, feminine, seasonal |
| Waters Edge | Moorland and water prints (Broadoak, Cathedine, Llanelli) | Nature, quieter palette |
| Floral Romance | Timeless nature-inspired forms | Romantic, gift-oriented |
| Bows | Signature bow motif | Feminine, available in adult and children’s sizes |
The motifs — florals, botanicals, bows, nature forms — are rendered in sterling silver with dimensional detail. The jewellery is recognisably Laura Ashley to anyone familiar with the brand. That recognisability is part of what you are buying, particularly when purchasing as a gift for a Laura Ashley admirer.
Price Range
The collection sits in the £25–£65 range across necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings. This positions it as an accessible entry point for sterling silver jewellery.
| Price Band | What You Get |
|---|---|
| £25–£35 | Sterling silver stud earrings, smaller pendants, simpler bracelets |
| £35–£50 | Statement earrings, necklaces with detailed pendants, mid-weight bracelets |
| £50–£65 | More substantial necklaces, sets, pieces with additional gemstone elements |
For context: sterling silver jewellery at comparable material quality from independent designers typically starts higher. The Laura Ashley brand association, RJC-certified production, and AnchorCert Protect certification are included within that price range — not premiums on top of it.
Who It’s For
Laura Ashley jewellery has a clear audience. Understanding who it suits helps set realistic expectations.
The Primary Buyer
Women who love the Laura Ashley aesthetic — English garden, heritage florals, romantic vintage British style. The jewellery is a wearable extension of the same visual language as Laura Ashley fabric, wallpaper, and home furnishings. If you have an affinity for the brand’s broader world, the jewellery reads as coherent with it.
The Gift Buyer
Laura Ashley jewellery performs particularly well as a gift for Laura Ashley fans. The brand recognition is immediate and meaningful to that audience. Official packaging is included. The price range — £25–£65 — sits in a comfortable gift bracket without requiring a significant investment in a piece the recipient may not have chosen themselves.
The Sterling Silver Newcomer
For someone moving from fashion jewellery into genuine precious metal for the first time, Laura Ashley offers an accessible starting point. Real silver, real hallmarking where applicable, real hypoallergenic certification — at a price that does not require committing to a high outlay on an unfamiliar material.
Less Suited For
- Buyers seeking minimalist or contemporary-abstract design — the aesthetic is distinctly floral and heritage-referenced
- Those wanting hallmarked British assay office stamps on every piece — hallmarking applies only to items above the legal weight threshold
- Buyers requiring very fine chain weights or extremely delicate forms — Laura Ashley sits in mid-weight sterling silver territory
Care
Laura Ashley jewellery follows standard sterling silver care principles, with additional considerations for gold-plated pieces.
Sterling Silver Pieces
Polish with a silver polishing cloth to remove tarnish. Store in a pouch or compartment — not loose in a jewellery box where pieces scratch each other. Avoid contact with household chemicals, chlorine, and fragrances. Tarnish is a surface reaction, not structural damage, and is reversible.
Gold-Plated Pieces
Gold plating requires gentler handling than solid silver. Remove before hand washing, swimming, and applying cosmetics or perfume. Store separately. Plating wear is a characteristic of the material, not a manufacturing fault — the rate of wear depends on piece type (rings wear faster than pendants) and frequency of use.
Storage Principle
- Individual pouches to prevent scratching between pieces
- Anti-tarnish strips in closed containers slow silver tarnish
- Avoid bathrooms — humidity accelerates both tarnish and plating wear
- The original Laura Ashley packaging provides reasonable short-term storage
For full technical detail on how tarnish forms and how to reverse it, see our Laura Ashley Care, Tarnish & Plating Guide.
How It Compares
Laura Ashley jewellery sits in a specific segment of the sterling silver market. Positioning it accurately helps buyers choose the right brand for their needs.
| Brand | Base Metal | Price Range | Design Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laura Ashley | 925 Sterling Silver | £25–£65 | Heritage floral, archive print-inspired |
| ChloBo | 925 Sterling Silver | £45–£150+ | Symbolic charms, stacking-focused |
| Kit Heath | 925 Sterling Silver | £55–£200+ | Contemporary British, nature-inspired |
| Olivia Burton | Varies (silver and gold-plated) | £35–£100 | Floral and nature, contemporary finish |
On material quality, Laura Ashley is comparable to ChloBo and Kit Heath — all three use 925 sterling silver as their base. Laura Ashley’s distinction is the specific design identity: archive print translations that carry 70 years of British heritage. That identity is more defined than generic floral fashion jewellery, and more traditionally heritage-referencing than Kit Heath’s contemporary take on nature.
The price advantage over ChloBo and Kit Heath is real. Laura Ashley delivers sterling silver at a lower entry price — which makes it a strong option for gift-giving and for buyers who want genuine precious metal without a significant outlay.
Shop Laura Ashley at OD’s Jewellers
We are an authorised Laura Ashley jewellery stockist. Every piece we carry is genuine stock direct from the brand’s UK distribution. Browse the full collection below or visit us in store.
View the Full Collection
See all Laura Ashley jewellery available at OD’s Jewellers — browse online or visit us at 41 Barrow Street, St Helens, WA10 1RY.
Top Picks at OD's — In Stock Now
Three best-sellers our customers are choosing this month — all in stock, ready to ship from St Helens, available to try in our St Helens store before you buy.
All available in-store at 41 Barrow Street, St Helens, WA10 1RY — try before you buy.
Browse the full jewellery range at OD's.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Laura Ashley jewellery real silver?
Yes — the majority of the collection is made from 925 sterling silver, including recycled sterling silver options. 925 means 92.5% pure silver alloyed with copper for durability. The “925” stamp on a piece confirms this composition. Some designs use gold-plated brass or alloy rather than silver as the base metal; check the individual product description if this matters for your purchase.
Is Laura Ashley jewellery good for sensitive skin?
All Laura Ashley jewellery carries AnchorCert Protect certification, a UKAS-accredited testing standard from the Birmingham Assay Office. It screens for a range of metallic allergens beyond nickel, using simulated sweat solution to replicate real skin contact conditions. This is an independently verified standard, not a self-declared claim. Most people with standard metal sensitivities wear sterling silver without issue; individual skin chemistry varies.
How does Laura Ashley jewellery compare to other brands at OD’s?
Laura Ashley uses the same base material — 925 sterling silver — as ChloBo and Kit Heath, both of which are stocked at OD’s Jewellers. Laura Ashley sits below both in price, making it the most accessible sterling silver option in our collection. The design identity is more heritage-specific: archive floral prints translated into jewellery, rather than symbolic charms (ChloBo) or contemporary nature forms (Kit Heath). The right choice depends on the aesthetic the buyer is drawn to, not a material quality difference.
Does Laura Ashley jewellery make a good gift?
It performs particularly well as a gift for Laura Ashley admirers — people who have an existing connection to the brand through its fabrics, home furnishings, or fashion history. The brand recognition is immediate for that audience. All pieces come in official Laura Ashley packaging. The £25–£65 price range covers a wide bracket of gift occasions, from smaller thank-you gifts through to birthday or anniversary presents. If the recipient has no existing affinity with the Laura Ashley aesthetic, you may want to consider whether the design style suits them before choosing.