Stone from old China (4)
I believe the answer is:
opal
'stone' is the definition.
(gemstone)
'old china' is the wordplay.
'old' becomes 'o' (common abbreviation eg in OE for Old English).
'china' becomes 'pal' (china plate is Cockney rhyming slang for mate).
'o'+'pal'='OPAL'
'from' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for opal that I've seen before include "Precious stone" , "Rock" , "precious jewel" , "One in a ring perhaps" , "Delicately coloured gem" .)