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The story of Cartiers Mystery Clocks starts with a man named Jean-Eugene Robert-Houdin, a French horologist and a man now recognised as the father of modern magic. Having studied clock and watchmaking, one day he came across a two-volume set of books about magic called Scientific Amusements. Mechanical magic immediately fascinated Robert-Houdin, and while he continued his career in clockmaking, magic became his obsession. Despite going from height to height with his magic and performing, he didn’t abandon clocks and automata; constantly creating unique inventions to aid his stage magic. His most lasting legacy in the world of horology is due to his experiments with glass, implementing glass structures to create “invisible” actions or hidden mechanisms. One result of this was a clock that appeared to have no gears driving…

Some of the most influential women in the world of Haute joaillerie (fine jewellery) were the famous courtesans of Paris, the mistresses of the powerful in the early 20th century. It would be a misconception to perceive these women as just mistresses of the rich and famous of the time. In truth, many of them went on to influence fashion, jewellery, art and culture. They lived flamboyant and extravagant lifestyles for the time, but, most importantly, they empowered women on an unprecedented level. Two of these courtesans had a famous rivalry. Liane de Pougy and La Belle Otero were from very different backgrounds, but they both shared a desire to escape their origins. La Belle Otero became such an icon of the Belle Époque. Born in Spain in 1868 as…

The Hope Diamond is one of the most fascinating jewels in the world, with ownership records dating back almost four centuries, this piece of jewellery has an abundance of stories to tell. The diamond’s much sought-after rare blue colour is due to trace amounts of boron atoms, weighing at 45.52 carats, its remarkable size has led to new findings about the formation of gemstones. The diamond has been compared in size and shape to a pigeon egg or a walnut. With the colour being described as “fancy dark greyish-blue” as well as being “dark blue in color”] or having a “steely-blue” color. Despite this people often speak of the red glow the diamond emits. The jewel is believed to have originated in India, where the original stone was purchased in…

A pioneering figurehead of the 1960’s modernist movement, Charles de Temples is revered as one of the most influential designers in bringing in bold and abstract jewellery to the forefront of fashion. Charles de Temples was born in Mexico in 1929 and was brought up as part of a famous Ringling Brothers Circus, touring across America. He was the illegitimate son of American film actor and director Tom Mix. De Temple’s jewels were well known for being large, extravagant and sculptural statement pieces. This style led to high demand for his work in London during the ‘swinging’ sixties. This resulted in several notable high-profile commissions during the sixties. These included two one-off commissions for James Bond films: he made the Goldfinger that Honour Blackman wore at the 1962 Premiere of…

Jewellery History: California Gold Rush  A gold rush or gold fever is a new discovery of gold that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune.  Major gold rushes took place throughout the world in the 19th century, but none more famous than the California Gold Rush.  The California Gold Rush began on January 24th 1848 and lasted until 1855. The first find was by a man named James. W Marshell at Sutters Mill in Coloma, California. The news of the discovery and the potential for more gold quickly spread, bringing approximately 300,000 people to California from the rest of the United States and beyond.  James W. Marshall was a foreman working for Sacramento pioneer John Sutter when he found some shiny metal in the tailrace of a lumber mill…

Known for her amazing fashion sense and dedicated humanitarian work, the late Princess Diana also enjoyed an impressive and iconic jewellery collection. It’s now being passed onto the new generation of royals. In her letter of wishes, the Princess wrote: “I would like you to allocate all my jewellery to the share to be held by my sons, so that their wives may, in due course, have it or use it. I leave the exact division of the jewellery to your discretion.” Royal analysts now hope that with the marriage of Harry and Meaghan, we will be able to see more of her famous pieces out in the public. Here are some of Princess Diana’s more famous items, and where we have seen them since. Asprey ring The aquamarine ring…

Walking down the vintage shops in London’s Brick Lane and you’ll see how retro fashion continues to inspire people everyday. It’s not new. people have been finding fashion inspiration from history throughout, well, history. In the 19th century, one of the most famous jewellers that defined European trends was Fortunato Pio Castellani. Born in 1794, Castellani began work as a master goldsmith in his father’s workshop before opening his own shop in Rome in 1814. Then, in the 1850s, he began attracting attention for being a leading figure in what was called the ‘classical revival’, the surging interest in old-style Grecian jewellery techniques. While jewellers up until that point often did not pay too much attention to history, doubting the relevance of long-gone fashions to the present-day, Castellani and his…

Fabergé eggs are admired around the world for their exquisite, jaw-dropping details. The Russian imperial-era decorative eggs have stunned many viewers, sparking their curiosity about how these beautiful objects came to be created. Here’s what you need to know about how they came about, who’s behind them, and where they are now. Beginnings The Fabergé eggs were created from 1855 to 1916 specifically for the Russian imperial family. Back then, the Fabergé company was run by Peter Carl Fabergé, a Russian jeweller who was quickly gaining attention for his skillful designs. The first ever Fabergé egg was created for Tsar Alexander III as an Easter gift to his wife, the Danish princess Maria Feodorovna, who was feeling homesick for her home country. Feodorovna was so happy about the present that…

World famous movie star Elizabeth Taylor was not just one of Hollywood’s most recognisable actresses of the 20th century, but also an avid jewellery expert and collector. As an icon of old-Hollywood glamour, she amassed one of the world’s most prestigious jewellery collections and even authored her own book, My Love Affair with Jewellery. When her collection went up for auction at Christie’s in 2011, all her items were sold amounting to a record-breaking $115m (£74m) sales figure, which was more than double the previous record for a private jewel collection. Her jewellery, unsurprisingly, was decadent and centred around 70s-style statement pieces with large, colourful jewels and plenty of diamonds. Early life Elizabeth Taylor was born in Hampstead, London in 1932 to American art dealer parents. The family then moved…

The Cannes Film Festival sees the heights of movie star glamour, where stars debut some of the world’s most prestigious jewellery collections on the red carpet. This year was no different. From Cannes Grand Jury member Elle Fanning’s Chopard necklaces to Penélope Cruz’s lab-grown Swarovski diamonds, here’s a round-up of the best looks from the festival this year. Selena Gomez’s statement necklace Selena Gomez attended Cannes’s opening night with a BVLGARI necklace from the brand’s high jewelry collection. Penélope Cruz’s lab-grown diamonds Penélope Cruz celebrated her new film, Pain and Glory, and donned earrings made of Swarovski lab-grown 3-carat precision-cut diamonds. Priyanka Chopra’s flowy earrings The actress decorated her metallic gown with a similarly shimmery Chopard earrings Monica Bellucci’s crocodile necklace Monica Bellucci went for a bold unconventional route with…

The first icon in our series is Alexandra Queen of Denmark, who Queen Victoria’s son, Edward, Prince of Wales married in 1863. For years before her coronation, however, the future Queen’s radical style was revered as a fashion icon and her new jewels and outfit choices automatically set trends. In fact, Queen Alexandra was responsible for starting two of the most important jewellery trends of the late 19th/early 20th century: high-necked, dog-collar-like pearl chokers and diamond tiaras. Early Life Born Princess Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia or simply ‘Alix’ to her friends and family was raised in an 18th-century townhouse in Copenhagen. Although Alexandra was of royal blood, she had a relatively normal and humble upbringing. Alexandra spent most of her childhood surrounded by family, predominantly her younger sister…

The recent engagement of Jennifer Lopez and her former New York Yankee hubby, Alex Rodriguez, has caught the attention of the jewellery world because after the internet-breaking ring shot Instagram post. J Lo showed off her new gigantic emerald-cut diamond ring, which was presented to her against a dreamy, romantic Bahamas sunset. The Insta post can be seen below: At The Vintage Jeweller, we thought it only seemed right to explore the ring further and do a little extra research. The exact specifications and designer of the ring have yet to be confirmed but that hasn’t stopped gemologists and jewellers from speculating. Experts have estimated the diamond could be anywhere in the region of 11 and 20 carats, while the price of the ring has been estimated anywhere between $1…

‘Whose hair I wear, I loved most dear’ Unlike flesh which easily rots to bone, a clip of hair maintains its form and colour for centuries, acting as a perfect reminder and symbol of a loved one. These qualities mean that hair has historically been utilised in jewellery and fashion for both mourning and sentimental reasons. It is a modern day misconception that jewellery made to feature the lock’s of a loved one’s hair is entirely associated with death. One of the first recorded instances of hair in jewellery, however, illustrates, how it can be used as a token of love and sentimental expression towards a living person. In 1785, William IV of England, wrote to his brother, the Prince of Wales’ requesting ‘a locket for my shirt with your…

If you’re a February baby or are shopping for one, you should know that this month’s birthstone is rich in history and meaning. Here at the Vintage Jeweller, we currently have amethyst pieces that would make fantastic gifts for February birthdays or Valentine’s gifts. Although amethyst jewellery makes an excellent gift year-round. The stunning February birthstone is frequently featured in many gorgeous jewellery designs. Amethyst, the birthstone of February, is a variety of Quartz that carries a spectacular purple colour that ranges from a blend of deep violet and red to a lighter lilac hue. Amethysts come in colours ranging from deep purple to the palest shades of pastel lavender and even pink. The most valuable hue is a strong reddish purple shade. Lavender hues look particularly stunning in amethyst…

For a meaningful Valentine’s Day gift, choose a piece of jewellery that matches your Valentine’s unique style. Whether you decide on a pendant, bracelet or set of earrings, you’re giving a gift that they’ll cherish forever. If you want to find the perfect gift for your honey this February 14th, we’ve got some top tips to help you find something that they are sure to love. That means understanding your partner’s tastes, shopping at a reputable location such as the Vintage Jeweller and learning what the wording means in terms of how gemstones are graded. Above all, it’s important to start researching with time to spare and to know exactly how much you want to spend. Here are our tips for buying the perfect jewellery for your Valentine: Know your…

Winter is still in full force as February approaches, but the glimmer of spring is on the horizon. Soon, February 14th will bring a celebration of love with Valentine’s Day. But where does this tradition come from and how did it become so globally popular? Valentine’s Day existed long before the card companies developed heart-shaped declarations of love. Originally a Pagan fertility festival, the first Valentine’s Day is believed to have been in 496. The name derives from St Valentine who was a priest in Rome during the third century AD. He became famous for rebelling against the rules of Emperor Claudius II, who believed that married men made bad soldiers so he banned marriage for anyone serving in his army. St Valentine arranged marriages in secret and was subsequently…

The word ‘garnet’ is derived from the Latin ‘granatum,’ which means ‘pomegranate,’ because the crystals resemble the fruit’s red colour and seed-like form. Most people think of the garnet as a red gemstone, but in fact, it exists in all kinds of colours, including black, red and green. It can even be colourless. The garnet’s variety of colours come from metals such as manganese, iron, calcium, and aluminum. Some varieties even contain mineral fibers that produce the illusion of a four to six-rayed star within the stone. Garnet has a long history of being revered as a precious stone. The tombs of pharaohs in Egypt have been discovered by archaeologists to contain garnet amulets and noble patriarchs of Rome were known to have carved signet rings made from garnet. Ancient…

Tanzanite can only be found in one part of the world- Tanzania. It has become increasingly popular since its relatively recent discovery in 1967. The blue colour can range from pale blue to more of an ultramarine shade. It can often appear to display different colours when viewed from different angles. Tanzanite can also have more unpleasant brown tones in so it has to be cut correctly to highlight the blue tones. Today the tanzanite can be treated with heat to make sure the brown tones aren’t visible! Tanzanite is rare and is only found in a few square miles of land close to Mount Kilimanjaro. It was identified to be a vibrant blue variety of zoisite that had been around since the early 19th century. When tanzanite was discovered,…

The first recorded instance of human interaction with gold dates back as far as 3,000 B.C. in Egypt. Gold often played a significant role in ancient Egyptian mythology with the Egyptians perceiving it as the breadth of God. The Egyptians often buried their Pharaohs in gold, the most well-known of which is the mask of Tutankhamun which contains two alloys of gold: a lighter 18.4 carat shade for the face and neck, and 22.5 carat gold for the rest of the mask. Ever since these ancient times, gold has remained a rare and highly valued material which evokes both wealth and power and has multiple applications. The Incas called gold ‘sweat of the sun’, Romans named it the ‘muscles of war’, a triumphant Napoleon gilded Paris in gold and the…

You may have a formal workwear dress code or one where you can flaunt your style.  Either way, it’s nice to add a little bit of glam to your work outfit. Especially because you are in it the majority of the time! You need something that looks professional whilst bringing out a bit of your personal style too.  We’ve got jewellery pieces that will go with a shirt and trouser suit, a smart dress or smart knitwear. Statement Earrings If you’re wearing a simple work dress then wearing statement earrings still keeps the outfit looking professional but adds a touch of fashion and glamour to the look. Our Jade Drop earrings are perfect to wear daily with any coloured dress whilst at work. They’re striking but not too busy so…

It is with great pleasure and excitement that I write this blog post and announcement. Benjamin Hawkins is a fine jewellery designer specialising in one off bespoke artworks and also, a very good personal friend of mine. Over the coming months, we will be showcasing Ben’s craftsmanship and portfolio through our dedicated Benjamin Hawkins London page on our website and a series of blog posts. In addition to this, we will be releasing for sale a number of one-off pieces of jewellery designed and made by Ben exclusively in collaboration with The Vintage Jeweller. The rest of this post will provide a short biography of Ben’s career thus far. From the age of fifteen, Benjamin practiced goldsmithing, before studying jewellery at the Goldsmiths Centre in the heart of London’s jewellery…

There are so many pieces of jewellery out there, and it can be hard to know where to start if you’re not into jewellery or if you’re buying a gift for someone else.  Well, we’ve put together some jewellery pieces we think any woman would be delighted to own so you can make sure that gift is special! From statement studs to long necklaces, we’ve got some timeless pieces that will never go out of style… A Long Pendant Necklace Long necklaces go with pretty much any outfit.  You can put it over a casual t-shirt and jeans combo or a plunging neckline.  They look great on their own or you can layer them with different length chains and necklaces for a modern look. Our Cartier LOVE Pendant is perfect…