Charles Eames – Elegance, Function, and Modern Form

Posted on July 24, 2025July 21, 2025 by Alastair Meiklejon

“The details are not the details; they make the design”

Charles Eames is around you, he is almost omnipresent in the western world, and today it is likely that you have encountered some of his work, but you may never realise it or appreciate it – That in many ways is the definition of good design; elegance and function.

Time Magazine, in their infinite wisdom of consumerism once called the Eames designed ‘LCW’ moulded plywood chair, the ‘Chair of The Century’, and whilst I agree with the sentiment, I wonder if they chose the wrong piece – what the stipulations for such an award, I wouldn’t know. In my opinion the very well-known Lounger chair and matching ottoman are as about as iconic as a Cadillac, a Fender Stratocaster, or any other piece of mid century American design.

The lounger chair started life in 1956 when the already well respected designer wanted to create a chair that the encompassing comfort and feel of a baseball glove (see Joe Colombo for more on that!) and to have a piece of furniture that was not only aesthetically pleasing, but practical and comfortable, its construction using plywood and a cast metal base could have been used in almost a utility fashion, but instead it formed one of the most endearing designs of all time, with pieces seen in the homes of style icons, musicians, and in the 1990s being one of the key aspects of the American televisual institution that was ‘Friends’.

The chair was initially produced by Herman Miller in the United States, and Vitra within Europe. Its these original chairs that now command the highest figures with original ‘first generation’ chairs needing to be insured for close to £25,000 – even modern official pieces retail at close to £11,000 so making sure these items are covered correctly is vital. As with many iconic designs, there are licensed pieces, replica versions, and some pretty terrible fakes out there, so it’s very important to know which one you are sitting on.

Whilst the Lounger was of course iconic, there were many other projects that Eames worked on that many people just would not realise, for example; During World War II, Charles and Ray Eames were contracted to design leg splints for casualties – whilst this seems a bizarre connection, their knowledge of design and strength of plywood meant that they excelled at this and were later tasked with creating more items for the war effort including stretchers, pilots seats and even a plywood fuselage for a military aircraft. They were most definitely in their stride during these war year and the necessity to create reliable products, that were not only quick to produce, but cheap to manufacture and easily scalable during an increasing war effort towards the latter part of the war.

The experience they gained during those years mean that their ambition for good design to available to the general public was now even more possible, the facilities and equipment available to them in the booming economy of the United States in the 1950s meant that it wasn’t unreasonable to expect a middle income house in Los Angeles to have many design pieces that were not just designed for style, but accessibility. One such piece was ‘La Chaise’, another iconic piece comprising stunning lines of moulded fibreglass in an almost shell like form, raised upon chrome stilts and an oak cross frame base – inspired by the ‘Floating Figure’ sculpture by Gaston Lachaise (you will notice the nod in the title of the piece) it was designed for the 1948 International competition for low cost furniture, and encompassing as much irony as furniture design possibly can is now retailed for close to £10,000 and originals should be insured for around the £30,000 mark – would this disappoint the Eames powerhouse of design, possibly but then one could say the same about all pieces of good utility design that become iconic; the Rolex Submariner, the Citroen DS, and many more items that appear in auction houses across the country.

The piece that defines Eames design for me though, is the Aluminium series office chair. As a 21 year old student growing up in Regency Cheltenham, I had never been exposed to such revelations as a fabric seated office chair that just oozed style and was incredibly comfortable. My then girlfriend, (herself an award winning furniture designer) bought one back to our apartment in Montpellier and subsequently, the following Christmas was rather lean… however 20 or so years on, she still has it and its escalated in value. Not to the extent of the major players, but still needs to be insured for £2000, with similar new chairs retailing around the same figure.

The devil is always in the detail, and Charles & Ray Eames knew this, with design for the masses being at the forefront of their ethos and target market their appeal has never died, through decades of change and fashion, the designs remain largely unchanged and still perfectly suitable for a modern world for this age, and plenty to come.

Hublot: Creating a ‘Big Bang’ for Football

Posted on July 24, 2025July 21, 2025 by Liz Bailey

Acting as official sponsors of the UEFA Women’s Euros 2025, Hublot has been thrown into the spotlight once more. Having boasted a longstanding association with the game by sponsoring FIFA World Cups and prevalent players such as Kylian Mbappé, their presence at the Women’s Euros throws the brand into the pinnacle of football once more in Switzerland, the brand’s home turf.

All UEFA referees will be wearing the Hublot Big Bang e Gen3 connected watch, a state-of-the-art smartwatch created exclusively for referees and their assistants. Retailing at £4,800, this piece is currently sold out at the brand’s main retailers for this watch. The average secondary resale price of this watch is currently £3,425.

All UEFA referees will be wearing the Hublot Big Bang e Gen3 connected watch, a state-of-the-art smartwatch created exclusively for referees and their assistants. Retailing at £4,800, this piece is currently sold out at the brand’s main retailers for this watch. The average secondary resale price of this watch is currently £3,425.

Moving onto the teams themselves, Hublot has partnerships with two prominent players within the Women’s Euros, Norway’s Ada Hegerberg, and Spain’s Aitana Bonmatí.

Both Ada and Aitana will be wearing pieces from the Big Bang One Click Joyful collection in Hublot’s summer campaign. Ada will wear the One Click Joyful Steel Pink, a 33mm steel piece on a white and pink-lined rubber strap that has thirty-six pink sapphires set into the bezel, Aitana will wear the One Click Joyful Steel Orange and Blue versions, the same watch but with thirty-six orange or blue sapphires set into the bezel. This limited collection is available to purchase at retail for £12,200.

Kylian Mbappé has been an ambassador for Hublot since 2018. Throughout this seven-year relationship with the brand, he has been photographed in an array of Hublot’s designs, and his style hallmarks can be seen across these public appearances.

In 2022, Mbappé was seen wearing these two Hublot rainbow watches, both in press conferences and on social media/news outlets. Produced in limited numbers, these Rainbow Hublot watches are set throughout with vari-hue sapphires, rainbow enamel markers, and finished with a rainbow alligator leather strap.

Three more watches worn by Kylian Mbappé over the course of his relationship with Hublot are pictured above.

Contrasting with the colourful rainbow watches seen in other appearances, these mono and dual tone timepieces do also feature skeleton dials that expose the movements within. Never compromising on creativity, these watches are set within anodised ‘Millenial Pink’ aluminium, a colourless sapphire crystal, and 18ct brushed gold cases respectively.

Insurance Valuations for Hublot Watches

It is worth noting that the majority of the watches featured above would be (currently) replaced from the retail market – these references are readily available to purchase online. However, Hublot watches can decrease in value in the secondary market, and therefore once either obsolete or discontinued, would be valued at this level, which can be anywhere from 30-60% lower than the original retail price, depending on the model, condition, and desirability.

Models that retain the most value on the secondary market include the Big Bang watches that the brand is arguably best known for, but as a whole this is something to consider when building, and looking to insure your collection. We would recommend regular valuations of your watch collection to ensure that your cover is in line with the market, and therefore prevent over, or under-insuring your collection.

What the July Sales Reveal About the Old Master Market

Posted on July 17, 2025July 23, 2025 by David Dallas

The results of the Old Master Sales in London last week established two things. First, the gulf in the fortunes of the two great rivals Sotheby’s and Christie’s has been reinforced and second, there is such a dearth of decent Old Masters available, that both auction houses had to bulk the Day Sales with rather modest 19th Century British and Continental paintings of the traditional type, i.e. not Pre-Raphaelite or Impressionists, both of which schools still have a keen following, in order to get reasonable-sized sales. Both day sales made a little over £4M.

Sotheby’s evening sale of the best Old Masters made £14.47M with all but 5 of the 31 lots finding buyers. The newly discovered early oil painting by Turner of the Hotwells in Bristol, making a surprising £1.8M against an estimate of £200,000-300,000. This painting came up at Dreweatts last year and made £400. Subsequent cleaning revealed a signature, and all Turner scholars now agree that it is his missing R.A. exhibit of 1793, which was always thought to have been a watercolour.
The top price was the beautiful panel painted in oil and tempera of the Saint Quirinus of Neuss by the Renaissance Master Lorenzo di Credi. Saint Quirinus was a Christian soldier martyr from the 4th Century, who is very rarely depicted. This did not prevent him making £2.7M with buyer’s premium.

Christie’s evening sale had 39 lots and like Sotheby’s, sold all but 5. The total of £55.26M however, was nearly 4 times greater than Sotheby’s and was mostly accounted for by the magnificent Canaletto of the Bucintoro returning to Venice on Ascension Day. This large canvas, measuring 86 x 138 cm, was in almost pristine state and at £31.935M, including premium, exceeded the previous world record for the artist by more than 60%.

Another hefty price was the glamorous still Life by Jan Davidsz. de Heem of fruit, a pie, a silver tazza, a wanli bowl, strong box and ewer on a draped table, which although not as flamboyant as the one in Jordan Saunders’ sale, made £3.67M.

One might have supposed that paintings by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, who is little more than a factory churning out pastiches of his fathers’ work, would suffer in the current picky climate, but both offerings sold. The “Visit to the Farm”, making £819,000, more than double the bottom estimate. The pretty little still life by Balthasar van der Ast did not fare so well and failed to sell against an estimate of £200,000-300,000. Old fashioned taste, I suppose.

The star lot at Bonhams sale was the portrait of Sir Edward Monins by George Gower, the leading portraitist at the end of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign. Sir Edward is wearing a very elegant doublet of narrow black and gold hoops and despite looking somewhat like a cut out (there is no sense of volume in the shoulders) made a very strong £1.1M against an estimate of £200,000-300,000. Once again, proving the power of image over draughtsmanship!

Sotheby’s has $1.8B of debt, its owner, Patrick Drahi, has a reputed $3B of debt. A lifeline was thrown to them by ADQ, an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, which has purchased a $1 billion share. What percentage this represents, no-one is sure. One thing is certain though, the Art Market is shrinking. Masterpieces are in short supply and the value of many Works of Art, especially Old Masters is declining. Christie’s, on the other hand, is owned by Francois Pinault of Artemis Group, one of the richest men in the world, with an estimated wealth of $19.7 billion. Both Sotheby’s and Christie’s have seen turnover drop by several billion over the last 2 years and can probably expect the slide to continue.

Perhaps re-branding themselves as purveyors of luxury goods rather than auctioneers of fine Works of Art has undermined the status of what they sell. What is certain is that so much antique stuff – porcelain, glass, silver, brown furniture and old paintings, doesn’t chime with modern taste and shows no sign of making a comeback, but there is always a market for a masterpiece.

Why Relying on Old Valuations Could Cost You Thousands

Posted on July 17, 2025July 22, 2025 by Annabell Parry and Aurélia Turrall

The Case for Up-to-Date Jewellery Valuations in a Rapidly Shifting Market

Gold at an all-time high, diamonds in freefall, ruby values that look like telephone numbers. Welcome to jewellery valuations in 2025 as the jewellery market is moving and shifting at great speed and it can sometimes be difficult to keep up.

Which is why it is so important you have your appraisals up to date.

The global diamond jewellery market reached £46 billion in 2023, £49.3 billion in 2024 and is set to reach over £90 billion by 2032. Why the continuous rise? Let’s explore a few key areas impacting jewellery value and market trends.

It’s been an interesting year for everyone but for insurance teams that depends on accurate and dependable valuations, then it’s become increasingly vital to work with valuation specialists.

For a private client to ensure your values are up to date and you are not going to have a shock in the event of a claim, a valuation needs to be within the last 24 months.

Look at any jewellery auction across the country this year and every heavy gold piece will have early offers ahead of the auction. Small time gold buyers have sprung up all over the country and are making the most of the increasingly high gold bullion price.

Brick and mortar jewellers are reviewing their prices every three months and this week I received an email from a goldsmith who I regularly use stating;

“All gold prices are estimated at present, we advise that the final bill will be slightly amended due to the fluid nature of the gold price”. To qualify the need for this unusual statement, as I write pure Gold is trading at $2481 per troy ounce. It was $1805 per ounce 12 months ago.

Insurers and their clients need to be reviewing their policies, not just for gold.

Diamonds – What price difference are we talking about?

Comparatively, a De Beers ring set with a brilliant-cut diamond weighing 0.51 carat, G colour and VS1 clarity retails for £5,900. Pandora offers the same diamond, but lab-grown for £825. There’s no denying the price tag is attractive and not surprising that they are projected to represent 25% of the market by 2030.

Another shift is the confidence in online shopping and the rise of E-Commerce. Consumers will spend a great deal more without seeing the item than they did prior to Covid. A recent study showed that online jewellery sales had gone up by 30% during that period.

Art Deco Tutti Frutti bracelet by Cartier – This stunning bracelet came up for sale at Sotheby’s on 28th April 2020 over the course of a four-day sale, online only due to confinement restrictions. It sold for £1 million and set a world record for any jewel sold online and any jewel sold in 2020.

When reputation and trust precede a brand, clients will happily buy blindly. And that is what luxury brands are banking on and it’s working. There is a steady continuous increase in prices each year on the most popular items.

A pair of Tiffany & Co. Victoria diamond earrings have gone from £3,100 in 2003, to £4,925 in 2010, £8,775 in 2021 and up to its current value of £9,125.

There are no signs of slowing down for luxury brands. When it comes to branded pieces, such as De Beers or Tiffany & Co. it still seems to be a safe investment with return on investment definitely worth the waiting for. With values of signed pieces creeping up and diamond markets fluctuating as do the insurance values.

Rubies and sapphires have seen some big increases. If your clients’ purchased sizable gemstones in the 1960’s,70’s,80’s, 90’s ( before excessive treatments became the norm) then these gems are very attractive to the market. There are simply not enough to fill demand.

Interestingly there is far less demand for emeralds at present! But, that could change due to fashion or popularity (if the stars start wearing emeralds, we could see market changes)!

The big question over the next 18 months will be how to value diamonds? Natural diamonds that is.

It is now common knowledge that manufactured diamonds (also known as Lab grown diamonds) currently change hands for about 5-15% of their natural counterparts. If you would like to know a little more as to why this is do look back at some of the previous articles. Manufactured diamonds are here to stay and have found a home in the Bridal and costume jewellery market. This has sent the market for smaller, natural lower quality diamonds tumbling. Why have a lower quality smaller natural stone when you could have a fine colour and clarity manufactured earring set which you don’t mind losing on the beach!

However, the smart minds will be watching the bigger, higher quality natural stone prices. That is diamonds over 3ct, G/H colour and above with a good cut and proportions.

Why? Because these will be in smaller and smaller supply in the coming years – and we are already seeing the effect at the point of sale both on the high street and at auction.

American Tariffs, the Ukrainian / Russian conflict and the Israeli/ Palestinian conflict have interrupted the long-established routes for rough diamond via the cutting centres to the waiting consumer. This is a subject, in its own right, to explore in the future.

There are still plenty of diamonds to purchase in Europe. Despite Americans holding tight onto their precious stocks as increased tariffs mean they cannot competitively purchase at the moment.

The stock of the better-quality stones, so loved by high-net-worth clients, may well start to dry up due to the convulsing diamond industry and therefore those prices will rise. These thoughts have been recently reinforced following published comments from the London diamond Bourse and Diamnet Founder Howard Levine.

This is a defining period for the jewellery trade as rarity, real luxury, taste and craftsmanship will continue to be sought out. These rare pieces, newly purchased or family held, need to be valued effectively and not be confused and undervalued with the mass produced, lower quality pieces.

The need for a valuation – for clients who haven’t had their jewellery values in the last 24 months, they will see a difference in valued and could find any claim could be problematic without one. Applying generic inflation percentages as a tool to update valuations, would be incorrect and inevitably lead to jewellery being under or over insured.

Because jewellery is the product of so many moving parts, it is essential to revalue one’s jewellery collection on a regular basis. Prices may vary several times within a single calendar year and our recommendation would be to get an official jewellery valuation at least every other year. And while your specialist is there, make sure every clasp and setting of stones is checked. A lost stone has monetary value but, in most cases, the emotional attachment to the piece makes the gem priceless and irreplaceable.

Strawberries and Bling: The Watches That Won Wimbledon in 2025

Posted on July 17, 2025July 16, 2025 by Alastair Meiklejon

If, like me you, didn’t get the opportunity to visit the hallowed grounds of Wimbledon this year, I hope you enjoyed the coverage provided on the television. What you may have noticed is that a lot of the images you will have seen at home not only presented a lot of great tennis, but also a lot of celebrities in the royal box – whether or not seeing Hugh Grant taking a quick cat nap is as entertaining as some of the games of this year is debatable. What can’t be denied is the sheer wealth of impressive watches that we saw – some of them completely expected and some nice surprises.

The Princess of Wales – Cartier Ballon Bleu

The Ballon Bleu is quickly becoming her fashion staple, and why not – it’s the perfect size at 33mm and has all the traits of style and understated elegance. Currently retailing for around £6,000, it’s a great watch for all seasons and is as comfortable on centre court at Wimbledon as it is in Annabel’s on a Friday night.

David Beckham – Tudor Black Bay Chronograph Custom

Well, he wasn’t going to wear a , was he?

Possibly the most talked about watch of this year was an item given as a present from Tudor to celebrate Sir (can we say that yet?) Dave’s 50^th birthday. It’s a dramatic piece with enough diamonds for a royal tiara, but still, in a David Beckham way has a little bit of subtlety to it. You can’t buy one, so any figure would by hypothetical but given its provenance it’s going to be insured for north of £200,000.

Roger Federer and Leonardo DiCaprio – Rolex Land Dweller

I am fairly sure that everyone around Wimbledon was expecting the eight time Wimbledon champion to be wearing a Rolex, and of course he didn’t disappoint. The arguably greatest man to ever play the game (of course this is very debatable) arrived with the new kid on the block, the Land Dweller. Whilst it may sound like the name that a Korean car manufacturer might give to their new SUV, it’s actually a pretty stylish piece of work, just don’t mention the Tissot PRX….

Leonardo DiCaprio also entered Centre Court with the same watch, whilst dressed fairly casually, it proved a point that the Land Dweller can be worn up or down, much in the same way that the ever popular Datejust can. Currently, you have a slightly lower chance of getting hold of a Land Dweller than you do getting said royal box tickets for the men’s final, meaning that the £13,000 (model no.127334) will currently set you back close to £45,000 on the secondary market, which is not surprising.

Russell Crowe – Rolex Daytona Tiffany Dial, AKA – Maximus Blingiest Rolexus

Who would have thought that a turquoise dial with gold case would work anywhere outside of a Swatch launch party, but it does…

On an Oysterflex strap it gives a strange sense of sportiness and refinement that continues the legacy of the Daytona into areas where it has never been before. In typical Rolex style, the chances of owning one of these are less than surviving in the Colosseum, so you will currently pay north of £75,000 to get your hands on one, despite having a retail price of less than half that.

Eddie Redmayne – Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Shades

We couldn’t talk about the watches of this year without mentioning an Omega, a genuinely brilliant brand with all the performance, all the technology, and all the style of its main competitor, just without the Instagram tags and mugging statistics. The ‘Day of The Jackal’ star arrived in a suitably smart cream suit, which really should have been accompanied by a nice cravat – but alas. With a red dial, this Omega steps away from its conservative approach but still gives a nice subtle vibe. As with most Omega watches, you can actually buy this one – with a price of £7,000, it’s not cheap but a lovely thing that will match your strawberries at Wimbledon – if you would risk it in a suit that colour.

Of course, there were many other watches on display – notable mentions include Chris Hemsworth in the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel, which not only sounds like a piece of gym equipment from school, it’s actually the same size too.

Tom Holland wore an Ice blue dial Daytona, which as one of the stars of the 2022 boom, peaked at well into the six figures, but thankfully now is slightly more accessible at just under £100,000 (I did say slightly).

What this year did show is that as well as a fashion show, it’s also a great opportunity for the great and the good to show what they have in the watch box, or what they may have been given at the hotel the night before from a brand representative.

No doubt next year will bring more interesting watches, and hopefully a slightly longer women’s final.

Birkin No.1: Jane’s Own Handbag Goes Under the Hammer

Posted on July 10, 2025July 16, 2025 by Helen Doyle

Jane Birkin’s original Birkin bag, a legendary prototype that sparked the creation of one of the world’s most iconic and coveted handbags, is currently being sold at Sotheby’s in Paris.

This historic piece, distinguishable by unique features like its attached shoulder strap and “J.B.” stamp, was designed for Birkin in 1984 after a chance encounter. Having been used by Birkin for nearly a decade and previously auctioned for charity in 1994, it has since been owned by a private collector and exhibited in prestigious museums. Now, as the highlight of Sotheby’s “Fashion Icons” sale running from 26th June to 10th July, this black leather artifact, still bearing traces of its storied past, including humanitarian stickers and even cat bite marks, is poised to fetch a significant sum, potentially setting a new record for a Birkin bag at auction.

This isn’t just any Birkin; it’s the very first one ever made, custom-designed for Jane herself and it boasts seven unique design elements that you won’t find in any other Birkin bag, making this prototype truly a unique buy.

So, let’s start with how it came about. In 1984, Jane Birkin found herself on a flight from Paris to London, seated next to Jean-Louis Dumas, the then chief executive of Hermès. Birkin was struggling with her existing handbag – a wicker basket – whose contents had spilled across the aisle. She expressed her frustration to Dumas, lamenting the difficulty of finding a stylish yet functional bag large enough to hold all her essentials, especially baby bottles (she had her daughter Lou Doillon at the time). Dumas, ever the visionary, was intrigued by her predicament. He listened intently as Birkin described her ideal bag: something softer than a rigid briefcase, but still substantial enough to be practical for everyday use. He then sketched a design on the spot, reportedly on the back of an airplane sickness bag – a rectangular, supple holdall with a distinctive flap and clochette. Thus, the concept for the Birkin bag was born.

It’s not the first time one of Jane Birkin’s Hermes Handbags has been sold at auction, in 2021 at Bonham’s her Birkin 35 in Togo sold for £119,000, five times its presale estimate!

The sale of Jane Birkin’s Original Birkin is slightly more significant in that it’s the very first one ever made, custom-designed for Jane herself, based on her ideas and it boasts seven unique design elements that you won’t find in any other Birkin bag, making this prototype truly a unique buy.

Shoulder strap

Perhaps the most striking detail of the bag is its integrated shoulder strap. This wasn’t just a design choice; it’s a feature that was never replicated in any commercially produced Birkin. Though Hermès later offered a limited edition with a detachable strap in the 1990s, Jane’s original stands alone as the only Birkin to boast a fixed, non-removable shoulder strap.

Size

Breaking from the standard 40 and 35 sizes of the Hermès Birkins, Jane’s Original Birkin offered a distinct hybrid design. It ingeniously combined the sleek width and height of a Birkin 35 with the more spacious depth of a Birkin 40, another truly unique specification.

Hardware

Initially, it featured gilded brass hardware. This early detail evolved when the Birkin officially launched, moving to gold-plated hardware distinguished by a check mark stamp. As the Birkin line matured, Hermès diversified its hardware choices, eventually offering palladium, rose gold, and other finishes.

Rings / Pontet

Another unique detail is its closed metal rings which the leather straps thread through to close the bag, this is reminiscent of the Hermès Sac Haut à Courroies (HAC). In contrast, early commercial Birkin’s, introduced until the early 1990s, featured rings open at the bottom. Today’s Birkin bags now display rings that are open at the top.

Studs and zippers

Hers features notably smaller bottom studs than those found on later production bags. Additionally, its zippers were sourced from Éclair, a detail unique to this prototype. In the 1990s, Hermès partnered with Riri, who remains the exclusive zipper manufacturer for all Birkin bags today.

Initials

More than just an accessory, it was a deeply personal extension of herself, proudly marked with her “J.B.” initials on the front flap. It quickly became her constant companion, often cradled close in her arms as she took it everywhere. The bag’s well-loved condition eloquently speaks to years of dedicated use by the iconic actress and singer, embodying her inimitable style and spirit.

And finally, a rather quirky element, Jane Birkin preferred natural, well-maintained nails over polished fake nails. Ever practical, she kept a nail clipper readily accessible, tethered to a chain inside her Birkin and hanging from the shoulder strap’s base, ensuring her nails were always perfectly trimmed.

This prototype was more than just a fashion statement; it became inseparable from Jane herself. She carried it daily for nearly a decade, and its well-worn condition reflects her life on the move. Her Birkin served not only as a functional accessory but also as a canvas for her activism. Jane famously adorned it with stickers supporting Médecins du Monde and UNICEF, transforming the luxury handbag into a powerful symbol of her humanitarian efforts.

The impending sale of Jane Birkin’s original Birkin prototype at Sotheby’s is poised to significantly impact the broader Hermès market. By potentially fetching a record-breaking sum, this historic auction will not only set a new benchmark for bags with unparalleled provenance but also likely elevate the perceived value and desirability of all Birkin bags, from new releases to vintage models, across the primary and secondary markets. This event powerfully reinforces Hermès’ narrative as the epitome of luxury, craftsmanship, and timeless investment, further solidifying the Birkin’s status as the most coveted handbag in the world and intensifying collector interest in rare and unique pieces.

Update! The Birkin sold at auction for an incredible £7.4m, becoming the most valuable handbag ever sold at auction.

From the Course to the Cabinet: Golf’s Most Iconic Trophies

Posted on July 10, 2025July 10, 2025 by Fiona Hamilton

As we look forward to the forthcoming 153rd Open Golf Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club, we’ve taken the opportunity to look back on last Summer when our silver specialist Fiona Hamilton, along with colleague Alastair Meiklejon, travelled to the prestigious Royal Liverpool Golf Club. Warmly welcomed by the fabulous team there, Fiona and Alastair had the honour of assessing the impressive collection of art and antiques in this historic venue.

Discussions regarding the forming of a new golf club in the area began in 1869. The Royal Hotel in Hoylake was the setting for a meeting hosted by James Muir Downie, and attended by a further twenty one gentlemen. All present agreed to the idea and Dowie was duly awarded the title of the first captain.

George Morris who was the brother of Old Tom, and Robert Chambers the son-in-law of Dowie, were tasked to lay out the original nine hole course in 1869, two years later saw this extended to 18-holes.

In the same year, thanks to the patronage of HRH Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught, The Club was granted its Royal designation.

The links land doubled as a golf course and a horse racing track for the first seven years, the legacy of which lives on with the original saddling bell still hanging in the clubhouse, and the names of the first and eighteenth holes being ‘Course’ and ‘Stand.’

Hoylake hosted its first Women’s British Open in 2012, the same year as the London Olympics. Due to the impact that the Olympics had, plans were changed, and The Open was moved to September. Despite miserable weather on the day, South Korean golfer Jiyai Shin was victorious.

Fast forward to 2023 and the RLGC hosted the 151st Open where American Brian Harman ultimately triumphed at Hoylake to take the title in a thrilling win.

On entry to the impressive clubhouse at Hoylake, one’s eye is immediately drawn to the splendour of the silver cabinets within the lobby. One of the highlights of which must be the replica of the famous Open Championship trophy, which takes the form of a claret jug. Retailed by the renowned firm of Mackay, Cunningham & Co of Edinburgh, and made in London at a scale of 90% of the original, the claret jug depicts a golfer in mid swing within a surround of chased and engraved stylised scrolling foliage and sits on triple plinth with silver plaques engraved with winners.

Before the production of the original Claret jug in 1873, winners were awarded The Challenge Belt. Commissioned by the Earl Of Eglinton in 1860, the belt is made of Moroccan leather with applied emblems and centred by a silver buckle depicting golfers at play.

In 1927 the R&A made the decision to retain the original Claret Jug where it is on permanent display.

Further highlights of the collection of RLGC include;

The Bombay Challenge cup

Weighing in at over 2kg The Bombay Challenge Cup, by Martin Hall & Co Ltd, Sheffield 1874, is of flagon form on stepped foot, profusely chased and embossed with scrolls and foliage, and with engraved cartouches.

The Liverpool Banking and Insurance Cup

In the form of a freedom casket, The Liverpool Banking and Insurance Golf Tournament Challenge Trophy was made in Birmingham in 1900. The hinged cover has a finial in the form of a golfer in mid swing, the body is painted with various vignettes of the Clubhouses at RLGC, West Lancashire, Wallasey and Formby.

The Queen’s Silver Jubilee Bowl

Representing more modern design is the distinctive Queen’s Silver Jubilee Bowl, by celebrated silversmith Stuart Devlin. Made in London in 1977 the trophy is in the form of a rose water dish, with pierced gilt reticulated border, centred by a boss engraved with winners, and a 360-degree view of the London skyline.

The Atlantic Trophy

Enamelled in stunning shades of blue, the fabulous Atlantic Trophy was made by the acclaimed firm Boodle & Dunthorne in London in 2004. Modelled as a vertical scrolling wave, the curve supports a silver golf ball, showing RLGC and USA, to simple silver disc base, the plinth bearing silver plaques engraved with winners.

From the medals and trophies of the early 1800’s the enduring presence of silver in sports trophies continues to represent the history and prestige attached to major sporting achievements. In addition to their aesthetic appeal, these awards mark the determination and achievement of sportsmen and women at the pinnacle of their careers.

The presentation and winning of the iconic claret jug continues to inspire and motivate and we look forward to celebrating the success of the eventual winner of the 153rd Open Championship.

The 2025 British Open, officially the 153rd Open Championship, will be held from July 17 to 20 at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland.

Insuring the Infamous: Valuing Al Capone’s Custom Timepiece

Posted on July 10, 2025July 14, 2025 by Liz Bailey

We have seen watches boasting fantastic provenance hitting the auction block this year, including a limited edition Omega Speedmaster owned by Neil Armstrong selling at RR Auctions for $2.1 million, a Rolex Daytona ‘Big Red’ gifted to F1 Driver Jean-Pierre Jabouille selling at Phillips for $215,900, and a Rolex GMT-Master, owned by Sheila Scott OBE ‘Britain’s Queen of the Air’ selling at Spink for £30,000.

Perhaps one of the most notorious and nefarious watches to be offered in the June Watch Sales was a platinum Patek Philippe pocket watch, owned and customised by the legendary Chicago born gangster, Al Capone. Dating to 1919, this 42mm open face pocket watch was custom-cased in platinum, and personalised with ninety single-cut diamonds spelling out the initials ‘AC’ to the case back. Interestingly, the pocket watch is missing its minute hand, and undoubtedly would have some real tales to tell, of a criminal provenance that belies its sleek and stylish Art Deco aesthetic.

Reputedly, Capone was unhappy with the original ‘plain’ case of this timepiece, and took the watch to a jewellers to re-case in this striking platinum and diamond design. Making a ‘project’ out of this Patek pocket watch, Capone was an early adopter of the customised watch. As Sotheby’s catalogue notes point out, “such a watch was hardly subtle, and ultimately it was tax evasion that enabled the federal government to send Capone to jail, eventually landing him in the legendary Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary.”

Sold with a provenance letter from Capone’s granddaughter, Barbara Mae Capone, this watch was estimated at $80,000-160,000, and reached mid-estimate inclusive of fees. The watch was last sold in 2021 by Witherells Auctioneers for $229,900 against a $25,000-50,000 estimate. At the June sale in 2025 it made just $95,250.

So what could account for this drop in hammer price? Perhaps it was simply offered too soon after its initial sale. In 2021, the piece was completely ‘market fresh,’ and so the buzz and interest around this piece understandably would have been much greater, even compared to Sotheby’s world-class marketing and lot presentation.

The watch was sold in 2021 as part of an ‘estate sale’ together with 174 other lots relating to the Capone family. This sale included letters from Alcatraz, photographs, pistols, jewellery, watches and furniture. Browsing this sale does provide a real insight into Al Capone’s personal life, his belongings, style, and manner of collecting. Similarly personalised stickpins, cufflinks, and accessories really help to contextualise and allow us to picture the pocket watch as part of a larger collection. Pieces such as the 14k white gold and diamond notebook cover in particular, are decorated in such a similar manner that they may well have been commissioned by Al Capone at the same time – this piece sold for $36,300 against a $2,000-5,000 estimate.

As the value trajectory of this legendary pocket watch will show, the value of provenanced items and fine timepieces can fluctuate! Various factors including timing, the appetite of the market, condition, originality, working order, can impact collections in the short to medium term. I have no doubt that in the long term, this watch will continue to grow in value, but it serves to show the importance of regular valuations of your items to protect against over or under insurance.

Images with thanks to Sotheby’s and Witherills Auctioneers.

Grima Jewellery at the Tomasso Gallery

Posted on July 8, 2025July 8, 2025 by Liz Bailey

Last month, our Jewellery Specialist Liz Bailey visited the annual exhibition hosted by the Tomasso Gallery, displaying contemporary and vintage jewels by Grima.

In its third year, this much anticipated exhibition included pieces from Andrew Grima’s collections, including a selection of pieces from his ‘About Time’ collection for Omega, as well as contemporary works by the Grima Company. Beautifully curated and displayed in groups of theme and colour, this display of retro and contemporary pieces from the Grima family blended seamlessly, expressing a true and timeless signature style.

Andrew Grima is one of Britain’s most celebrated jewellers. Creating jewellery from the 1960s onwards, he came from an engineering background and was introduced to the trade when he joined his father-in-law’s jewellery manufacturing business, H.J. Company, in 1946. With a clear design vision, his jewellery is “daring, fantastic, even flamboyant but without being clumsy or brash”. Honing a signature style with large uncut gemstones, textured 18ct yellow gold, diamond accents and bold forms, he became a royal and high society favourite. The sentiment remains, his beautifully bold and increasingly rare jewels have continued to rise in value, year on year.

Since Andrew’s death in 2007, his wife and daughter Jo and Francesca continued the tradition of creating original and handmade fine jewellery. A collection of 20 to 30 pieces is created each year, often using the goldsmiths who had been employed by Grima for over 40 years, resulting in a beautiful continuation of the Grima design ethos.

The above cabinet features two tourmaline pieces by Andrew Grima in the early 1970s. Each pendant displays an unpolished tourmaline crystal, presented from both the X and Y axis – in other words, sliced through the crystal, and down the crystal. Both of these pieces are from Grima’s ‘Rock Revival’ Collection. Elsewhere in the cabinet are three rings, the furthest right set with a faceted oval tourmaline and brilliant cut diamonds, created by the Grima Company in 2019.

The central druzy agate pendant in this cabinet is highly reminiscent of a brooch by Andrew Grima, pictured in Hinks’ 1983 Twentieth Century British Jewellery (Plate XVII), however was created by the Grima Company in 2006. Measuring 6.5cm in diameter, this impressive piece can be worn as a pendant or a brooch. The opal pieces in this cabinet date from the 1970s until the present day – the drop earrings are set with Yowah nut opals and were particularly eye-catching!

About Time – Grima’s Omega Collection

At the exhibition were three timepices from Grima’s iconic ‘About Time’ collection for Omega, commissioned in 1969. Grima’s collection of 55 watches for Omega bore neither parties name to the dial, and had a prevailing theme; each watch face was either seen through a precious stone or concealed by one. A landmark collection for both Omega and watch design more broadly, Grima was famously quoted as saying “If you need to know the time, you ask your chauffeur.”

The Linenfold Watch, circa 1969 and pictured above, was nestled amongst a wonderfully rich array of sculptural citrine jewellery. This showstopping timepiece features a 76.13ct oval citrine ‘glass’ and is surrounded by an irregular diamond bezel, completed of course with a beautifully textured 18ct yellow gold bracelet.

Secondly, the aptly named Elegance Watch, dating to 1970 and featuring the classic elongated rectangular dial, which became somewhat of a design hallmark in Omega’s following collections. Accented with off-centre hands, a smoky quartz ‘glass’ and a textured cuff bracelet, this striking piece paved the way for subsequent stylish Omega creations, see refs. 8270 and 1907.

Finally, the Utopia Watch, dating to 1971. This sculptural piece once more features a rectangular smoky quartz glass, set atop a brushed 18ct gold torque bangle. With less than a handful of Grima’s About Time Collection offered for sale via public auction in the last few years, to see three of these special pieces all in one place was a real treat!

Demand for signed 1960s and 70s jewels such as Grima’s is ever increasing, and values continue to rise over the last couple of years, with pieces far exceeding their estimates at auction. To ensure that you are adequately insured in an extremely buoyant market, do get in touch with our specialist team.

With thanks to Grima Jewellery. For further information on any of the pieces photographed, please visit www.grimajewellery.com.

To arrange a jewellery valuation, call us on 01883 722736 or email us on [email protected].

Serving Style: How Jewellery and Watches Make a Statement at Wimbledon

Posted on July 3, 2025July 8, 2025 by Jenny Knott

The Summer Season is well and truly under way and with glorious weather so far this year we’re about to head into my favourite sporting fortnight – Wimbledon. Of course, it’s all about the tennis – but it’s also all about the elegance of The All England Club, the traditions, the strawberries and cream, the Pimm’s and yes, the people watching. Outfits both on and off court attract attention, and notwithstanding the all-white dress code tennis players can and do wear jewellery and watches on court and during play.

Rolex are the official timekeeper for all four Grand Slams including Wimbledon. The brand also sponsors a number of prominent players, including Roger Federer, Garbiñe Muguruza, Dominic Thiem, Coco Gauff, Jannik Sinner, and his current nemesis since his painful defeat in the French Open, Carlos Alcaraz.

Roger Federer became a brand ambassador for Rolex in 2006 with what was, at the time, the largest single endorsement for any professional athlete. He was contracted to Rolex for 10 years for which he received $15,000,000. Others now in the Rolex stable are Dominic Thiem for the Daytona and Garbiñe Muguruza with the DateJust. Jannik Sinner entered the Rolex testimonee stable, as Rolex likes to call its brand ambassadors, in 2020 and wears the Cosmograph Daytona. Coco Gauff is also part of the horophile elite. At her recent victory in the French Open she wore a discontinued Rolex Oyster Perpetual watch, the same timepiece she wore when she won the U.S. Open in 2023. This particular watch, with its distinctive purple dial, is known colloquially as the “Red Grape” (£7,000-£8,000 approx. second hand).

It’s not all about watches though and no article on this subject would be complete without acknowledging the significance of Chris Evert and her now infamous bracelet incident. What might have been a disaster turned into a coup for the jewellery industry. She wore a diamond line bracelet when she played; perfect because it did not have claws to catch and sat flush against her wrist. However, in 1978 during a match in the U.S. open the clasp broke and the bracelet fell off. Play was suspended so that it could be retrieved, which it was.

She later said ‘When I competed, I wanted to wear something that gave me confidence and empowered me, both as a woman and an athlete. My tennis bracelet added a personal element to my style on the court and served as a daily reminder that I can do and be anything.” Who wouldn’t want some of that?

This style of line bracelet has been popular since the Art Deco period, but it was Chris Evert that brought it to such wide prominence and as a result it became known as a ‘tennis bracelet’. The Boodles collection includes one with an integral diamond-set tennis ball charm.

Bracelets are not the sole preserve of the female tennis players. Grigor Dimitrov is known for his ‘stack’ of Van Cleef and Arpels Alhambras and it’s hard to deny that they suit each other.

Closer to home Emma Raducanu has been a brand ambassador for Tiffany since 2021 and has been seen at Wimbledon in pearl drop earrings, diamond and pearl necklaces and white gold Tiffany bangles. The Tiffany earrings seen here are from the Victoria range and retail at £11,300.

Jack Draper has chosen the sartorial route and since April this year has been sponsored by Burberry, though given the strict all white code we won’t be seeing any of the famous Burberry checks on court.

From Raducanu’s exquisite Tiffany pearls to the impressive timepieces, jewellery in tennis has evolved from subtle accents to powerful style statements. These collaborations reflect not just fashion, but identity and give players a chance for some self-expression within the confines of the tight dress code.