Clocks, Watches & Jewellery

Mallams in Oxford posted a house record for jewellery on November 15 when a pair of Cartier earrings sold to one of 12 international phone bidders for £72,000 (plus premium).

The first Rolex Submariner was introduced to the public in 1954 at the Basel Watch Fair but it was Ian Fleming’s fictional spy, James Bond, who in 1962 transformed a reliable and rugged dive watch to a status symbol embodying suave masculinity and a sense of adventure.

“No one can rival Thomas Cole for engraving in the 19th century,” said director Jamie South after this exhibition-quality carriage clock sold for £26,000 (plus 20% premium) at Gardiner Houlgate in Horsham, Bath, on October 25. It went to an American buyer towards the top end of the estimate.

A heartbreaking letter dated March 1916 enclosing a diamond ring found by a dealer in a Victorian chest of drawers he bought at a recent IACF Shepton Mallet fair has sparked an intriguing search.

Cornelia Perquin of Precious Flora deals in floral vintage and antique jewellery. She stands at art and antique shows as well as floral events. Her next event is the 'Winter Art & Antiques Fair Olympia'.

In fine art, the ‘Glasgow Boys’ group of artists are famed. In the contemporary jewellery scene, the ‘Glasgow Gals’ are now in the spotlight.

A gift from the founder of the Tata global business empire to the architect who designed his Bombay headquarters, this late 19th century Patek Philippe gold hunter pocket watch was an eyecatcher at Andrew Smith (19% buyer’s premium) at Itchen Stoke on September 12.

The presence of two Turkish gentlemen at the Objects of Desire sale at Sworders in Stansted Mountfitchet on October 18 had raised a few eyebrows – if only because they appeared singularly disinterested in the contents of this ‘handbags and gladrags’ sale.

This late 19th century necklace offered by Peter Wilson's latest sale in Nantwich is a spectacular example of Grand Tour jewellery. Most Georgian or Victorian gentlemen keen to display an appreciation of classical art were satisfied to purchase just one or two hardstone intaglios as a souvenir.

To make any money these days, ladies’ gold pendant watches do need an extra selling point – such as the Cartier name and plenty of Art Deco style.

The New York Jewellery & Watch Show returns to the city for its third staging from October 27-30.