#Grays Antique Brooch in London

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Grays Antique Brooch in London - Nigel Norman

Are you looking for a unique, one-of-a-kind brooch to add to your collection? Check out Gray's Antique Brooch in London, home to the most beautiful brooches in the world! Since they opened their doors in 1975, they've been supplying customers with the finest selection of antique brooches. From Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco to contemporary designs, they're sure to have something that catches your eye. Whether you're looking for a conversation piece or a standout accessory, Gray's Antique Brooch has you covered. Read on to learn more about this amazing antique shop.

While Gray's Antique Brooch may be best known for their selection of beautiful brooches, they also offer a wide variety of other antique jewelry. From necklaces and bracelets to rings and earrings, they have something for everyone. They also carry a number of other antique items, including furniture, paintings and sculptures. No matter what you're looking for, Gray's Antique Brooch is sure to have something that catches your eye. So next time you're in London, be sure to swing by Gray's Antique Brooch. With their vast selection of antique jewelry and other items, you're sure to find something you love. Who knows, you may even find your new favorite brooch! If you're not in London, don't worry! Gray's Antique Brooch offers a wide selection of their items online. So whether you're looking for that perfect brooch or just a unique piece of jewelry, Gray's Antique Brooch has you covered.

Next time you're in the market for some antique jewelry or other items, be sure to check out Gray's Antique Brooch. With their wide selection and amazing customer service, you're sure to find exactly what you're looking for What are some of your favorite antique shops? What kind of items do they sell? Jewelry is not the only thing that Gray's Antique Brooch offers their customers. They also offer a wide variety of other antiques, including furniture, paintings, and sculptures. No matter what you're looking for, whether it's a piece of jewelry or something else, Gray's Antique Brooch is sure to have something to catch your eye. So next time you're in London, or even if you're not, be sure to check out Gray's Antique Brooch.

What are some of your other favorite antique shops? Do they specialize in a particular type of item? Are they located in London or another city? Be sure to leave a comment below and let us know!

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5 MOST EXPENSIVE ANTIQUE JEWELRY AND WATCHES

Jewelry has been integral part of human culture since time immemorial. As such, those that survive the test of time often come with amazing histories that are definitely worth retelling, especially when the pieces in question are worth sublime amounts of money. The five most expensive pieces of antique jewelry and watches are rounded up fake van cleef & alrpels jewelry here, along with a round-up of their fabulous past lives. 5. The Blue Belle of Asia The Blue Belle of Asia sapphire, so named because of its luminous peacock blue hue and its origins in the gem basket of Sri Lanka, has quite the mysterious past. It was first found in 1926 in a Sri Lankan paddy field, after which it was cut, processed, and sold to British motor magnate Lord Nuffield in 1937. Rumor has it that he bought the sapphire to bring to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (mother to Queen Elizabeth II, who reigns today) on the day of her coronation in 1937, but those claims are unfounded. In fact, the stone “disappeared” into private hands for over 35 years and resurfaced in the 1970s. The 392.52-carat,  cushion-cut sapphire was set into a diamond necklace and sold for a cool $17.3 million at a Fake Cartier Juste Un Clou Bracelet Christie’s auction in Geneva in 2014. 4. 1912 Cartier Devant-de-Corsage Brooch This beautiful brooch by Cartier debuted in 1912, when the brand’s design exemplified the aesthetic of La Belle Èpoque. The ornate, handmade piece features a 34.08 carat, pear-shaped diamond, a 23.55 carat, oval-shaped diamond and a 6.51 carat, marquise-shaped diamond in its centerpiece, which hangs from two lines of lily-of-the valley motifs connected to two palmette brooches. The epitome of luxury, this brooch’s sumptuous design is matched only by its equally-lavish history. An Englishman named Barney Barnato moved to South Africa during the diamond rush in the 1870s and started selling cigars to miners. He worked and saved until eventually, he himself owned several mines. Barnato’s nephew Solomon joined his uncle in South Africa and took over the mining business in 1897. Once he made his fortune, he returned to England and the woman he loved. In 1912, he brought his four best diamonds to Cartier and had this opulent brooch commissioned for his sweetheart. The piece was passed down Solomon Barnato’s family line and sold at auction twice before fetching $20 million at Masterpiece London. 3. Patek Philippe Henry Graves Cheap Van Cleef Alhambra Bracelet Supercomplication This Patek Philippe pocket watch may not be decorated with any precious stones, but don’t be fooled: this timepiece is worth a very pretty penny.  The Henry Graves Supercomplication was commissioned by its namesake, a banker and avid watch collector, in 1932 in an effort to outdo James Packard’s Grande Complication watch made by Vacheron Constantin. The Supercomplication has kept the title of most complicated timepiece created without the assistance of computers, boasting 24 complications in total, putting Packard’s Grande Complication, which was only outfitted with 10 complications, to shame. Graves’s timepiece included a map of the night sky as it appeared over Graves’s 5th Avenue apartment, Westminster chimes, a perpetual calendar, sunrise and sunset times and more. At a Sotheby’s auction in Geneva in 2014, the Supercomplication sold for an incredible $24 million. 2. The Hutton-Mdivani Jadeite Necklace Jadeite is an extremely rare (and expensive) variation of jade. The mineral is believed to cure illness and keep the wearer in good health, which are qualities that many would pay top dollar for. This particular strand of jadeite beads was most recently Fake Van Cleef Alhambra Earrings sold to Cartier for $27.44 million at a 2014 Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong. The exact age and origins of these beads are unknown, but their first appearance in society was in 1933, when the Cartier necklace was given to Barbara Hutton by Alexis Mdivani, a Georgian prince and her first husband. This piece is composed of 27 jadeite beads graduating in size from 15.40mm to 19.20mm—impressive sizes for this rare mineral. The clasp is set with rubies and diamond baguettes mounted in platinum and 18k gold. 1. Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond In its original form, the Wittelsbach diamond was a 35.56 carat beauty with a fancy, deep blue-gray hue of VS2 clarity. It was first mentioned in the aughts of the 18th century as an asset of the famous Hapsburg family in Vienna. In 1722, the stone moved to Munich when Austrian Archduchess Maria Amalia married Charles Albert of the Wittelsbach family of Bavaria. Charles went on to become Holy Roman Emperor Charles VIII in 1742. The diamond was first mounted in 1745 by Charles’s son and successor Maximilian I of Bavaria. The Bavarian king had the stone prominently displayed atop the royal crown, where it stayed until 1918. It stayed within the family until it was sold 1951, though they had been trying to sell it since the Great Depression. After the stone was bought, it changed hands several times: it passed between families, jewelry collectors, and even made an appearance in the World Expo in Brussels in 1958 before English jeweler Laurence Graff bought it in 2008 for $23.4 million. Graff caused controversy when he announced he would cut the diamond to enhance its color and clarity and ended up shaving off a stunning 4.45 carats in the process. Critics claimed that this drastic reduction of the gem’s weight also reduced its historical importance. Ultimately, however, Graff’s alterations increased the value of the stone, which was reevaluated as a fancy deep blue and internally flawless. In 2011, Graff sold the newly re-processed stone to the former emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani for at least $80 million.

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A Series of Unfortunate Events

A Series of Unfortunate Events by ensorcelled-oracle featuring Sur La Table ❤ liked on Polyvore

Self portrait midi dress, $340 / Temperley London mid length dress, $1,000 / Balmain lace dress / Self portrait lace dress / Christian Dior lace cocktail dress / Dolce Gabbana dolce gabbana dress / Lattori lace cocktail dress / Nina Ricci lace dress / Valentino lace dress, $2,780 / Chi Chi mid calf dress / Long sleeve dress / Miss Selfridge lace dress, $31 / Miu Miu pink lace dress, $950 / Chicwish petite cocktail dress / Sea New York off the shoulder dress / Balmain dress, $3,915 / Bodycon dress, $36 / LUCY IN DISGUISE high neck dress, $88 / Balmain dress / Gucci lace cocktail dress / Long sleeve shirt / Kenzo sweatshirt, $170 / TRAMP IN DISGUISE ruffle top, $78 / LUCY IN DISGUISE embellished top, $50 / Crop top / LUCY IN DISGUISE vest, $50 / WithChic button front denim skirt, $26 / Balmain high waisted skirt, $1,385 / WithChic flared skirt, $21 / Fendi handbag, $8,320 / Dolce Gabbana studded handbag, $4,015 / Kate Rowland pin brooch, $11 / Russell Lownsbrough antique ring / White gold jewellery, $4,760 / Tattoo jewelry, $4,925 / Hoop earrings, $1,495 / Rembrandt Charms metal jewelry / 18k earrings, $4,925 / Fur scarve, $305 / Gray scarve / ZeroUV oversized glasses / Tom Ford men s accessory / Sur La Table serveware / Santa claus ornament / Victorian sepia tone baby photographic portrait mourning brooch pin... / Oeuf Tooth Fairy Pillow / Love Lock Key Lariat

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Grays Antique Brooch in London

Are you looking for the best Grays Antique Brooch in London? Based on London Nigel has a fine selection of 19th and 20th century highly wearable brooches available to buy online and in store. Contact us now!

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A Fishing Theme

When I was young my Grandfather, a very keen angler, shot and yachtsman, took my younger brother and I on our first fly fishing trip to his local lake near Helston in Cornwall. From that moment on, I was hooked on the sport, from learning how to cast a fly line, to dropping a dry fly into the path of a cruising trout. Very exciting indeed at the tender age of ten.

Jack Charlton came into the shop and wanted to be fully kitted out

At the age of seventeen after leaving school, I applied for a job as a salesman in the fly-fishing trade with the company C Farlow and Co (associated with Farlow Sharpe’s of Aberdeen) located in Pall Mall, London.  After nine months, I moved jobs to the other end of Pall Mall to work for the House of Hardy, or Hardy Bros, as they were better known in the trade. During my four and a half years there, I learnt a great deal about the equipment needed to catch both trout and salmon, whether it be delicate dry fly fishing on the River Test, to deep water wading for salmon in Scotland. My knowledge and love of the sport has remained with me to this day and to a degree, has been useful in the years that followed.

I had the pleasure of meeting some very well-known people during my time at Hardy Bros. One particular memorable moment was when the well-known footballer, Jack Charlton came into the shop and wanted to be fully kitted out with everything he needed to be able to fish his local reservoir. Two and a half hours later he thanked me for all my help and left the shop with a biggest smile ever on his face. I would like to believe that I played a small part in fuelling his passion for fishing which eventually led him to host a television series on fly fishing some years later.

In 1979 my life changed direction, I joined my Father and Brother at the renowned jewellers, Harvey and Gore in Burlington Gardens, London W1. It was here that I learnt about buying and selling fine jewellery, specialising in wearable items of the 18th to the 20th century. Initially, my particular speciality was anything connected to the sporting world of game fishing but as I progressed I started to collect any finely made jewellery that was of a sporting nature or game related.

My passion for sporting and game related jewellery, is … as strong as ever

Upon the end of our lease in 2005, I decided to move on and began trading under my own name from the Grays Antique Centre W1, where I am still based.  I continue to deal in finely made jewellery but have added fine Cufflinks to my specialities with around 100 pairs in stock. My passion for sporting and game related jewellery, is however as strong as ever. At the moment I have in stock a pair of gold mounted, crystal cufflinks, with painted game birds in flight, a white gold brooch in the form of a Salmon, a Victorian gold Snipe brooch, and a very fine brooch of a diamond set horse head pavé set with diamonds within a similarly set horseshoe, to name but a few items.

I not only have my Father to thank for the wealth of knowledge he imparted to me during my many years with Harvey and Gore but I also seem to have mastered his art in story telling too. So here’s an amusing one for you.

It was when Grandpa took my brother and I all those years ago on possibly our third fishing trip to the local lake. We had caught nothing in the first hour, and were quickly losing patience so we decided to go and watch Grandpa. He agreed that no trout were rising at all so ten minutes later, we decided to have a little game with him. We collected some small gravel stones, and while he was casting his line in one direction, we threw a piece of gravel to his right. He immediately lifted his line, and cast into the direction of the forming rings. We continued to do this for about twenty minutes. A little later, we went over to him and asked again how he was getting on. He was quite perplexed stating how difficult it was that night, with plenty of fish rising, but nothing biting. He really couldn’t understand how such a good fisherman as himself was unable to catch anything, which of course was quite embarrassing in front of his young grandsons. We never let on and as mischievous youngsters, we continued with our little pranks whenever we were given the opportunity. This day ended in our favour, 0 to Grandpa, 1 to the Grandsons, which was some consolation for not catching any fish!  For more information please visit: Fishing Theme Nigel Norman