A Divine Art Deco-Style Diamond Ring

Art Deco-Style Diamond Engagement Ring at Richard Ogden

Oh I have such a crush on this ring and just had to share it with you guys!  It is an Art Deco-style ring here at Richard Ogden, with a centre diamond that weighs approximately 1.50 carats and is surrounded by brilliant and trillion cut diamonds – the trillion cut diamonds are the triangular ones that you can see on either side of the centre diamond.

Art Deco-Style Diamond Engagement Ring at Richard Ogden

In the photo above you can see around the small top diamond a millegrain edge – one of my favourite features in antique jewellery!  Millegrain is when the craftsman creates small beads out of the gold, that then run along the edges of the jewellery.  I love how it gives a piece such lovely character by softening the lines and adding some subtle sparkle to the design.

Art Deco-Style Diamond Engagement Ring at Richard Ogden

So there we are, a bit of Monday sparkle to kick off this wonderful week ahead!

Hatton Garden – London’s Jewellery Quarter

A cheeky visit to Hatten Garden last week – obviously wearing the vintage snake necklace!

When I first started writing this blog almost 2,5 years ago, one of the first things that I did was visit Hatton Garden, since I had heard that it was the centre of the UK diamond trade and the heart of London’s antique jewellery world.  The other week I popped by there for work, which obviously was a great excuse to take some photos for you:

Hatton Garden, Jewellery Centre of London

What I didn’t know the first time that I visited, was that the area surrounding Hatton Garden has been the centre of London’s jewellery trade since medieval times! (1)  In fact, the old City of London used to have specific quarters dedicated to various types of businesses, and the area around Hatton Garden sure hit the jackpot in my eyes, when it became a centre for jewellers and jewellery.  Hatton Garden is located very close to Chancery Lane, and you can also get there on foot from Holborn tube station.

Diamonds, diamonds everywhere!

The history of Hatton Garden dates back to the 15th century, when the Bishops of Ely in London lived in Ely Place in Holborn.  One of Queen Elizabeth I’s favourite courtiers, Sir Christopher Hatton, built Holdenby Palace, one of the largest palaces in the Tudor period (1485-1603), in 1583 as an honour to the Queen.  She was mighty delighted about this and told the Bishop of Ely that he simply must rent a portion of his land to Hatton – although some say that the Queen actually granted Hatton the Bishop’s house, much to the Bishop’s displeasure!  Hatton went on to (in a very humble way..!) renaming the Garden in the area after himself, and so Hatton Garden was born! (2)

Hatton Garden

Clerkenwell was at the time well known for watches and jewellery, but once the roads improved around Hatton Garden, craftsmen from Clerkenwell started populating this part of town as well.  Gold and platinum were trades of the street and Hatton Garden became known as a cutting centre for Indian diamonds; and once the Kimberley Diamond Rush of South Africa took place in the late 19th century, South African diamonds also found their way to Hatton Garden. (2)

Who knows, maybe some of these diamonds were cut a long time ago in Hatton Garden?  These beauties are from the exquisite collection of Moira Jewels at Richard Ogden in the Burlington Arcade

These days you can visit jewellery shops that specialise in traditional as well as contemporary designs in Hatton Garden, and it is definitely worth a visit as you can stroll down the streets and admire the most sparkling pieces of jewellery in the windows!

Sources:

1) Wikipedia – Hatton Garden

(2) Sterling Diamonds 

 

Moira Jewels at the LAPADA Art and Antiques Fair

Good morning dearest!  We are back at the LAPADA fair in Berkeley Square from the other week, and today we are admiring the collection of Moira Jewels:

A few beauties from Moira’s collection: a pair of aquamarine and diamond earrings, and a black opal ring with diamonds

I have been told by quite a few people to look closer at the pieces that belong to Moira’s collection, as they are some of the finest antique and vintage jewels around.  Above is a pair of aquamarine and diamond earrings – pretty sure I can hear a few of you swoon!

A few dress rings (also called cocktail rings) from Moira.  I adore the opal at the front here with its soft colours

I obviously have the privilege of looking at Moira’s pieces to my heart’s content, as they have their collection on display at Richard Ogden in the Burlington Arcade!  Their pieces span across the 20th century and you will find signed originals from the finest design houses, covering the art deco period – and continuing on to 1940s gold work and the modernist creations of the 1950s to the 1980s.

Vintage diamond watches from Moira Jewels

… and if you are anything like me, then these Art Deco diamond watches will make your heart beat just a little bit faster!  Oh can you imagine wearing one of these to that birthday party, or to those drinks at the weekend?  As soon as I wear a special piece of jewellery, I get so much more inspired to get dressed up and match it with a lovely dress.  I do think that we have moved away a little bit too much from the times when we would often wear our finest, so let’s just bring that back, shall we?  I am doing a proper summer to winter-wardrobe revamp this week and I will make sure to keep some glorious dresses out to stay inspired to wear them!

 Diamond tiaras from Moira Jewels

And these diamond tiaras were just too pretty you guys!!  Here in the UK (since I know that you lovely readers are based around the world) it is quite common for the bride to wear a tiara, and so it is just wonderful when these lovely ladies come into the shop and try on our collection of vintage and antique tiaras!  I would love to hear whether you would choose to wear a tiara or a veil or flowers or just a gorgeous hairdo at your wedding?

I will write a longer post on Moira Jewels soon and bring you some more photos of these heavenly pieces, and now I would like to wish you a lovely rest of the day!