As a few of you already know from the Decades of Elegance Twitter and Instagram accounts, I have spent a couple of very exciting weeks at the antique jewellery shop Richard Ogden in the renowned Burlington Arcade:
The history of Burlington Arcade dates back to 1819…
I so enjoyed learning about the Ogden family history, so I thought this would be a good place to start our visit:
Richard Ogden Ltd, Burlington Arcade, London
Jewellery has had centre stage with the Ogden family for four generations, ever since 1893, when the first Ogden family jewellery shop was opened by James R. Ogden – a master jeweller and watch specialist. One of the most remarkable things that James did was help raise money for the excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb. He also restored various ancient gold objects found in the tomb, that now contribute to treasured collections in museums across Europe and America. He corresponded with two of the then leading figures of international archaeology, Howard Carter and Sir Leonard Woolley and became Advising Goldsmith to the British Museum. I find this especially fascinating as we have already learnt that the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 had a great impact on the Art Deco movement, a style that we love here on the blog!
Some of the stunning sculptures from ancient Egypt that we can now enjoy at the British Museum
In 1925, James’s eldest son William opened a shop in King Street, St James’s, London. William had a keen interest in jewellery with a family or dynastic history, and his collection included many pieces that came from royals or were sold to royals. He was known to be “more discreet than any banker” – and clients interested in these high profile pieces were always shown to the oak-panelled private rooms over his shop in King Street.
The Ring Room at Richard Ogden in Burlington Arcade
William’s son Richard continued the family tradition of dealing in fine antique jewellery after the war. Richard quickly gained international renown and legends such as Charlie Chaplin, Cary Grant, Ringo Starr, Ingrid Bergman and, more recently, Madonna were on his client list. Richard converted the lower ground floor of the shop to the famous Ring Room in the 60s (please see photo above). The showroom has recently been refurbished to accommodate a series of fine jewellery exhibitions alongside its more traditional role. Richard was also famous for creating exciting new designs, for example his famous Twinset engagement ring and wedding ring, which earned him a De Beers International Award in the 1970s. Richard passed away in October 2005, aged 85.
Just a small selection of the diamond rings that you will find at Richard Ogden
Richard’s eldest son Robert is a trained designer craftsman and an expert in diamonds and unusual precious gems. Until recently, he frequently broadcast on LBC radio, dating and identifying the listeners’ jewellery from their description.
We will soon return to Richard Ogden, as I am learning about everything from measuring diamond carat weight to telling the difference between an authentic emerald and a faux one – and I can’t wait to continue this journey with you!
You can visit Richard Ogden at: 28 Burlington Arcade, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0NX.
Decades of Elegance 