Clocks, Watches & Jewellery

This category ranges from historical clocks to contemporary jewellery. Dealers tend to specialise in one of these individual areas while many auctions feature separate sections for horology, watches and jewellery as part of their mixed sales.

However, dedicated sales, especially in the jewellery category, are now fairly commonly especially in London, Birmingham and other major centres.

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Fringe benefits for Bromley diamonds

29 June 2020

Among the many successful online-only jewellery auctions that took place during the lockdown was that held by Bromley-based saleroom Catherine Southon (18% buyer’s premium), writes John Benjamin.

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An upbeat market during lockdown

29 June 2020

The hunger among buyers to acquire good quality jewellery stayed strong during lockdown, writes John Benjamin.

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The web shop window: Scottish lantern clock

29 June 2020

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

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Jewels of the Egyptian 12th Dynasty emerge in Cambridge sale

29 June 2020

Archaeological discoveries were a continuous source of inspiration for jewellery in the 19th century. Ancient goldsmithing techniques were studied and relearned. Jewels found during excavations of Roman, Egyptian, Hellenistic and particularly Etruscan sites were copied or reinterpreted.

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The enduring appeal of the 19th century revivalism

29 June 2020

The Etruscan revival, that followed in the wake of the discovery of ancient gold jewellery in the 1830s, was the first and most popular of all the historical styles embraced by jewellers of the Victorian period.

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Georg Jensen brooch offered at Philadelphia auction

22 June 2020

This Danish silver, amber and agate brooch from c.1915 by Georg Jensen will feature in the art and design sale to be held by Freeman’s of Philadelphia on June 26.

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Watches: More left in the Tank – Cartier’s most famous watch

15 June 2020

Over a century old, Cartier’s most famous watch is seemingly ubiquitous on the market. But pre-war examples of the Tank are scarcer than one might imagine.

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Rare spy camera disguised as pocket watch from 1905 brings bidding battle between two museums

15 June 2020

A rare ‘pocket watch’ sold by East Bristol Auctions (18% buyer’s premium) was more surveillance device than timekeeper.

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Gold bracelets go from mucky moat to Monaco auction

15 June 2020

Around 20 years ago the owner of a mediaeval manor house in northern Europe made an exciting discovery when clearing out the moats of the fortified house.

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Lemania – maker to the British forces

15 June 2020

Lemania is a name that should be as well-known as that of Omega or Tissot. The firm – dubbed by one watch blogger as ‘the greatest maker of watches that you may never have heard of’ – provided every single chronograph movement that those much better-known brands used until the 1970s.

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Longines watch brings strong interest at in Selborne auction

15 June 2020

The Longines WWW is deemed the second rarest of the ‘Dirty Dozen’. These watches, made by 12 different Swiss brands, were ordered by the British Ministry of Defence during the tail-end of the Second World War for issue to army ground personnel.

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Auction previews: issue 2447

15 June 2020

Fifteen upcoming lots from auctions taking place around the UK.

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Market for iconic Rolex 'tool' watches turns tropical

15 June 2020

The market for vintage mechanical wristwatches, which began in earnest in Europe in the 1990s, is not yet fully 30 years old but is maturing rapidly.

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Rolex displays make the perfect accessory

15 June 2020

From the 1950s-70s, the Rolex produced a range of memorabilia given only to dealers to promote the brand. A vibrant market has grown in the past decade that has broadened the world of watch collectors beyond horology.

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Heuer races to a fine finish

15 June 2020

The Heuer Monaco, the world’s first automatic chronograph with a square case, was launched at the Basel fair in 1969 with the retail price set at $200.

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Pocket previews

15 June 2020

Dual time zones watches first came into fashion in France, where they were used to show both ‘time’ in the traditional manner and also Revolutionary time, a short-lived idea based on the decimal system.

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Emperor makes an entrance

15 June 2020

As collectors are squeezed out of the market for watches by Rolex and Omega, prices for vintage chronographs by ‘lesser’ makers are steadily rising in value.

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Omega watch: a speedy way to pay for a wedding

15 June 2020

This ‘pre-Moon’ Omega Speedmaster purchased new in Berlin in 1960, came for sale at Aston’s (24% buyer’s premium) in Dudley on June 11.

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Nagel to offer Johann Heinrich von Dannecker terracotta model for clock case

08 June 2020

In his day, Johann Heinrich von Dannecker was one of the most prominent German Neoclassical sculptors. He was born as the son of a stable-hand to the Duke of Württemberg, but went on to become the duke’s court sculptor.

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William and Mary longcase clock strikes the right notes at Tennants

18 May 2020

Results from two salerooms including an £18,000 longcase reflect strong demand

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