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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Tiffany jewels at auction in New York

18 April 2017

Much like René Lalique, Louis Comfort Tiffany’s successful career as a glassmaker overshadowed his genius as a goldsmith. Both men created jewellery that have come to define Art Nouveau in France and North America.

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The popular and enduring riviere Georgian style

18 April 2017

The rivière – one of the most popular and enduring styles of necklace to come out of the Georgian period – features an endless line of matched or subtly graduated gems set within inconspicuous collets. However, as Marielle Whiting at Woolley & Wallis of Salisbury points out, seldom are they equals.

Napoleon ring sold at Osenat auction

Napoleon’s gold ring given to young love takes €29,000 in Fontainebleau auction

12 April 2017

A gold ring set that was given by the young Napoleon to a youthful love, Caroline du Colombier, sold for a double estimate €29,000 (£25,220) at a recent auction in France.

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Reader tips? Music to our ears

05 April 2017

MADAM – I was amused to read in the Previews section of ATG No 2285 that the “star” in Locke & England’s March 30 sale would be a large organ clock, estimated at £3000-5000 (lot 100). This is certainly not the case.

barcelet

Previews: £30,000 plus

05 April 2017

ATG’s weekly selection of items on sale at auctions and dealerships.

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Fettercairn Jewel returns to Scotland

05 April 2017

Enforcing its Scottish significance, a Renaissance gold pendant known as the Fettercairn Jewel has been bought by the National Museums Scotland.

English bracket clock

International previews: Horology in Massachusetts

25 March 2017

The Pittsfield, Massachusetts, auction house Fontaine’s has a track record of selling good examples of horology and has achieved some very high prices recently for elaborate English clocks made for the Chinese market.

verge pocket watch

British pocket watches to feature in sale of local man’s collection at The Canterbury Auction Galleries

24 March 2017

An 18th century gold-coloured pocket watch is among the lots expected to lead one collection in The Canterbury Auction Galleries’ upcoming auction.

William Ilbery gold watch

Outstanding gold timepiece by “the father of Chinese watches” comes to auction

20 March 2017

Numerous 18th and 19th century watchmakers in Geneva and London made their living by manufacturing watches for the Chinese market, many destined for the Chinese Emperor and members of his court. One of the pioneers in this field was William Ilbery who was active in London from about 1780 until his death in 1839.

Ring

Victorian gold ring sells in Bristol auction as part of Flog It! visit

15 February 2017

A Bristol filming session for the BBC's TV show Flog It! series saw the multi-estimate sale of this Victorian gold ring.

Dior

Vintage glamour under the hammer at Catherine Southon auction of Dior costume jewellery

10 February 2017

Vintage Dior jewellery regularly takes thousands of pounds at auction, but buyers at an upcoming Catherine Southon sale have the chance to score some classic pieces at three-figure sums.

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Empress of Russia's Fabergé gift to her Yorkshire godchildren comes to auction

09 February 2017

The tragic story of the last of the imperial Russian family does not have an immediately obvious connection with a Yorkshire spa town but it is nonetheless a strong one.

Napoleon ring given to Caroline du Colombier

Napoleon’s object of desire – gold ring given to future Emperor's young love emerges at auction

01 February 2017

A gold ring set with a carved ivory scene given by the young Napoleon Bonaparte to an early love, Caroline du Colombier, is coming up for auction in Fontainebleau, France next month.

Bruton Street

Jewellery dealer SJ Phillips to make Mayfair’s Bruton Street its new home

17 January 2017

Antique jewellery dealer SJ Phillips is moving out of Bond Street next month to a second floor of Bruton Street in Mayfair.

Gold ring

Surrey Police call on antiques trade to help track down stolen Victorian ring

10 January 2017

Police are appealing to the antiques trade to look out for a rose gold Victorian ring that was among a collection of jewellery stolen from a home in Godalming, Surrey.

Australian gold rush era bracelet

Review of the Year 2016 - Picks of the Year

29 December 2016

Here are five of ATG's ‘best of the best’ picks of the week from 2016 – all remarkable both for their price and the stories they tell.

Christie's pop up

Christie’s France turns hand to retail with Christmas pop-up shop

12 December 2016

If a Chanel snow globe, a Fabergé bracelet or a blue table by Yves Klein are on the list for Father Christmas this year then head to Christie’s Paris showroom this weekend.

Gold torc

Museums offered chance to buy metal detectorist’s Bronze Age gold torc

29 November 2016

A 3000-year old torc found in a field in east Cambridgeshire is one of the largest and heaviest to be unearthed in the UK.

Houdin clock

Transparent 19th century ‘mystery clock’ comes up for sale at Chiswick Auctions

21 November 2016

A rare early model of the ‘mystery clock’ invented by magician and horologist Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin (1805-1871) is up for sale at Chiswick Auctions next month.

Patek Philippe Reference 1518

Phillips Auction House sets £7.7m auction record for wristwatch with rare Patek Philippe

14 November 2016

Phillips set a record price for a wristwatch sold at auction over the weekend when a Patek Philippe Reference 1518 was knocked down for SFr9.6m (£7.7m).

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