There’s something about vintage jewellery that makes even the coolest female heart beat a little faster. It’s the soft colour of the gold, the antique settings and the traditional cuts of the diamonds and precious stones that give the pieces their special charm. For more than 130 years, women with a passion for antique jewellery-as well as the men who loved them-have been turning to Bentley & Skinner when they had an engagement, a wedding, a birth or simply a happy birthday to celebrate.
Once upon a time, the company was two separate Bond Street jewellers. The family-owned and run Skinner & Co caught the eye of Queen Victoria, and has held the Royal Warrant ever since. But, in 1998, with no male heir to continue the line, Richard Skinner merged it with Bentley & Co, renowned in its own right, especially for its collection of Fabergé. Today, Bentley & Skinner is official jeweller to both The Queen and The Prince of Wales.
The company is an old-fashioned jeweller in the best sense of the word, in that it will sell you a fine string of natural pearls, an Art Deco necklace, a vintage brooch or a delightful engagement ring, but on top of that, it will source special pieces and can value, restring, repolish and redesign. Serious collectors know that the three biggest names in the jewellery world are Cartier, Giuliano and Fabergé, and, at Bentley & Skinner, there is always a selection from each of them. If you’re looking for a piece of Art Nouveau or Art Deco, for some Georgian earrings or a Victorian brooch, Bentley & Skinner has made those periods its own.
It’s no wonder that through its doors pass some of the most glittering and interesting faces. From stars of screen and stage to international royalty, they know that if it comes from Bentley & Skinner, it’ll be the finest of the fine. And, best of all, there’s the fact that there will be nothing quite like it anywhere else in the world.
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