Gift Guide: #3 From Bentley & Skinner In Our 12 Gifts For The Holiday Series
This season we are lucky enough to have enlisted 12 expert modern designer retailers, antique dealers and shops for our holiday gift guide. For each installment, we have asked for suggestions from their brick and mortar or online stores. We have also asked what gift they would choose for themselves this holiday season.
For our third gift idea we travel to one of London’s magical antique shops, Bentley & Skinner which provided the wedding tiara for Lady Mary Crawley on Downton Abbey as well as some of the other tiaras worn during the series. Bentley and Skinner was formed as a partnership between Skinner & Co which was established in 1880 and was first invited to supply jewelry to the Royal Family in the latter years of Queen Victoria’s reign. It has stayed in the family for three generations. Bentley & Co was first established in Bond Street in 1934. For over 50 years the company was under the sole direction of the present Director’s late uncle John Sheldon, a connoisseur of Russian descent whose magnificent collection of jewels created world-wide interest when sold through Sotheby’s in 1985.
Omar Vaja Sales Director of Bentley and Skinner offers his suggestions for gifts for the holiday season:
“This Victorian naturalistic mistletoe leaf brooch would be an ideal holiday gift to receive. It is not only a stunning example of an old cut diamond and pearl piece but is in keeping with brooches popularity in jewelry again. It also provides a festive mood and who knows, you might be lucky enough to get the first kiss under this sparkling, magical mistletoe.”
“If you want to treat your loved one as a princess this Christmas and give her something to wear to dazzle friends and family, then this tiara is made just for her. It’s a truly sparkling gift from Victorian times with nine graduated diamond-set fleur de lis alternating with diamond set leaf and trefoil motifs in a gold mount. She will love that she can be princess for a day and also be herself when she wears this singular piece as a necklace throughout the rest of the year.”
“A magical holiday moment would be to present this brilliant velvet choker, mounted in platinum and adorned with diamonds shooting stars, moon and heavenly bodies. Why not help her to outshine all others this season at parties and get-togethers with this starry creation!”
“Working at Bentley & Skinner, it’s not an easy decision to choose one gift. But this year I would have to say it would be this exquisite pair of antique cufflinks as the warm color of the garnet and the diamond set star motif. They would look so elegant at Christmas dinner and parties. And, they are a perfect match for my wintery velvet jacket. They are also timeless and work with different color shirts and suits for all seasons. The more I talk about them, the more I want them for my own!”
