By Simon de Burton ‘Certified, pre-owned’ has become a familiar phrase in the watch world during the past five or so years.  It refers to the sale of second-hand timepieces by the brands that originally made them, and each ‘CPO’ watch is usually offered with all the benefits associated with buying new – which means it will be in perfect working order, it will be guaranteed authentic and it will carry a warranty of up to two years. But while most major dial names only recently became involved in the business of re-selling second-hand models, one historic brand has been doing so for the best part of 18 years thanks to its unique arrangement with the highly respected dealer Somlo London – the world’s only official outlet for vintage Omega. George Somlo established the partnership with Omega in 2008, but his eponymous business can trace its roots back to the early 1970s when he cut his dealer teeth at west London’s celebrated Portobello Road antiques market. “I was born in Hungary but came to Britain with my parents when I was nine years old, in 1956 – the year of the Hungarian uprising. “We were the only survivors of the event from our family, and my parents brought us to London so I could have a better life,” says Somlo. Photo by Michalina Fransik Back in Hungary, Somlo’s father had been involved in retail and, once settled into a house in west London’s Ladbroke Grove area, he found work with a fellow Hungarian who ran a business specialising in reproduction jewellery. “My father couldn’t speak a word of English when we arrived , but he managed to sell this man’s jewellery. Eventually he took a stall on the Portobello Road and, from the age of 15, I was running it by myself every other Saturday. “Working in that environment meant you had to become a businessman, because there were so many deals going on – if you bought something at eight o’clock in the morning, it might change hands five or six times by 11!” In those days, says Somlo, there was little to no market for second-hand wrist watches, so he was mainly selling jewellery and the occasional piece of silver.  After school, however, he left the market behind, trained as an accountant and was soon recruited by IBM, then the world leader in computer production. “It was a booming business, but the company announced a relocation to Portsmouth and I didn’t want to leave my parents – so I went back to the markets, working at Portobello again as well as Bermondsey and off Brick Lane,” says Somlo. “I got stuck in and found I was really enjoying it, so I decided to try going out on my own.” The first Somlo outlet opened in 1970 in the basement of Mayfair’s now-defunct Bond Street Antiques Centre, before moving to an upper floor and then expanding into new premises in Piccadilly Arcade where it remained for 23 years. “At the beginning I was selling silver, a bit of jewellery and some antique pocket watches, but I realised that, in order to move up-market and be really successful it was necessary to specialise,” says Somlo. "In those days, no one really had any interest in wrist watches – only a few clever people who could see what was coming in terms of rising values and collectability. But, as the market changed, we evolved and began selling them alongside pocket watches.” Somlo’s competence in the genre ultimately attracted the attention of Omega, which suggested forming a partnership that would make the business the only outlet in the world officially sanctioned to sell the brand’s vintage creations. “I was very happy with the idea of the association, but we clearly needed a much larger shop so that half could be devoted to Omega and the other half to other brands that we sell, such as Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Piaget and Cartier,” explains Somlo. ‘Somlo London’ and ‘Omega Vintage’ took up residence in Burlington Arcade in 2006 and has since become the ‘go to’ outlet among those in search of the best of the best of the brand’s pre-owned pieces. “The business is unique in the world of vintage Omega, because we have a full-time watch maker and restorer on-site who is employed by Omega, and we receive all our parts directly from the manufacturer in Switzerland.” Somlo was undoubtedly instrumental in shining the spotlight on the collectability of Omega’s vintage pieces, the values of which have roughly tripled across the board in the past 20 years. Photo by Antonio Salgado But, despite having established a reputation for the quality of its pre-owned wristwatches (Omega and others) Somlo remains a valued hunting ground for pocket watch enthusiasts and keeps a stock of models dating as far back as the 17th century. “There are very few pocket watch specialists left today – and we also go right back to the dawn of the wristwatch in the early 20th century,” says Somlo. When it comes to the most collectable vintage Omegas, however, Somlo senior refers to his son, Daniel, to identify the nuances of specific pieces and to value them accordingly. He, too, considered a different profession – in this case, as an architect – before returning to the family business. Courtesy of Somlo London Having studied horology at the University of Birmingham before completing the renowned Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational programme (WoSTEP) in Manchester and then working for two years at an Omega service centre, Daniel is well qualified to buy, sell and advise on watches of all makes and types. Of late, he observes, there has been a shift away from the larger, more statement-making sports watches that became popular during the early 2000s and a return to more classic styles. “The rare, early Speedmaster models from the 1950s and ‘60s remain among the most valuable Omega watches we stock, and they can sell for anything between £60,000 and £90,000,” he says. “But we’re seeing an increasing demand for the brand’s smaller, more classical Constellation and Seamaster models.” And those who don’t have a five-figure budget to spend on a vintage Omega shouldn’t despair – according to Daniel, one particular model that remains largely under the radar but which is gradually picking-up followers is the unusual Chronostop single-button chronograph. “They start on the low side of £3,000 and can be had in some really attractive variations, from a special driver’s model to others with lovely, coloured dials in blues and greens. They are all manually-wound and use good quality movements. “And,” he adds, “the equivalent modern Omega of this quality would cost more than twice as much….”

Swinging chandeliers - more than a lighting solution By Catherine Milner, Treasure House Fair Magazine Editor Chandeliers are more than mere lights; they are suspended somewhere between the earthly realm and the divine. Their grandeur can define an interior, casting not only light but a mesmerising interplay of shadow and brilliance akin to the stars in the sky. For collectors, each chandelier tells a story of  craftsmanship, innovation, and historical significance. The word “chandelier” originates from the French chandelle (candle), a homage to its earliest incarnations—wooden crosses holding flickering flames in medieval churches. As technology advanced, so chandeliers evolved. In the 1600s, they began as metal and wire frames adorned with rock crystal beads and rosettes.  By the 1700s they were revolutionised by the invention of  leaded glass, which was clearer and could be more finely chiselled, creating the dazzling glass waterfalls that continue to captivate collectors today. The gas-lit fixtures of the mid-1800s gave way to the electric revolution of the late 19th century, ushering in a new era of dazzling innovation with ever more baroque styles incorporating floral, mythological, and even Egyptian motifs. As Giles Forster from Adrian Alan Limited remarks:  “The apotheosis of chandeliers came in the late 19th century with the advent of electricity. The biggest collectors were the maharajas of India, who commissioned chandeliers of breathtaking scale and opulence”. An ormolu and crystal glass Baccarat chandelie, Late 19th century Image courtesy of Adrian Alan In the early 20th century Tiffany introduced the stained-glass chandelier, blending Art Nouveau elegance with luminous colour; a style sharply curtailed by the Bauhaus movement between the wars with its  minimalist forms, while mid-20th century modern designs combined traditional and unconventional materials to create bold, brassy abstract pieces.  Today’s chandeliers integrate LED technology, allowing for dynamic lighting effects at the mere wave of a hand or a stern word to Siri.  Yet for collectors, it is the Georgian crystal chandeliers that still remain at the pinnacle of desirability. At the heart of these dazzling works was an intricate and labour-intensive process—each crystal prism meticulously hand-cut and polished from fine leaded glass. The elaborate, weight-bearing structures of cut crystal, festooned with hanging pendants balanced simplicity with elegant detail. Candles and glass were highly taxed in the 18th century, elevating chandeliers and dining after dark to the ultimate status symbol.  But to economise on materials without compromising grandeur, designers developed the “tent and bag” style, in which triangular-cut glass cascaded into a lower “bag” of delicate glass buttons. This innovation ensured maximum radiance with minimal glass, an ingenious balance of luxury and practicality. Few names in the world of chandeliers are as revered as Baccarat. Founded in 1764, this French glassworks earned the title of making the “crystal of kings,” crafting breathtaking pieces for European royalty as well as the King of Persia and the Queen of Siam.  Baccarat’s most prized chandeliers date from the late 19th century, a period when the house’s designs reached their zenith. One of their most extraordinary creations—a towering thirteen-foot candelabrum for seventy-nine candles—dazzled visitors at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1878.  Exposition Universelle 1867 Paris Image courtesy of Adrian Alan At the same time, ormolu chandeliers—luxurious gilded bronze fixtures—were a hallmark of aristocratic and royal residences in 18th and 19th-century Europe, particularly in France. The term "ormolu" (from the French or ormolu, meaning "ground gold") refers to a technique where high-carat gold was finely ground and applied to bronze using mercury, resulting in pieces of lavish wonder.  Still highly coveted among collectors, ormolu chandeliers feature mythological figures and scrolling foliage. The art of chandelier-making continues to evolve and is currently undergoing a renaissance. Recently, at Venice’s Procuratie Vecchie in St. Mark’s Square, an exhibition was held bringing together eleven internationally acclaimed artists, including Joseph Kosuth, Kengo Kuma, and Philippe Starck, who have collaborated with Murano’s master glassmakers to create masterpieces of contemporary chandelier making. Meanwhile, Nicola Anthony’s sculptural spiral-bound word chandeliers, available through Long-Sharp Gallery, redefine this centuries-old form through a lens of contemporary artistic expression. Digit Light, artista Emmanuel Babled, maestro Marino Gabrielli, c Nason Moretti. Photo by Giorgio Bombieri. Image courtesy of Venice Glass Week For collectors seeking timeless elegance, dealers such as Adrian Alan, Fileman Antiques and Butchoff Antiques offer some of the world’s finest examples of antique chandeliers. Rose Uniacke is currently selling a chandelier designed by W.A.S. Benson one of the key figures in the British Arts and Craft movement. Inspired by mistletoe, the ‘golden bough’ has always been held sacred for its association with vitality and has particularly powerful resonance when captured so poetically in brass. Whether you are drawn to the grandeur of 18th-century crystal, the elegance of ormolu, or the bright and often fantastical new interpretations of today, collecting chandeliers is more than acquiring lighting—it is preserving craftsmanship and the beauty of human ingenuity through the ages. A Rare Brass Chandelier by W.A.S. Benson Image courtesy of Rose Uniacke

Catherine Milner in conversation with Joost van den Bergh by Catherine Milner, Treasure House Fair Magazine Editor  Sitting in one of his set of rooms in a building situated behind Christie's in St. James's, Joost van den Bergh lounges on his sofa; his sangfroid contrasting with a fearsome looking Japanese lacquerware mask of a demon sitting on a shelf beside him. He has been immersed in the world of Far Eastern art for nearly 30 years, and is now recognised as one of the world’s leading authorities in Japanese Art Deco and decorative arts, as well as Indian ritual and Tantric art. His journey into what is still a fairly recondite area of the art market followed a circuitous path and was not to be expected from someone who spoke not a word of Hindi or Japanese when young. "I came to London having failed at my school,” he says. But after stints at Sotheby’s and working for a Chinese art dealer he began studying paper conservation and was first alerted to what has become his abiding love ever since. “There’s something about the imagery that just clicked," says Joost. "I think it’s the intricate, finely painted small works of art that really drew me in." Joost van den Bergh and the Japanese Hannya Mask in the background. Brought up in the southern Netherlands, in Breda, Joost’s father, who collected French Barbizon landscapes, played a pivotal role in shaping his future. "He always took us to museums. He took me when I was three or four to one of the very first Maastricht fairs which was at that time called Pictura; I have a vague memory of that." Despite his early exposure to art, however, Joost never considered pursuing a career in the field. "I sort of rolled into it, and I think that’s a good thing. I just went with the flow,’ he says. His advice to anyone considering following a similar path is to: “Start buying and make mistakes.”  Hastakara yantra, Ink and gouache on paper, Rajasthan, India, 19th century. Courtesy of Joost van den Bergh. Although he has the viewing space in which we are sitting, Joost sells most of his works through art fairs. He acknowledges the increasing importance of digital sales but remains a staunch advocate for the intimate, tangible, inspection of works. “You need to handle them; you need to really feel them,” he says. “I’ve always focused on art fairs,” he says. “I also love publishing catalogues. They allow me to have direct contact with potential buyers, and I think that personal interaction is invaluable.”  Joost’s book collection. At  the last Treasure House Fair, Joost mixed ancient Japanese bronze amphorae with contemporary Indian paintings creating a stand that was united in the purity of its aesthetics despite the disparate cultures from which it sprung. It drew in a lot of younger buyers, who are increasingly well travelled and interested in building collections of Far Eastern art. 20% of India's ultra-high-net-worth individuals are under the age of 40 and at the Indian Art Fair in Delhi in February there was a notable increased investment in Indian art of all periods and types by the young cognoscenti, according to the fair’s organisers. India Art Fair in Delhi. Photo by Tomasz Koclega.  Equally, “Japanese art is relatively speaking quite affordable” says Joost. “So it's accessible to a lot of people, as opposed to, say, Chinese art, which is already at a much higher price level.” “Take the Treasure House Fair as an example. There were a lot of dealers in Japanese art there. And we all did very different things; some selling Meiji bronzes, others selling early art. So people have a lot to choose from. And also Japan does feel like a kind of living, breathing culture that's still ongoing. The Japanese have kept their traditions in terms of very high levels of craftsmanship.” He is particularly captivated by the paintings of Shiraga Kazuo, who used his feet to paint, while hanging from ropes and was one of the leading lights of the 1950’s avant-garde Gutai movement. ‘I want to paint as though rushing around a battlefield, exerting myself to collapse from exhaustion!’ the artist said and the gusto and vim of his works is captured in a dashing black vortex of a painting hanging on the wall of Joost’s office. Shiraga Kazuo, Gouache on paper, 1993. Courtesy of Joost van den Bergh. Our conversation rambled onto the new European trade rules and Brexit and how it is affecting him – “we just need to get on with it,” he says pragmatically. And also onto how the Tantric art market is doing. Joost says enthusiasm for it has increased to such a point that it has become increasingly hard to find good pieces. "I think both knowledgeable and non-knowledgeable buyers are drawn to these works,” he says. “When I first saw them, I was just bowled over by their complexity and beauty. Then, as I began studying them, I realised there’s a whole philosophical depth. My favourite pieces are the ones we don’t quite know the meaning of. There are several of those. They’re beautiful because they’re mysterious." Photos by Michalina Maria Franasik