When an occasion arises where one must appear mysterious & intriguing (and we all have these moments), there's nothing quite like the elegant blackness of jet and onyx jewels to get the point across:
234 West 13th Street
We are so thrilled to be all set up at our forever-home: 234 West 13th Street.
The new Gray & Davis boutique occupies the spacious ground floor of a lovely old Victorian brick apartment building c. 1890.
Before the current building was erected, the land was occupied by a stable. It was sold for development along with 7 two-story brick buildings along the same block for $25,000 back in 1882.
Over the years the apartments were occupied by working-class New Yorkers: dressmakers, masons, clerks, grocers, machinists and their families have all called 234 W. 13th their home.
The ground floor, where Gray & Davis is today, was originally the business place of a marble importer. By 1909 the space was occupied by A. Berni, who sold "Organs for Carnivals, Merry-go-Rounds, Skating Rinks and Moving Picture Theaters."
In 1919, it was a grocery store, and in the 1930s a Ford dealership. Most recently, 234 W. 13th was a vitamin shop.
We are very excited to be the next chapter in the life of a great old New York building.
A Victorian Gate Bracelet
Gate bracelets--link bracelets with a heart-shaped padlock closure--were a popular gift around the turn of the twentieth century.
Traditionally, a gentleman would place the bracelet on the wrist of his paramour and lock the clasp with a matching key, thus ensuring that he was the only one able to open the "gate" to his lady love's heart.
The clasp on our gate bracelet functions quite well without it's key, so whoever wears it is able to to open and close their heart's gate according to their own free will.
Say Yes to Wednesday: Unique Art Deco Diamond Ring
This ring is a stunning example of Art Deco craftsmanship, and features a 0.25 carat old European cut diamond of F color and VS2 clarity set within a bombe of diamond-studded platinum piercework. The shoulders of the platinum mounting are further embellished with engraved detail, and taper gracefully to a rounded band. Total diamond carat weight of the ring is 0.72 carats.
Currently available in the Gray & Davis online shop!
Would you say yes?
Autumn = Brooch Weather
Fall is wonderful for many reasons: Halloween candy, foliage, apple picking, etc., but for antique jewelry addicts the absolute BEST part about fall is the return of big brooch weather.
That’s right, gone are the gauzy garments of summer that could barely support a single stick pin. Back are the formidable trench coats, tweed blazers and chunky sweaters of fall: all perfect canvases for the substantial, statement-making brooches favored by Victorian fashionistas.