A Closer Look at the Andrew Grima Designs in Sotheby’s Upcoming Sale

By Annie Davidson Watson | February 07, 2023

For so many reasons, Andrew Grima wasn’t your average jeweler. Born in Rome, the Anglo-Italian designer was a mechanical engineering student who joined the Royal Engineers during World War II. It wasn’t until after the war that he entered the world of fine jewels, working for his father-in-law’s firm, Haller Jewellery Company Ltd. (H.J. Co.), in the accounts division. Slowly but surely, Grima’s creative genius emerged, making him a go-to, self-taught designer for royalty—both British (Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret) and American (Jackie Kennedy Onassis)—and others throughout the 1960s.

Now, Sotheby’s is offering some of Grima’s most iconic designs from that time period to the 2000s as part of its Fine Jewels sale in London on Feb. 9.

A highlight of the auction is an incredibly rare, one-of-a-kind timepiece pendant from Grima’s collaboration with Omega, which began in 1969. Named Woodland, the abstract design was part of a collection of watches called About Time, and marked Grima’s first foray into horology. (When asked earlier about designing watches, he’d famously said: “If you need to know the time, you ask your chauffeur.”) The piece is expected to fetch between $18,000 and $24,000.

Another fantastic item headed for auction is a circular diamond and gold pendant with textural detail that only Grima could achieve, and that became his signature style.

Below, we take a closer look at these exceptional pieces and more by one of the most distinctive jewelry designers of the 20th century.