Whether you're looking for a pre-owned bargain or a rare investment item, you'll find a diverse range of sought-after antiques and designer pieces in the regular sales that take place at the UK's many specialist auction houses.
One such auction house, Birmingham-based Fellows, is holding one of its popular Designer Collection sales on 21 February. Among the covetable handbags on offer is a Chanel cream Medallion Tote (estimate £400-£600), a discontinued design that is now highly sought-after on the resale market. Also in the sale is an elegant Céline Trapeze handbag in navy blue leather (£400-£600), and, for those looking for an investment piece, a blue clemence Shooting Star Birkin 35 handbag by Hermès (£5,000-£7,000), the star stamp indicates the bag was made by a master Hermès artisan as a one-off collector's item.
Fellows also has an Antique & Modern Jewellery auction this month. Highlights in the 9 February sale include a late-Victorian gold, ruby and diamond heart pendant (£800-£1,200) that would make a perfect Valentine's Day gift, a Panthère de Cartier bracelet (£750-£950) and a diamond single-stone ring (£15,000-£20,000).
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Classic diamond rings are also featured in Chiswick Auctions' Jewellery and Watches sale on Valentine's Day itself. Lots include a princess-cut 2.05 carat single-stone ring (£7,500-£8,500) and a vintage diamond dress ring (£800-£1,200).
The following week, at Lyon and Turnbull's Edinburgh showroom on 22 February, there's a Jewellery, Silver & Watches auction, featuring an amethyst and diamond-set brooch (£600-£800) and a pair of natural pearl-and-diamond-set pendant earrings (£5,000-7,000).
In October, we reported on a very rare Rolex Submariner with Explorer dial for sale at Gardiner Houlgate. The piece sold for £168,000 (including buyer's premium), ending an extremely successful and record-breaking year for the watch department at the Bath-based auction house. Its next watch sale, on 22 February, features even more fine and rare Rolex watches, including a 1964 Fine Submariner 5513 with 3-6-9 Explorer dial featuring a rare double T25 print (£80,000-£120,000). Another notable lot is a rare, military-issue Rolex 'SBS' Milsub, reference 5517/5513 (£30,000-£50,000) from the 1970s, commissioned by the British Ministry of Defence with special enhancements to meet the needs of the Special Forces.