Susannah Lovis Antique Jewelry Store: Sundays in Mayfair

Susannah Lovis is one of the few antique jewelry store options in central London that opens seven days a week and asks for no appointment. The shop sits at 56-57 Burlington Arcade, Mayfair, London W1J 0QN, and keeps Monday to Saturday hours of 10am to 5:30pm, then 11am to 5pm on Sundays and bank holidays. Inside you will find Victorian tiaras, Art Deco platinum and signed vintage Cartier.

The business dates its start to 1996, when Susannah Lovis began dealing from a single cabinet in Burlington Arcade. She opened her first boutique under her own name in 1999 and launched a website in 2001, years before most dealers bothered. In 2006 she moved to number 50 in the arcade, and in 2025, after two decades there, the shop took over units 56 and 57, doubling both the showroom and its window.

Susannah, who holds the FGA and DGA gemmology diplomas, is still managing director. The firm's own timeline lists a CNN feature in 2005, a Vanity Fair cover in 2013, a Vogue piece in 2020 and an appearance on Channel 4's Millionaire Hoarders in 2023. In 2026 the team was nominated for Retail Team of the Year at the UK Jewellery Awards, a decent sign that the bigger room has not slowed it down. The arcade has been part of the story throughout: the shop staged a catwalk show there in 2012 and held its 25th anniversary dinner under the same glass roof in 2024.

Tiaras are the house speciality, and they are shown with prices. A Victorian en tremblant diamond tiara from about 1860 to 1870, old cut diamonds set in silver and gold on springs that quiver as you move, is listed at £27,500. An Edwardian sapphire suite from around 1915, a tiara that converts into a necklace and comes with matching earrings, costs £45,000. Ask to see the conversion done at the counter.

The Art Deco cases are just as strong. A feather-shaped double clip brooch from the 1920s, platinum set with brilliant and baguette diamonds, is £22,500 and can be worn as one brooch or split into two clips. An old mine cut diamond bracelet in platinum, made around 1920 to 1925, is £14,500. Both have the crisp geometry that makes Deco look modern next to the softer Victorian pieces.

Browsing is walk-in. The website states plainly that no appointment is needed, though one is welcomed. If you are serious about an engagement ring, reserve a private viewing in store or over video call, and name up to three pieces you want to see. The team will have them out of the window and on a tray when you arrive, which saves time on a busy Saturday when the arcade is packed.

Sunday is the quiet secret. Most Mayfair dealers are shut, the arcade is calmer and the 11am opening gives a slower start. Weekday mornings after 10am are also easy. Avoid late Saturday afternoons if you want unhurried attention. If the room is full, step out and do a lap of the arcade's other windows, then come back once the counter has cleared.

Every piece bought here comes with a complimentary insurance valuation and 14-day returns with no questions asked. UK delivery takes two to three working days. For jewellery bought elsewhere, the in-house valuer, Diane Owen FIRV, charges £150 for a single ring worth up to £10,000 and £195 for a ring above that figure. Valuations usually take three to five working days.

One honest warning: do not bring a broken heirloom here expecting a quick fix. The repair page says the central London workshop is currently taking repairs only from existing clients because of demand, with a minimum charge of £150. Buy a piece first and resizing can be done in a few days. If you need a ring resized that you bought elsewhere, Farringdons in Hatton Garden lists same-day resizing on request.

The shop also buys jewellery, takes part exchange, offers bespoke design and hires out pieces. Hire is the option worth knowing about for a wedding or a white-tie dinner, when a period tiara is wanted for one evening rather than for life. Terms depend on the piece, so discuss them in person. Loans secured against jewellery are listed among the services too, alongside help selling a whole collection from an estate.

The arcade itself is the attraction for many visitors, so expect tourists peering through the glass alongside collectors who know exactly which cabinet they want. Beadles in top hats patrol the arcade, as they have since it opened in 1819, and they still enforce old rules such as no running, so take your time.

The arcade runs north from Piccadilly to Burlington Gardens, and Green Park station on the Jubilee, Piccadilly and Victoria lines is about five minutes away. At the Piccadilly end, the Royal Academy of Arts occupies Burlington House next door, and its Annenberg Courtyard is free to walk through on the way in. Cross Piccadilly to Fortnum & Mason at number 181 for tea caddies and a coffee while you think over a price.

Susannah Lovis is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5:30pm, and 11am to 5pm on Sundays and bank holidays. Prices on the website are listed in sterling, and the stock list is updated as pieces sell. Shortlist favourites online before you go and ask for them by name, because the window holds only a fraction of the stock.