CONNOISSEURS ONLY
ASPREY LONDON
FOR
A
sprey is one of the exceedingly rare companies that have historic roots, a stellar reputation amongst true connoisseurs, and are still privately owned today. Founded in 1781 by William Asprey, the company was originally based in Mitcham, Surrey, until it moved into its current New Bond Street premises in London Mayfair. An early specialty was dressing cases, for which Queen Victoria awarded Asprey a Royal Warrant in 1862. Ever since, Asprey has enjoyed a long, continuous patronage by British royalty, having held a Royal Warrant from every British monarch since the 1860s in addition to several other foreign heads of state. HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, awarded Asprey a Royal Warrant until her death in 2002, as did her daughter, the current monarch, HM Queen Elizabeth II, as Jewellers, Goldsmiths and Silversmiths. In addition, Asprey continues to hold also a warrant from her heir, HRH The Prince of Wales, to this very day. Asprey’s notable customers are legion; one of them was perhaps the world’s most famous cigar smokers, Sir Winston S. Churchill, who used to keep his cigars in Asprey cigar cases; in fact, he was photographed with his Asprey crocodile case at the historic 1945 Yalta Conference. Another of Asprey’s legendary customers was Princess Diana who wore an Asprey Emerald Cut Aquamarine Ring, with solitaire diamonds, on numerous occasions throughout the 1990s ; more than two decades later, the same ring was worn by the Duchess of Sussex at her wedding reception to HRH Prince Harry in 2018.
50
STYLE
•
Volume 16