Secondhand jewellery stores in London - recommendations please?

[Phoenix]

I'm gonna be in London for 6 weeks soon. I'd love some recommendations for 2ndhand jewellery shops, particularly for high end designer jewellery like VCA, HW and Cartier. I wouldn't mind looking at old cuts too.

Estate sales would be another place I'd be interested in.

 

[Phoenix]

ETA: I know about Gray's Antiques on Bond Street. But it seems their prices are rather exorbitant!

 

[OoohShiny]

You are of course aware of Hatton Garden - that is likely the best place to look for bling!

A lot will be 'new', though, but I believe there are a couple of shops that sell secondhand/estate stuff.

Paris Jewels (ironically, lol) and Berganza on Greville Street (which crosses Hatton Garden) are the two I've seen.


I'd also recommend a look at Durrants for some no-nonsense chat - unlike a lot of places on Hatton Garden, they don't do the Hard Sell thing, they let their stuff speak for itself and are happy to chat through a design you might like made.

They have a small window but also do a lot of work for wealthy clients, from what I can tell and from what they've said - the chap (the father) came out from the bench in the back of the shop one time I was there with a 6ct pear he'd just finished setting... lol


There is the CBI stockist over in Stratford (the name escapes me but they are on here) if you wanted to look at some CBI stones and perhaps get something made up, but you might need to call ahead to get stuff ordered in.


London is generally super-expensive for most things, and the sky's the limit when you get into places that the higher social circles visit (so not me ) but it is a great city of culture Just need to be as careful as any other big city WRT personal safety and security!

 

[EC8]

There are several shops at Burlington Arcade, the one I went into was Moira (they are on IG if you want to check them out). I recall a watch shop or two near them. The Arcade is also in Mayfair like Gray’s. Expensive, but most of London is...
Then there are antique fairs that are held with some frequency; I follow thomasgloverjewels on IG who shows at numerous ones like decorative fair, so you may want to check his feed to be aware of upcoming events while you are in London.

 

[Austina]

I went to Berganza to look at their OECs @Phoenix , I wasn’t impressed with their stock or the prices! Although I have to say, they weren’t at all pushy.

I’ve looked at Moria online, and their prices seem pretty high too!

Depending on when you’re here, Fellows auction house has had some VCA and other designer pieces, which I’ve posted in your thread, and they have London viewings.

 

[lissyflo]

I echo above comments re Berganza’s prices!

John Joseph often have lovely antique rings online but no prices listed. Farringdons seem to have named pieces in fairly regularly, based on their Insta feed.

I haven’t bought personally from any of these but have bought in Fellows auction - as Austina said, their auction site is out of London (around an hour to an hour and a half drive west towards Bath) but you can view in central London and bid online.

And if you like a clean, modern take on antique style (not secondhand though), make sure to head to Jessica McCormack’s flagship store. Stunningly beautiful but pricey!

 

[OoohShiny]

I forgot - if you're in London, you should visit Graff - I am too much part of the riff-raff to get past the burly door security but if you flash that honker on your finger, you should be allowed in, I reckon

Harrods is likely also a place to visit - plenty of high-end stuff in there, although also a lot of tourists gawking at things they can't afford... lol

You should definitely pay a visit to The Albert Hall for a concert - it's an amazing venue.

 

[Austina]

https://www.fellows.co.uk/2321-lot-...ort_by=&style=&sub_cat=&view=lot_detail&year=

 

[mrs-b]

Frost of London, on Bond St

Please buy this:

https://www.frostoflondon.co.uk/jewellery-c1/rings-c581/rose-gold-multi-coloured-wide-ring-p10074

 

[mrs-b]

Bentley and Skinner in Mayfair on Piccadilly.

 

[RosieR]

I too would stay away from Berganza they are very very expensive for what they sell. Also stay WELL AWAY from Farringdon jewellery in Hatton Gardens. In 2017 they sold me a pair of what was described as diamond and platinum earrings and they totally ripped me off. The rhodium plaiting wore off and they were actually 9 carat white gold!! Such a bunch of liars! ( I should probably do a PSA post)


Do persevere with Grays antiques market. There is some stunning jewellery and the aim of the market is to haggle. I recently bought some 3.5 carat diamond clusters from John Joseph and was able to negotiate a 30% reduction on the sticker price. Trick it to get friendly with the owner of the stall. The nicest and most chatty vendors at Grays who were happy to negotiate on price were Anthea (AG Antiques) downstairs (such a lovely personable woman ) mr Joseph of John Joseph antiques upstairs. Both have wonderful inventory but no GIA and they are very soft on colour grading IMO.

There are also many jewellery fairs where vendors are open to negotiating:

Masterpiece London https://www.masterpiecefair.com


The BADA fair https://www.bada.org/bada-fair


The LAPADA fair https://lapadalondon.com


Just get chatting and leave the harder negotiating to the last day. You can see some amazing pieces and meet some quite eccentric characters.

Enjoy your trip to London!!

 

[RosieR]

Oh forgot to add I also have some experience with Rich Diamonds https://www.richdiamonds.com

I went to them to sell my love bracelet, but still have not pulled the trigger in selling it. They were very personable and professional. They sell a lot of Cartier and occasionally VCA, not all with original paperwork, but this is reflected in the price.

 

[AV_]

Hancocks

http://www.hancockslondon.com/acatalog/hancocks_jewels.html

 

[OoohShiny]

This is turning into a 'places to visit during a UK GTG' thread lol

 

[ac117]

Oh forgot to add I also have some experience with Rich Diamonds https://www.richdiamonds.com

I went to them to sell my love bracelet, but still have not pulled the trigger in selling it. They were very personable and professional. They sell a lot of Cartier and occasionally VCA, not all with original paperwork, but this is reflected in the price.

*Quick sidebar* Deets on your love??

 

[RosieR]

*Quick sidebar* Deets on your love??

Sorry to thread jack Phoenix

@ac117 It’s only a yellow gold sm Cartier love bracelet complete with:
Screw driver
outer and Inner box
Paper Cartier shopping bag
All Paperwork to authenticate
Sales receipt from Dubai Mall Cartier boutique dated 2017

Edit to say inner and outer box comes with it

 

[ac117]

Sorry to thread jack Phoenix

@ac117 It’s only a yellow gold sm Cartier love bracelet complete with:
Screw driver
outer and Inner box
Paper Cartier shopping bag
All Paperwork to authenticate
Sales receipt from Dubai Mall Cartier boutique dated 2017

Edit to say inner and outer box comes with it

and size?
[Sorry phoenix!]

 

[Phoenix]

Thank you soooo much, ladies. My mouth is watering right now looking at the pics and thinking of the various prospects! lol

@RosieR and @ac117, no worries. Threadjack away!

 

[Phoenix]

I too would stay away from Berganza they are very very expensive for what they sell. Also stay WELL AWAY from Farringdon jewellery in Hatton Gardens. In 2017 they sold me a pair of what was described as diamond and platinum earrings and they totally ripped me off. The rhodium plaiting wore off and they were actually 9 carat white gold!! Such a bunch of liars! ( I should probably do a PSA post)


Do persevere with Grays antiques market. There is some stunning jewellery and the aim of the market is to haggle. I recently bought some 3.5 carat diamond clusters from John Joseph and was able to negotiate a 30% reduction on the sticker price. Trick it to get friendly with the owner of the stall. The nicest and most chatty vendors at Grays who were happy to negotiate on price were Anthea (AG Antiques) downstairs (such a lovely personable woman ) mr Joseph of John Joseph antiques upstairs. Both have wonderful inventory but no GIA and they are very soft on colour grading IMO.

There are also many jewellery fairs where vendors are open to negotiating:

Masterpiece London https://www.masterpiecefair.com


The BADA fair https://www.bada.org/bada-fair


The LAPADA fair https://lapadalondon.com


Just get chatting and leave the harder negotiating to the last day. You can see some amazing pieces and meet some quite eccentric characters.

Enjoy your trip to London!!

Thank you so much, @RosieR. That's shocking about Farringdon! Glad to hear about John Joseph. I do like Grays Antiques and have seen some really amazing old cuts in there - some are very large. I just thought their prices were too high and non-negotiable. Good to hear otherwise.

I'd love to go to the fairs too.

 

[Phoenix]

@OoohShiny, lol re Graff. I've actually been there before but shall try again this time. I am actually from London but haven't lived there for the last 2 decades. Previously, when I went back, it was only for 1 or 2 weeks at a time. So it was always a rush. Will def try to attend a concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Thanks.

Ladies, I am a little concerned about the safety aspect. In my previous trips, I always had a car and I was just going back and forth to visit family and not so much shopping or looking around. This time, I won't be driving (as I'm still dizzy, though that's improving somewhat) and shall be taking public transportation. I'm thinking of leaving Holly at home. I'm, however, meeting a couple of PS'ers and they've asked if I could wear my pear. What do you think? Also thinking of wearing my 2.3ct each BGD studs and possibly my Cartier paved Love bracelet. Would that be all too much and attract the wrong attention?

 

[OoohShiny]

@OoohShiny, lol re Graff. I've actually been there before but shall try again this time. I am actually from London but haven't lived there for the last 2 decades. Previously, when I went back, it was only for 1 or 2 weeks at a time. So it was always a rush. Will def try to attend a concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Thanks.

Ladies, I am a little concerned about the safety aspect. In my previous trips, I always had a car and I was just going back and forth to visit family and not so much shopping or looking around. This time, I won't be driving (as I'm still dizzy, though that's improving somewhat) and shall be taking public transportation. I'm thinking of leaving Holly at home. I'm, however, meeting a couple of PS'ers and they've asked if I could wear my pear. What do you think? Also thinking of wearing my 2.3ct each BGD studs and possibly my Cartier paved Love bracelet. Would that be all too much and attract the wrong attention?

The Underground is generally safe - one of the 'joys' of living in Britain nowadays is that every single bloody shop has CCTV, along with buses, taxis, the Tube, most busy streets in London... 'just in case'.

Does CCTV prevent crime? The statistics suggest not IIRC, it's more a case of having some evidence to start from in any attempt to solve a crime

Anyway, I am cynical about such things and wish people would behave in an appropriate manner in the first place! lol


re: not driving, be glad - I do drive there myself fairly regularly, and it's a complete PITA nowadays - so much space has been reallocated to pedestrians and cyclists, and most cut-throughs have been blocked off, meaning all through-traffic that doesn't live in an area is funneled into one or two main arteries and is just stuck there if its busy. (grrr...)

There are also an abundance of traffic cameras - speed cameras, red light cameras, bus lane cameras, yellow box junction cameras, Congestion Charge cameras (£12.50 a day to drive in the central area) - as well as insane parking charges in the central areas, so unless you're hyper-aware, it's easy to inadvertently pick up a 60 quid fine here and there or, worse, points on your licence. The latter even more so now that, apparently, "20s plenty" , which means even main roads have pointlessly, painfully slow 20mph speed liimts on them at all times of the day and night.

I do still enjoy driving in London, the cut-and-thrust is quite fun, but then I am a masochist like that lol

If you're not a regular to the area, driving is probably best left to Black Cabs, Ubers and the bus drivers!


You may need to pick up an Oyster card if you want to travel on the Underground or the bus network - IIRC buses don't take cash onboard anymore and although you can use a debit card to 'tap in' and 'tap out' when you join and leave the Underground, I'm not sure if you'll also incur currency conversion costs with every trip if you're using an American debit card. (I'm not sure if you can use a Credit Card, but the same potential issues apply.) I believe you can get Oyster cards from newsagents, but I'm not certain.

I personally don't like the fact that Oyster means they can track your trips across the network and capture your image as you go through barriers, so I usually pay in cash for a (paper) One Day Travelcard at a machine in a station entrance foyer. I can't remember the costs right now but, naturally, it is more expensive that way than to use Oyster or a debit card

Have a look at the Transport for London website for details, I reckon - it is pretty useful generally.


WRT safety, you should be just fine. There are instances of mugging, of course, as in any big city, but I don't believe it happens very often in the main tourist areas in the centre. Away from the centre, in the, er, 'less socioeconomically successful' areas, shall we say, it pays to have one' wits about oneself, but then we should probably be doing that anyway, wherever we are, lol.

I have not seen a lot of big (diamond) bling on my travels in London but I have occasionally seen clearly-well-heeled ladies on the Underground, and expensive watches on men are fairly common in the City. I think that it would make sense to wear your hair down and turn any big stone towards your closed palm on public transport if you are wearing 2ct+ studs and a honker on you finger, but if you are travelling with friends/family then I think risk is reduced - safety in numbers and all that.

I'm not entirely sure about buses - you hear about some bad things happening on buses (and they are usually full of weirdos haha) but there must also be a million people a day travelling on them without incident, so just common sense stuff like mentioned above should be fine, I reckon.


Distraction-technique theft can take place in busy areas and at cashpoints/ATMs, especially places like Oxford Street etc., so I would recommend a small purse worn across the body with the zip to the front and underneath a coat, if the weather allows. Take care waving a mobile phone about in busy places and when standing by the side of the road (because of passing mopeds occasionally being used for snatch-and-grab theft!) and perhaps invest in some earphone things that you can leave plugged into the phone and maybe wear one loosely in one ear (so you can still hear out of it but can answer a call) and leave the other one out, to save having to get your phone out in public. In restaurants etc., don't leave anything out on a table (especially if you're next to a walkway or near a door) and take it with you when you visit the ladies!


All of this makes it sound like London is the wild west but it's really not - I always (99.9% of the time) feel safe in London, even in busy crowds, and as long as one is aware of one's surroundings and the sort of techniques that can be used to gain advantage over you, as mentioned above, and have some ability to 'read' people that are around you (to assess if they may be up to no good or looking out for opportunities to take advantage of people), then we can only do the best we can to avoid being a victim of any kind.

If you're staying and travelling in the very centre then I think any risk level is minimal with the application of common sense and some basic mitigation techniques I hope you enjoy your trip and I am not creating unnecessary worry - there is so much to see and do that you could plan something for every day of a six week trip and eat in a different restaurant for every meal, and you'd still have lots you couldn't get done!

I do, of course, caveat all the above with the fact that I am a male of the species, who is fairly tall, fairly broad, and average-looking to the point of invisibility lol so I hope some of the ladies on here can also chime in with their viewpoints and experiences!

 

[RosieR]

A large ring, studs and pave love should be fine, but if all paired with a birkin and other recognisable expensive looking brands you will look like a target. I pull my sleeves down over my tennis bracelet and wear my hair down to cover my studs when on the tube. However that all goes out the window if you are hanging out in Mayfair, Kensington etc,

Also if you are into old cuts definitely check out Guy Burton at Hancocks in Burlington arcade. Expensive, but oh the eye candy!!!! he deals mainly in high colour old cut stones and high quality collectibles.

 

[lissyflo]

If you’re staying somewhere central then the tube will be fine with jewellery. I wouldn’t wear loads of jewellery then get off late at night at a quiet station with a long walk, but busy central stations will be no problem. As others have said, just spin your ring around and cover your ears.

What I wouldn’t do, especially in touristy areas or expensive areas, is walk around with an obviously expensive bag or coat. There’s loads of moped snatch gangs operating at the moment, even out in well-heeled suburbs. If you’re doing lots of high-end shopping in Mayfair etc then just be sensible as you would in any city and don’t dress up to the nines.

If I’m by myself, I always use a black cab rather than an Uber too. Properly registered and licensed drivers that way. Uber are currently operating on a temporary license in London as the mayor wouldn’t renew it in full because of poor operating practices across a number of areas.

 

[OoohShiny]

Also if you are into old cuts definitely check out Guy Burton at Hancocks in Burlington arcade. Expensive, but oh the eye candy!!!! he deals mainly in high colour old cut stones and high quality collectibles.

Wow, they've got some serious nice and eclectic stuff on their website!
https://www.hancocks-london.com/vintage-antique/jewellery.html/

 

[Phoenix]

The Underground is generally safe - one of the 'joys' of living in Britain nowadays is that every single bloody shop has CCTV, along with buses, taxis, the Tube, most busy streets in London... 'just in case'.

Does CCTV prevent crime? The statistics suggest not IIRC, it's more a case of having some evidence to start from in any attempt to solve a crime

Anyway, I am cynical about such things and wish people would behave in an appropriate manner in the first place! lol


re: not driving, be glad - I do drive there myself fairly regularly, and it's a complete PITA nowadays - so much space has been reallocated to pedestrians and cyclists, and most cut-throughs have been blocked off, meaning all through-traffic that doesn't live in an area is funneled into one or two main arteries and is just stuck there if its busy. (grrr...)

There are also an abundance of traffic cameras - speed cameras, red light cameras, bus lane cameras, yellow box junction cameras, Congestion Charge cameras (£12.50 a day to drive in the central area) - as well as insane parking charges in the central areas, so unless you're hyper-aware, it's easy to inadvertently pick up a 60 quid fine here and there or, worse, points on your licence. The latter even more so now that, apparently, "20s plenty" , which means even main roads have pointlessly, painfully slow 20mph speed liimts on them at all times of the day and night.

I do still enjoy driving in London, the cut-and-thrust is quite fun, but then I am a masochist like that lol

If you're not a regular to the area, driving is probably best left to Black Cabs, Ubers and the bus drivers!


You may need to pick up an Oyster card if you want to travel on the Underground or the bus network - IIRC buses don't take cash onboard anymore and although you can use a debit card to 'tap in' and 'tap out' when you join and leave the Underground, I'm not sure if you'll also incur currency conversion costs with every trip if you're using an American debit card. (I'm not sure if you can use a Credit Card, but the same potential issues apply.) I believe you can get Oyster cards from newsagents, but I'm not certain.

I personally don't like the fact that Oyster means they can track your trips across the network and capture your image as you go through barriers, so I usually pay in cash for a (paper) One Day Travelcard at a machine in a station entrance foyer. I can't remember the costs right now but, naturally, it is more expensive that way than to use Oyster or a debit card

Have a look at the Transport for London website for details, I reckon - it is pretty useful generally.


WRT safety, you should be just fine. There are instances of mugging, of course, as in any big city, but I don't believe it happens very often in the main tourist areas in the centre. Away from the centre, in the, er, 'less socioeconomically successful' areas, shall we say, it pays to have one' wits about oneself, but then we should probably be doing that anyway, wherever we are, lol.

I have not seen a lot of big (diamond) bling on my travels in London but I have occasionally seen clearly-well-heeled ladies on the Underground, and expensive watches on men are fairly common in the City. I think that it would make sense to wear your hair down and turn any big stone towards your closed palm on public transport if you are wearing 2ct+ studs and a honker on you finger, but if you are travelling with friends/family then I think risk is reduced - safety in numbers and all that.

I'm not entirely sure about buses - you hear about some bad things happening on buses (and they are usually full of weirdos haha) but there must also be a million people a day travelling on them without incident, so just common sense stuff like mentioned above should be fine, I reckon.


Distraction-technique theft can take place in busy areas and at cashpoints/ATMs, especially places like Oxford Street etc., so I would recommend a small purse worn across the body with the zip to the front and underneath a coat, if the weather allows. Take care waving a mobile phone about in busy places and when standing by the side of the road (because of passing mopeds occasionally being used for snatch-and-grab theft!) and perhaps invest in some earphone things that you can leave plugged into the phone and maybe wear one loosely in one ear (so you can still hear out of it but can answer a call) and leave the other one out, to save having to get your phone out in public. In restaurants etc., don't leave anything out on a table (especially if you're next to a walkway or near a door) and take it with you when you visit the ladies!


All of this makes it sound like London is the wild west but it's really not - I always (99.9% of the time) feel safe in London, even in busy crowds, and as long as one is aware of one's surroundings and the sort of techniques that can be used to gain advantage over you, as mentioned above, and have some ability to 'read' people that are around you (to assess if they may be up to no good or looking out for opportunities to take advantage of people), then we can only do the best we can to avoid being a victim of any kind.

If you're staying and travelling in the very centre then I think any risk level is minimal with the application of common sense and some basic mitigation techniques I hope you enjoy your trip and I am not creating unnecessary worry - there is so much to see and do that you could plan something for every day of a six week trip and eat in a different restaurant for every meal, and you'd still have lots you couldn't get done!

I do, of course, caveat all the above with the fact that I am a male of the species, who is fairly tall, fairly broad, and average-looking to the point of invisibility lol so I hope some of the ladies on here can also chime in with their viewpoints and experiences!

Too funny, @OoohShiny!

Thank you sooooo much for your very detailed post. I will bear all that in mind. I have actually used the Oyster card in the past and almost never take the bus. I actually witnessed, just two years ago when I was back, a purse grab-and-snatch. It was absolutely shocking!

Hmm...I may be re-thinking wearing my studs now. But I have long hair and am intending to wear a hat too (this is what 2 decades of living in the tropics does to you...you're so scared of cold weather, lol). So maybe it'd be ok after all. Maybe I won't wear my pear bc it's large and pretty visible.

I'm staying near Canary Wharf but anticipate travelling into Central London for bling window-shopping, meeting up with friends, and also to other areas to visit family. It's prob better to be safe than to be sorry.

 

[Phoenix]

A large ring, studs and pave love should be fine, but if all paired with a birkin and other recognisable expensive looking brands you will look like a target. I pull my sleeves down over my tennis bracelet and wear my hair down to cover my studs when on the tube. However that all goes out the window if you are hanging out in Mayfair, Kensington etc,

Also if you are into old cuts definitely check out Guy Burton at Hancocks in Burlington arcade. Expensive, but oh the eye candy!!!! he deals mainly in high colour old cut stones and high quality collectibles.

Thank you, @RosieR. Hmnm...ok, maybe not the pear ring after all. I'm sure that I will be wearing a long-sleeved top and a coat at all times, given the frigid weather there! lol

I was debating what handbag to carry too. So all Hermes are out then. I used to carry an LV cross-body bag (the Chantilly) whenever I was in London. But the strap on that is now broken. I'll have to look for another cross-body bag.

Thanks for the recommendation re Hancocks. It looks like Burlington Arcade is another must-visit place.

 

[OoohShiny]

Pffft - it's 11 degrees today and I drove 50 miles with the roof down - it's not that cold over here

Canary Wharf itself is crazy-expensive for housing so you should be just fine in terms of safety around there, but the surrounding areas are perhaps less well-off, so the usual caution should be exercised.

The Docklands Light Railway should get you to Stratford for the Westfield Shopping Centre (go early, avoid weekends!) and you can travel the other direction to take you to Bank, which is not far from Liverpool Street.
https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/

All the stations are well connected, really, so you'll have no issues getting around on the Underground and pretty much everything is walkable - this map gives you walking distances between stations, so you can always stride out and see some of the city rather than hiding under it!
http://content.tfl.gov.uk/walking-tube-map.pdf

In fact, there are a lot of walking tours available, such as these:
http://www.walks.com/our-walks/secret-london
and there are even ones like a Harry Potter tour, which is pretty cool!

I did actually find this Hatton Garden tour - I've only just stumbled on it and have no idea on quality (or if you'll get 'the hard sell' at the end, but might be worth a look?
http://www.lauriewickwire.com/lecturer/hatton-garden-tour/

 

[Phoenix]

Pffft - it's 11 degrees today and I drove 50 miles with the roof down - it's not that cold over here

Canary Wharf itself is crazy-expensive for housing so you should be just fine in terms of safety around there, but the surrounding areas are perhaps less well-off, so the usual caution should be exercised.

The Docklands Light Railway should get you to Stratford for the Westfield Shopping Centre (go early, avoid weekends!) and you can travel the other direction to take you to Bank, which is not far from Liverpool Street.
https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/

All the stations are well connected, really, so you'll have no issues getting around on the Underground and pretty much everything is walkable - this map gives you walking distances between stations, so you can always stride out and see some of the city rather than hiding under it!
http://content.tfl.gov.uk/walking-tube-map.pdf

In fact, there are a lot of walking tours available, such as these:
http://www.walks.com/our-walks/secret-london
and there are even ones like a Harry Potter tour, which is pretty cool!

I did actually find this Hatton Garden tour - I've only just stumbled on it and have no idea on quality (or if you'll get 'the hard sell' at the end, but might be worth a look?
http://www.lauriewickwire.com/lecturer/hatton-garden-tour/

Haha, 11 deg C and much colder at night is frigid compared to the 33-35 deg C I've been living in for the last 2 decades, lol.

Thanks again for all that information. Funny thing is I am actually from London but maybe I will discover more during this trip than I ever did before. I think also a lot has changed since I last lived there. So it should be interesting.

 

[OoohShiny]

lol, Ok, I'll give you that - 30 degrees is definitely not 11 degrees!

I can get to London really very easily but I've barely scratched the surface of its history or things to do - I'm pretty sure one could do something different every day of the year!

It has changed a LOT in terms of buildings, public realm design, road layouts/restrictions, gentrification of poorer areas... I think you will be very surprised at how it has changed!

 

[OoohShiny]

In terms of things to do, things that come to mind are:

Walking tours
Open-top bus tours
Helicopter tours (if you're feeling flush!!)
Hire a Santander bicycle and ride around for a day
Check out the (IMHO) awesome, industrialist-style Westminster underground station (you'll need a ticket to get into it but can just hop off at Westminster anyway when visiting the area)
Take a boat trip up and down the Thames (I think you can use an Oyster card for this as TfL run one/some)
The London Eye (big wheel thing)
The London Dungeons experience (even if it is in a modern building now)
The Tower of London
Walk round Soho
Walk round Hyde Park
Walk round Covent Garden (and eat at nearby Wildwood restaurant for reasonable cost)
Walk round Regent's Park
Walk round Buckingham Palace gardens / Green Park
Walk along Embankment and marvel at how it is all man-made between the original garden boundaries and the river as it is now, as well as take photos of the cool buildings on Southbank
Walk along the river as far as you can in each direction on each bank
Oxford Street shopping
Harrods / Harvey Nichols / Knightsbridge (£££) shopping
Bond Street (£££) shopping
Claridges shopping
Canary Wharf Shopping Centre shopping (check out Watches of Switzerland, Tiffany, Watchfinder: https://canarywharf.com/shop-type/jewellery-watches/)
Visit Graff
Visit Hatton Garden
Visit all the other places recommended in this thread
Visit Borough Market (and eat at 'Roast')
Visit Spitalfields Market
Take in a concert at the Royal Albert Hall
Take in a film at the BFI IMAX
Tour of Buckingham Palace (I think these happen?)
Tour of the Houses of Parliament / the Palace of Westminster (I think these happen?)
Visit Westminster Abbey
Visit St Paul's cathedral
Visit Somerset House
Visit Oxford Circus
Visit Trafalgar Square (with the National Gallery on the north side)
Visit Leicester Square (although touristy and small)
Visit Savile Row (to see if you can get a cool ladies' suit made?)
Visit the Monument to the Great Fire of London (as part of a trip to the area, as it's just one column, lol)
Visit Brick Lane (dressed down, minus bling)
Visit The O2 in Greenwich and book a climb/walk over the top of it
Take a trip on the Emirates Airline gondola thing
See what is on at the ExCel centre and take a trip if it's of interest
See a show or two in the West End theatres (maybe the Mousetrap - the longest running show in the world)
See a show at the Shakespeare's Globe open-air theatre
Take a trip up The Shard to the viewing platform and/or the (£££) Shangri-La restaurant (dress posh!)
Eat out in Chinatown
Eat out at (£££) The Ritz
Eat out at The Dorchester
Eat out at the top of the Natwest Tower / Tower 42, in Le Restaurant de Paul
Visit the Science Museum
Visit the Natural History Museum
Visit the Victoria and Albert Museum
Visit the Imperial War museum
Visit the National Gallery
Visit the Tate Britain/Modern Galleries
Visit Tower Bridge (I think they have access to the top and also underneath it)
Visit any/some of the old churches around the place
Don't visit Madame Tassauds wax museum (because crowded and mediocre)
Take a train up to historic Cambridge for a day
Take a train to the seaside at Brighton for a day
Take a coach tour (with tourists and older people ) to historic Stratford-upon-Avon for a day (to see Shakespeare's house etc.)


There is more I'm forgetting!