We meet David Aardewerk, owner of Rocks and Clocks, located in the Hofkwartier, just a stone’s throw away from the Noordeinde Palace in the centre of The Hague. Rocks and Clocks is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and has built a solid reputation over the past ten years.
“When I was 14 years old, I fell in love with the beautiful jewellery my grandparents were dealing in. In my spare time, I was often allowed to sit next to their goldsmith and learn. Later on, I followed a course on making jewellery, but eventually decided to become an architect. Blood is thicker than water, however, so I started collecting vintage watches and buying and selling antique jewellery. I thought it wise to know more about the things I was dealing in, so I pursued my education. Today, I am a registered appraiser, a certified diamond grader and a European-qualified gemmologist. We deal in antique and signed jewellery, vintage watches, Art Deco silver and of course our own contemporary signature collection. There is, however, a binding theme, which is quality. Quality of craftsmanship, quality of the materials used and – of course – quality of design. The result is a very personal collection.”