Royal Ascot is one of Britain’s oldest racecourses, and it is as much a part of British sporting culture as Wimbledon and the FA Cup. Royal Ascot is the horse racing equivalent of Le Mans, The Monaco Grand Prix and the Indy 500 all rolled into one, staged over five gloriously sunny (or miserably wet) June days.
The spectacle of Royal Ascot is instantly recognisable, the eye-opening parade of ever more unusual hats, the A-list celebrities and international royalty mingling with sporting heroes and the great British public, all dressed in their finest formal wear. It’s almost as though the whole world converges on this Berkshire flat-racing national hunt course every year – as they have done since 1711 – to watch the world’s elite racehorses, jockeys and the most famous training stables in horse racing history, compete in iconic races like The Gold Cup.
To celebrate Ascot this year, we’ve curated a collection of Grant Macdonald London’s fine craftsmanship inspired by (and in some cases made for) the racing aficionados, equestrians and haute couture on display at this remarkable sporting occasion…
Paragon Silver Champagne Flutes £1345.00
One of Royal Ascot’s most famous traditions is the luxury picnic, often carried in traditional wicker baskets, filled with cucumber sandwiches, caviar and scones, served with champagne… what else! A glass of champagne served in one of our silver flutes, with their fiery gold interiors, will remain cold and sparkling long after your picnic glassware has let it warm up and go flat. They are robust, durable and supremely beautiful, and should they be required for a special occasion like a wedding, anniversary or birthday inside as opposed to al fresco, they are equally at home and equally as impressive.
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Radial cufflinks £195.00
While the ladies of Royal Ascot may wear the finest high fashion millinery and haute couture dresses in a wide variety of styles, the men at Ascot are rather more restricted in their dress code. The traditional top hat and tails and formal ties leave little room for a personal style statement… however, what your wear on your cuff can convey your own unique style. Our Radial Cufflinks were designed using high tech 3D printing techniques, then cast and finished in our workshops by master craftsmen in the time honoured tradition of London’s great silversmiths. Like Royal Ascot itself, they are a blend of history and heritage, combined with the latest in design and luxury, and sure to impress discreetly.
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Unbridled Beauty, Masterwork £ P.O.A
No global sporting festival is complete without the cups, golden plates, sculptures and objet d’art that adorn the trophy cabinets, board rooms and private residences of the winners and runners-up. So, to celebrate Royal Ascot, we proudly present our limited edition Unbridled Beauty, an archetypal finely bred race horse sculpture. Standing 27.5cm tall and weighing-in a shade under 2.3kg, this substantial masterpiece represents the very finest work of our master craftsmen, sculpted in astonishing detail with hand chased detailing. There will only ever be 10 of these fine stallions, and so they are as rare in number as they are in quality and attention to detail.
Contact us for more information, and also to consider options for even greater personalisation: grantmacdonald.com/commissions