A jewel in the crown of the 2012 London summer calendar, Masterpiece London is set to return on 28 June - 4 July, with a Preview on 27 June. With a mission to deliver the best of the best in art, antiques and design from around the world, Masterpiece London is a visually arresting, highly entertaining and educational day out.

With something for everyone, here are ten reasons why you should firmly mark the dates in your diary and purchase your ticket to Masterpiece London 2012.

1.     Magpies: Experience Brilliant, an exhibition of diamonds and design

A spectacular exhibition in celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, Brilliant is guaranteed to dazzle and excite. Curated by Carol Woolton, jewellery editor of UK Vogue and a leading authority on jewellery, the exhibition offers the opportunity to study the light and fire of the stones, and appreciate the extraordinary craftsmanship of each diamond piece. Harry Winston, Dior, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, George Jensen, Solange Azagury-Partridge, Dior, and Tiffany & Co are just some of those involved.

2.    Petrol heads: Get revved up with a potential 2012 UK World Championship motorbike from Shaw Speed and Custom

Experience the exhilaration of world class Shaw Speed and Custom motorbikes. Created by the only UK company to have ever won the World Bike Championships, the F1XLR is exclusive to Masterpiece London and will have a unique Formula 1/ McLaren inspired appearance. This new bike will be entered into a competition to qualify for the Modified Harley-Davidsons Class at the World Championships, meaning whoever purchases it will own a potential 2012 UK World Championship bike.

3.    Food lovers: Dine at Le Caprice, Harry's Bar, The Mount Street Deli and Scott's Seafood and Champagne Bar

Masterpiece London offers the ultimate dining experience by bringing together a panoply of London's favourite clubs and restaurants under one roof, courtesy of event makers Urban Caprice. There's something for everyone: book a table with friends at the iconic Le Caprice, famed for its classic modern British and international menu; enjoy a Bellini and seasonal Italian produce from the world-famous Harry's Bar; for a delicious salad, meat or fish dishes, home-made sandwich or scrumptious cakes throughout the day, go to The Mount Street Deli; or take a seat at Scott's Seafood and Champagne Bar to enjoy its finest oysters, fish and crustacea, and a well-sourced Champagne menu.

4.    Anglophiles: Celebrate the best of British

Many exhibitors are set to embrace the wave of patriotism currently sweeping the country, by bringing some truly British pieces to the fair. Look out for Linley's sixty stunning Limited Edition Boxes distinguished by that most quintessentially British symbol, the Union Jack Flag. W.W. Warner Antiques will show a rare and impressive biscuit figure of a young Queen Victoria, the only other British monarch to share the Her Majesty the Queen's sixty year reign, and Peter Harrington will exhibit a selection of first edition novels by the iconic British author Charles Dickens. Finally, Based Upon will offer a prime example of its highly acclaimed, large scale artworks, entitled Remembering Knightsbridge. The work is inspired by the London urban landscape, and is the product of the exploration into the archetypal forms and patterns of our capital city. The piece was created to commemorate the Olympics, the Queen's Jubilee and to pay homage to London's landmarks, hence the 'Rule Britannia' references throughout, including the Union Jack flag and Olympic stadium.

5.    Romantics: Get swept away in the romanticism of arguably the world's most sensual embrace, The Kiss by Rodin

Never before shown to the public, a bronze cast of Rodin's The Kiss will be available at the fair and is offered for sale by the Sladmore Gallery. This iconic work was one of the first of Rodin's seated lovers as he plunged into the thematic subject of illicit love and the Dantesque relationship of Paolo and Francesca. The bronze was purchased from a Swiss private collector, who in turn purchased it directly from Rodin himself in 1916.

6.    Contemporary Art and Design aficionados: Look out for two special projects set to be unveiled at the fair

Contemporary Art: Internationally renowned Gagosian Gallery will take part at the fair for the first time with a special project.  The addition of Gagosian further underlines Masterpiece London's essential position on the international stage, and strengthens the fair's appeal to all collector tastes, from antiquities through to the best contemporary art. 

Design: The Design Museum will be showcasing work from its Designers in Residence programme, which supports up and coming designers. Now in its fifth year, alumni from the programme will be exhibiting their recent work in a unique installation for Masterpiece London.

7.    Celebrators: Enjoy a Champagne tasting with Ruinart

Whether you are a Champagne expert, keen enthusiast or looking to celebrate your first Masterpiece London experience with a glass of bubbly, why not attend An interpretation and tasting of Ruinart hosted by wine maker Amelie Chatin on Sunday 1 July. The tasting will allow you to sample a selection of distinguished Champagnes, including the delicately aromatic R de Ruinart, and at the same time view Ruinart's contemporary art exhibit, a collection of twelve Ruinart portraits by Israeli-born artist Gideon Rubin. The portraits have been painted onto small parts of old Ruinart Champagne presentation boxes using large brushstrokes and the artist's signature style of representing individuals through portraits devoid of faces.

8.    Erudites: Learn from 3,500 years of knowledge with Afternoon Insights and the Wallace Collection 

Masterpiece London's exhibitors are some of the world's most brilliant minds in art, antiques and design, and bring to the fair an outstanding combined knowledge of 3,500 years. Visitors will be able to capitalise on this by learning about important exhibits from the experts, whilst being able to appreciate the objects first hand, courtesy of Masterpiece London's Afternoon Insights programme, new for 2012. The Afternoon Insights are free to attend for all ticket holders and include:An Introduction to contemporary ink painting by Asian contemporary art specialist Michael Goedhuis; Creation of a master timepiece - the intricacies of engraving with Vacheron Constantin; Artist talk: 3D technology artist and pioneer, Michael Eden by exhibitor Adrian Sassoon; and two talks courtesy of Kaare Berntsen, whose stand will be comprised entirely of Edvard Munch's works (and a print of The Scream available to purchase) , including Scream: the influence of Edvard Munch and Edvard Munch as a revolutionary print maker.

The Wallace Collection will be hosting a symposium on Saturday 30 June, led by Director, Dr Christoph Vogtherr. There will be four talks by Collection curators from 11.30 - 16.00, focusing on great collectors and their collections, including the French court of Louis XVI and British collecting in the 19th century.  Each talk is free to Masterpiece London ticket holders. 

9.    Star-spotters: Look out for a host of celebrities

Visitors to Masterpiece London can expect a star studded affair. Last year internationally renowned attendees included Prince Harry, Oprah Winfrey, Elton John, Tom Ford and Vivienne Westwood to name a few. Keep your eyes peeled; you never know who you might see.

10.Value seekers: you don't have to have deep pockets to attend

With all this on offer you might be surprised to learn that tickets to the fair are only £20. If you are someone who enjoys the finer things in life but might not have the bank balance to match, Masterpiece London offers an unparalleled and unforgettable day out for everyone, from those who aspire to own a masterpiece, to those who want to add to their existing collection.

For a full timetable of Masterpiece London Afternoon insights please visit: www.masterpiecefair.com

2012 Opening Times:

PREVIEW: Wednesday 27 June, 11.00-22.00

OPENING TIMES

Thursday 28 June, 11.00-21.00

Friday 29 June, 11.00-21.00

Saturday 30 June & Sunday 1 July, 11.00-19.00

Monday 2 July, 11.00-21.00

Tuesday 3 July, 11.00-18.00

Followed by the Masterpiece Midsummer Party in support of CLIC Sargent 19.00-22.00,CLIC Sargent is the UK's leading cancer charity for children and young people. For further information on the charity, please visit www.clicsargent.org.uk

Wednesday 4 July, 11.00-21.00

2012 Ticket Prices:

Preview Ticket: £100 per person - limited availability

Public Ticket: £20 per person

Charity Party Ticket: £150 per person

2012 Box Office Details:

Tickets can be purchased online at www.masterpiecefair.com

Tickets to the Charity Party can be purchased by calling 020 8752 2883 or visiting www.masterpiecefair.com