Christie’s Magnificent Jewels are back. A new auction of precious pieces is scheduled for April 14 in New York. There are more than 300 jewels on sale, including some exceptional ones, such as the four-strand necklace of colored natural pearls. Natural black and gray pearls are very rare: very few necklaces of this type have been put on sale in the last 50 years. The most famous case is that of The Nina Dyer Black Pearl Necklace, sold in Geneva by Christie’s in May 1969 and, more recently, the case of The Cowdray Pearls, sold in London in June 2012. The pearl necklace at auction has a dizzying price: Christie’s expects it to reach 40 million dollars.
In Europe, black pearls began to be highly sought after in the second half of the 19th century: much of their success is due to Eugenia, wife of Napoleon III (married 1853), who had a predilection for exotic gems and pearls. At auction at Christie’s there is a lot that includes over 289 pearls, with shades of pink, green or purple. In addition, Art Deco style jewels are also offered, such as two diamond bracelets with five strands of natural pearls, estimated at 120-150 thousand dollars, and a collection of white natural pearls with prices from 40 thousand to 400 thousand dollars.
In passo, a sinistra, collana di rubini e smeraldi di Bulgari: 300-400 mila dollari. Al centro, anello con zaffiro a taglio ottagonale: 1,2-1,8 milioni di dollari. A destra, bracciali Art Deco con diamanti e perle: 120-150mila dollari
«After the record year, 2014, in which Christie’s Jewelry sector achieved sales of 754.7 million dollars, we are starting the auction season with an exceptional sale», rejoices Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s international head of jewelry. “The April 14 auction features top-quality diamonds, rare colored gems, and natural pearls that represent a remarkable opportunity for collectors.”
Among the dozens of jewels on sale is also a selection signed by Laurence Graff, almost a synonym for diamond jewelry. Pieces also signed Bulgari, Cartier, Harry Winston, Jar, and Van Cleef & Arpels.
Among the gems on sale, a rare 80.73-carat cushion-cut diamond is worth mentioning, estimated between 4 and 5 million dollars. A necklace of white diamonds and colored diamonds by Graff is instead valued at 500-700 thousand euros. An internally flawless pear-shaped diamond of 25.49 carats is estimated at 2.5-3.5 million dollars.
Other pieces of note are the “capricci” by Paolo Flato. Born in Texas in 1900, he was the jeweler of Hollywood stars, but also of wealthy women such as heiress Millicent Rogers. Flato founded his company in New York in 1920, and then opened a shop in Los Angeles in 1937: his jewelry often had a humorous style.
