Great jewels return to Geneva with the Sotheby’s auction scheduled for May 14th. The auction includes an extraordinary jewelery collection of over 250 pieces of the highest quality, assembled by a passionate European collector over fifty years: it is one of the most important private collections of designer jewelery ever put up for auction. This is why the sale was entitled Iconic Jewels: Her Sense Of Style.
When you come across a jewellery collection as consistently stunning and substantial as Iconic Jewels: Her Sense of Style, it’s a heart-stopping moment – the kind you know you’ll never forget. This collection, with its many, many dazzling signed jewels from the most beloved and sought-after design periods in jewellery history, is truly one of a kind and one of the most important private jewellery collections I’ve ever seen. It is an incredibly powerful and sophisticated love letter to jewellery from an enlightened private collector which I know will inspire other collectors and connoisseurs all around the world.
Marie-Cécile Cisamolo, jewelery specialist, Sotheby’s Geneva
The collection is estimated at between 4.7 and 7.3 million Swiss francs (i.e. between 5.4 million and 8.3 million dollars) and will be offered in two sales sessions: 46 jewels will be offered on May 14th in the sale of Magnificent Jewels, during the Sotheby’s Luxury Sales in Geneva. Another 200 pieces, however, will be sold online from May 2nd with offers closing on May 16th.
The selection is a tribute to 20th century jewelry design and an encyclopedic showcase of its most iconic pieces and most influential trends, exemplified by creations from the most prestigious jewelry houses including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Boucheron, Chaumet , David Webb, Mauboussin, Marina B, Sterlé and Mellerio dits Meller. A special place, with 30 jewels, is reserved for the Maison founded by one of the designers who made the history of jewellery: René Boivin. Famous for his intricately crafted and brightly colored jewels, Boivin’s style has exerted great fascination on the private collector who, over time, has purchased what may be the largest selection of works by the French jeweller.
The most precious pieces
Among the top lots there are creations by Bulgari, including an exceptional pair of earrings, set with two Fancy Intense Yellow diamonds weighing just under 10 carats each and previously belonging to the legendary Baroness of Portanova (estimate 400,000-600,000 francs). American socialite. Presented alongside the imposing pair of earrings is a rare Serpenti Theodorus bracelet watch, accompanied by an original drawing from the Bulgari archive dated 1968 (200,000-400,000).
Other iconic pieces include those from Cartier, including a 1969 Panthère bracelet (250,000-350,000) and an exquisite Tutti Frutti bracelet (200,000-400,000), a choker and earring set by Marina B, intricately set with carved amethyst ( 30,000-50,000), as well as a transformable Passe-Partout set from the 1940s by Van Cleef & Arpels consisting of a necklace, three brooches and a pair of clip earrings (80,000-120,000).
