Golconda Archives | gioiellis.com

Marilyn’s diamond, sapphires by Kashmir

Published on November 2, 2018

Merilyn Monroe’s diamond and an exceptional sapphire necklace for sale by Christie’s ♦ ︎

Myths are eternal, even more if they involve transversely different peoples, different epochs and universal characters. Like Marilyn Monroe. The actress who died aged only 36, on 5 August 1962, remains one of the most beloved figures and, above all, a symbol of femininity. Also with regards to his love for jewels. On November 27th, Christie’s will test the fascination for Marilyn with an auction in Hong Kong.

On sale there is a 24 carat yellow diamond that belonged to Marilyn Monroe.

Not only. It is a stone with a story to tell. The diamond is called The Moon of Baroda, is a pear-shaped fancy yellow, which originates from the legendary now-exhausted mines of Golconda, India. The actress wore this diamond as a pendant in 1953, while promoting the release of Gentleman Prefer Blondes movie. It was the film in which she sang Diamonds are the Girl’s Best Friend, a historical phrase (perhaps too much). The myth was also immortalized by an autographed photo of 1953 in which Marilyn Monroe appears wearing La luna di Baroda. The photo is also part of Christie’s auction and will be sold together with the diamond.
The diamond, in addition to Marilyn, was also before owned by Samuel H. Deutsch, a diamond cutter from Cleveland, Ohio, who bought it in 1944 and sold it to Meyer Rosenbaum, president of the Meyer Jewelry Company of Detroit, in 1953. Current estimate is between 510,000 and 765,000 dollars.

But in the same auction appears another special and much more precious jewel: The Peacock Necklace, a necklace of diamonds and 21 Kashmir sapphires for a total of 109.08 carats, estimated at between 12 and 15 million dollars.

Kashmir sapphires are sought after for their rich cornflower blue color and reminiscent of the splendid shade of a peacock’s neck. Each sapphire of this necklace has been carefully assembled to ensure the creation of a collection of stones that are unsurpassed in beauty and harmony. The central stone weighs 10.56 carats, an absolute rarity in size, since finding a single sapphire of this caliber is tremendously difficult, not to mention the composition of a complete suite of equal excellence. Federico Graglia

Marilyn Monroe con il diamante The Moon of Baroda

Marilyn Monroe con il diamante da 24 carati

The diamond of Cardinal Mazarino

Published on October 23, 2017

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The diamond of Cardinal Mazarino, from the four Musketeers to Christie’s auction ♦
Cardinal Mazarino, in addition to being a character used by Alexandre Dumas in his novels with the four Musketeers, was really a great statista. Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino, born in Pescina (Abruzzo, Italy) in 1602, also known as the Franch name of Jules Raymond Mazarin, was a kind of Prime Minister of Louis XIV and, at the death of the king, became in practice the regent of France. He left as inheritance to the mortals not only an intense and important political life, but also a diamond. And now this diamond is auctioned out by Christie’s on November 14 in Geneva. The stone is called Grand Mazarin and was part of the jewelery of the Crown of France.
The name sparks the fantasy, but in any case the stone is of value: it is a fancy pink diamond of 19.07 carats. It was extracted in the now depleted mines of Golconda, India, and was part of the crown treasure. Hand by hand, in 1810 the diamond was worn by Empress Maria Luisa, mounted on a tiara on commission by Napoleon I at jeweler François Regnault Nitot. Napoleon III then handed it over to Empress Eugenia. The Grand Mazarin was auctioned in 1887 and bought by the great jeweler Frédéric Boucheron. In 1962 he came back to the fore, until he was bought by a private person in Europe. The same one that now sells the diamond from Christie’s. The estimate varies between 6 and 9 million dollars. Federico Graglia

Il Grand Mazarin (in basso) in un catalogo d'epoca — Il Grand Mazarin (in basso) in un catalogo d’epoca

Il Grand Mazarin, diamante rosa da 19,07 carati

Philippe de Champaigne, il cardinale Mazarino

The Nirav Modi’s amazing diamond

Published on August 26, 2016

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Nirav Modi, diamonds and masterpieces ♦

Nirav Modi is one of the stars of the jewelery world. Christie’s and Sotheby’s often include her jewelry in the most prestigious auctions. And he, with Indian boutiques in Mumbai and Delhi, has opened a shop in New York. An escalation made sign in only five years: its brand, in fact, was born only in 2010. The designer grew up in Antwerp, the diamond capital of the world, the son and grandson of gem traders. Dino from birth was surrounded by precious stones. “The conversations at the table often revolved around diamonds and jewels,” said Modi to Jck. The transformation from expert of stones to jeweler, according to most accepted version, was made with the custom design of a pair of earrings for a friend. “When I saw her joy for my creation, I decided that’s what I wanted to do.” The escalation Nirav Modi is fast and it does not seem to stop. Its projects will lead him soon in Europe: “We intend to open a hundred stores in the US, Asia and Europe by 2025,” he revealed.
Among the jewels of the most successful of the Indian brand is the Embrace bracelet, considered an innovation. It consists of over 700 pieces interlocking so that the bracelet can stretch over your hand to fit comfortably on your wrist, and without using paper clips. The Celestial collection, however, suspends the diamond from the sides, maximizing the light that passes through them. The diamonds seem to float, and the people who see these jewels ask how are made. Finally, the brand has also patented new cuts for diamonds: Mughal and Ainra. A testimony to the fact that India is no longer made up only of tradition. Giulia Netrese

Collana Fluire, diamanti bianchi e fancy

Una modella con collana firmata Nirav Modi

Orecchini della collezione Quintessential