GLAMOUR ROARS AT SOTHEBY’S
Gems ready for ‘The Roaring Twenties 2.0’ Star in New York Luxury Week this Month, including
One of the Most Important Creations by Master Jeweler Glenn Spiro
Ever to Appear at Auction
‘The Sienna Star’ – A 73-carat Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond Ring
A Private Collection of Spectacular Diamond Jewels
Sold to Benefit a Charitable Foundation
Iconic Designs from Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari and more
NEW YORK, 27 MAY 2021 — Seizing upon feelings of renewed elation and excitement to venture out in the world and dress up again, Sotheby’s has curated their sale of Magnificent Jewels in New York on 9 June to feature dazzling, bold and showstopping gems destined to be worn for ‘The Roaring Twenties 2.0.’ The much-anticipated sale will comprise a rich selection of 94 lots, including an impressive array of white and colored diamonds. Further to the strong prices achieved for coloured gemstones and signed pieces in Geneva earlier this month, the sale is further distinguished by exceptional Kashmir and Ceylon sapphires, Colombian emeralds and Burmese rubies set into iconic designs signed by the most prestigious maisons. Immediately following the Magnificent Jewels sale, online bidding will open for the single-lot auction of an exceptional 50.03-carat G color Round Diamond, offered with no reserve.
The sale will be on public exhibition at our York Avenue galleries from 4 – 8 June as part of Sotheby’s Luxury Week, a series of nine auctions spanning the fastest growing categories in the Luxury sphere.
SPECTACULAR DIAMOND JEWELRY
The undeniable highlight of the sale is an exceptionally important and truly magnificent Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond, crafted by Mayfair-based high-jeweller, Glenn Spiro. At 73.11 carats, The Sienna Star, carries the highest color grading for a yellow diamond by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and represents one of the largest Fancy Vivid Yellow diamonds ever to come to auction. The absolute scarcity of fine yellow diamonds exceeding 50 carats makes the appearance at auction of this stone a landmark moment in the world of fine gems, and “a standout item in the extraordinary world of gemstones” as stated by the GIA. Representing a culmination of Spiro’s oeuvre, pairing the relentless pursuit of the world’s finest gemstones with daring and innovative design, The Sienna Star is offered for sale with a pre-sale estimate in the region of $3 million.
The June auction is headlined by a Distinguished Private Collection boasting six breath-taking jewels, together estimated in excess of $13 million and sold to benefit a charitable foundation. A masterpiece of true opulence, this impressive Colombian emerald and diamond necklace by the ‘King of Diamonds’ Harry Winston combines elegant and delicate design with exceptional stones and exquisite workmanship (est. $1.5/2.5 million).
Complementing this is an exquisite 13.02-carat Burmese ruby ring, mounted by Carvin French (est. $1/2 million) and a showstopping necklace by Andrew Clunn, set with 28 graduated oval-shaped diamonds totaling over 168 carats (est. $2/3 million). The collection is further completed by 23.59-carat D Color, Internally Flawless, Type IIa diamond ring (est. $1.8/2.8 million) and a pair of D Color diamond pendants, weighing 27.01 and 29.84 carats and estimated at $1/1.5 million and $1.2/1.8 million, respectively.
SHOWSTOPPING SIGNED JEWELS FROM THE GREAT HOUSES
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS
Pink Gold, Pink Sapphire and Diamond ‘Zip Antique Udaipur’ Necklace-Bracelet Combination
Est. $250/350,000
Dreamt up by the Duchess of Windsor in the 1930s, the first of Van Cleef & Arpels’ now-iconic ‘Zip’ designs came to life in 1950. It elevated a functional item into a technically brilliant and glamourous jewel which could be worn open as a necklace or closed as a bracelet. Very few examples were made during this period, further solidifying the design as one of the most covetable jewels in the world. More recently, Van Cleef & Arpels’ has produced a limited number of ‘Zips’ in several different iterations with the ‘Antique Udaipur’ being among the most stylish and substantial.
Mystery-Set Sapphire and Diamond Flower Brooch
Est. $150/250,000
Pair of Mystery-Set Sapphire and Diamond Earclips
Est. $100/150,000
Pair of Mystery-Set Ruby and Diamond Earclips, France
Est. $50/70,000
Mystery-Set Ruby and Diamond Bracelet
Est. $200/300,000
Among Van Cleef & Arpels’ many innovations, their most celebrated is doubtless the “mystery setting.” Patented in 1933, the technique has given rise to some of the twentieth century’s most spectacular jewels, such as the Duchess of Windsor’s holly leaves brooch (1936) and Princess Faiza of Egypt’s remarkably naturalistic peony clip. The painstaking process requires approximately 90 minutes per gemstone, each grooved so it may be slid onto a system of rails, eliminating the need for prongs that would otherwise disrupt the passage of light. After hundreds, even thousands, of hours of labor, a jewel of extraordinary fluidity is created. With only a handful of pieces created each year, Van Cleef’s mystery settings are the ultimate in haute joaillerie and a requirement for anyone wishing to have the complete canon of jewelry design.
CARTIER ART DECO JEWELS
The June sale features exceptional jewels from the 1920s and ‘30s, Cartier’s most sought-after period, including two emerald, pearl and diamond clips, each estimated at $15/20,000; a diamond and onyx jabot pin (est. $5/7,000); an emerald and diamond jabot pin of jardinière design (est. $40/60,000); and a diamond bracelet, set with Old European, single-cut and emerald-cut diamonds (est. $200/300,000).
BULGARI
Gold, Pink Enamel and Diamond ‘Serpenti’ Bracelet-Watch, Bulgari
Est. $120/150,00
Each playful coiled timepiece is iconic in its own right, and the style has been widely admired and celebrated since the 1940s. Combining the design house’s signature tubogas technique with rarely seen pink translucent enamel, Bulgari’s Serpenti wristwatches epitomize seduction, sophistication and glamour.
About Sotheby’s
Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s premier destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s promotes access, connoisseurship and preservation of fine art and rare objects through auctions and buy-now channels including private sales, e-commerce and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by an industry-leading technology platform and a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 50 categories, which include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits, and Interiors, among many others.
*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium or overhead premium. Prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium and overhead premium and are net of any fees paid to the purchaser where the purchaser provided an irrevocable bid.
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