press release - magnificent jewels - sotheby's geneva - 15 nov 2011

8/3/2019 Press Release - Magnificent Jewels - Sotheby's Geneva - 15 Nov 2011

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For Immediate ReleasePRESS RELEASE GENEVA

Geneva | +41 22 908 48 14 | Marie‐Beatrice Morin | marie‐[email protected]

London | +44 (0)20 7293 6000 | Matthew Weigman | [email protected]

Simon Warren | [email protected] | Kelly Signorelli‐Chaplin | [email protected]

SOTHEBY’S GENEVA SALE OF MAGNIFICENT JEWELS

PRESENTS

THE SUN‐DROP DIAMOND

‐‐ Weighing 110.03 Carats, the Largest Known

Pear‐Shaped Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond in the World ‐‐

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

Exceptional coloured Gemstones & White Diamonds

Rare Period and Signed Jewels

A year after having sold the “Graff Pink” for $46 million – the highest price ever achieved at auction for a

diamond and any jewel*, Sotheby’s Geneva will present ‐ in its sale of Magnificent Jewels on Tuesday,

November 15, 2011 – the Sun‐Drop Diamond, one of the most impressive stones to have come to auction in

recent years. The sale will also be spearheaded by a superb and unique suite of imperial jewels. Presented by

tradition by the Ottoman Sultan Abdül Hamid II for the birth of the last Khedive of Egypt and Sudan in 1874,

this magnificent parure contains jewels which may have formed part of a gift from Empress Catherine I of

Russia to Sultan Ahmed III to end the Siege of Pruth in 1711 ( please see separate release). The sale will further



2

Jerry Hall holding the Sun‐Drop at London’s Natural

History Museum, 22 February 2011

© Adrian Brooks‐Imagewise

comprise a rich selection of some 500 lots, including an impressive array of exceptional coloured gemstones

and white diamonds in addition to rare period jewels and creations signed by the world’s greatest jewellers of

the 20th and 21st

centuries.

Commenting on the forthcoming sale, David Bennett, Chairman of Sotheby’s Jewellery Department in Europe

and the Middle East and Co‐Chairman of Sotheby’s Switzerland said: “The Sun‐Drop diamond has immense

presence and is truly stunning. At 110.03 carats, it is one of the largest diamonds ever to have appeared at

auction. It is an honour to have been chosen by Cora International to present it to the market. This autumn sale

will be undoubtedly of great interest to collectors of rare and magnificent jewels and we look forward to

welcoming them in Geneva. ”

The Sun‐Drop Diamond, a sensational fancy vivid yellow diamond

“A diamond such as the 110.03 carat Sun‐Drop can almost be said to exude a magical aura. Its magnificent color

combined with impressive size and uncommon cut make it a paragon in the world of diamonds”

GIA Monograph written on the Sun‐Drop Diamond, 2011

The highlight of the sale is the Sun‐Drop Diamond, a sensational

fancy vivid yellow pear‐shaped diamond weighing 110.03 carats

and known as the largest pear‐shaped fancy vivid yellow diamond

in the world. This exceptional stone has a purity of VVS1 and has

been graded

Fancy

Vivid

Yellow,

the

highest

colour

grading

for

a

yellow diamond by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

The rough for the Sun‐Drop Diamond was discovered in South

Africa in 2010, and was cut and polished by Cora International,

one of the world’s leading manufacturers of exceptional

diamonds, with its headquarters in New York.

Polished diamonds over 100 carats are quite a rarity and when

they display such a strong saturation of color, they are even more

unusual. “With its large size and strikingly rich color, the Sun‐Drop

possesses a commanding presence sure to capture the attention

and imagination of all who view it. While gazing at such a diamond, we must wonder what its future will hold. It

can surely rank already with the historic diamonds of the past, and we can only wait for the Sun‐Drop’s story to

be revealed” (GIA Monograph written on the Sun‐Drop Diamond, 2011).

Exhibited earlier

this

year

at

London’s

Natural

History

Museum,

this

stunning

diamond

comes

to

the

market with an estimate of CHF 10.2‐14 million/ $11‐15 million ** (lot 506, illustrated above and p.1).



3

Coloured Gemstones

In addition to the Diamond Sun‐Drop, the sale includes a group of exceptional

coloured gemstones led by three magnificent blue diamonds. The first is an

important fancy intense blue pear‐shaped internally flawless diamond

weighing 10.09 carats and mounted as a ring between similarly cut fancy light

pink diamonds weighing 1.02 and 1.00 carats respectively (lot 498, est. CHF

6,850,000‐9,150,000/ $7,500,000‐10,000,000, illustrated right).

The second ring is set with a fancy vivid blue cut‐cornered rectangular modified

brilliant‐cut diamond weighing 4.16 carats (lot 491, est. CHF 3,100,000‐4,000,000/

$3,300,000‐4,300,000, illustrated left), while the third one, property an important

private collection, features a fancy blue marquise brilliant‐cut diamond weighing

4.08 carats and has a clarity of VVS2 (Lot 483, est. CHF 730,000‐1,280,000/

$800,000‐1,400,000).

From the same important private collection, a fine diamond ring centres a fancy

pink step‐cut diamond weighing 8.95 carats between shoulders set with

marquise shaped diamonds (lot 484, est. CHF 2,300,000‐3,200,000/ $2,500,000‐

3,500,000, illustrated right).

Another standout piece is a superb 12.01 carat Muzo emerald, mounted as a ring.

This stone displays an evenly saturated, deep bluish‐green colour combined with a

high transparency. It originated from the legendary Colombian mines of Muzo. The

oldest emerald mines still in operation, the Muzo mines have been producing the

most desirable emeralds in the world since their discovery by the Spanish

Conquistadores five centuries ago in 1560 (lot 467, est. Est. CHF 365,000‐550,000/

$400,000‐600,000, illustrated left).

Completing this selection of coloured gemstones are two remarkable sapphires.

The first – of Kashmir origin – is an octagonal step‐cut sapphire weighing 14.80

carats set on a fine sapphire and diamond ring (Lot 472, est. CHF 275,000‐450,000/

$300,000‐500,000).

The

second

‐of

Burmese

origin

‐is

a cushion

‐shaped

sapphire

weighing 19.92 carats, mounted as a splendid ring dating from circa 1935 (lot 492,

est. CHF180,000‐360,000/ $200,000‐400,000).



4

White Diamonds

The sale also features a rich offering of white diamonds. Among them are an

attractive diamond ring signed Adler set with a brilliant‐cut stone weighing

20.77

carats

(lot

471,

est.

CHF

550,000‐

825,000/

$600,000‐

900,000,

illustrated

right) and a superb and impressive 38.88 carat cushion‐shaped

diamond that has not only received the highest colour and clarity

grade from the GIA for white diamonds, D Colour, Flawless Clarity but has also been

found to be part of the rare Type IIa subgroup Stones in this group, which comprise less

than 2% of all gem diamonds, are chemically the purest of all diamond crystals and

often have extraordinary optical transparency. (lot 501, estimated in the region of $6.5

million, illustrated

left).

Antique Jewels

Few pieces

of

jewellery

dating

from

the

18th

century

have

survived

in

their

original

form.

Until

the

gold discovery in the United States and in South Africa and the finding of diamond deposits in

Southern Africa in the 19th

century, precious metal and stones were rare and often reset in new

mount to keep up with the changes in taste and fashion. It is therefore extremely rare for important

diamond jewels from the 18th

century to reach us in their original form. The sale includes two

important and rare examples of these jewels: a diamond choker designed as a series of graduated

panels (lot 462, est. CHF 165,000‐225,000/ $180,000‐250,000, illustrated above) and a diamond

bracelet of similar design (lot 461, est. CHF 38,000‐58,000/ $40,000‐60,000, illustrated below).

Reflecting the fashion for naturalistic motifs in mid‐19th century jewellery, a very attractive ruby and

diamond

demi

parure

comprises

a

necklace,

a

brooch

and

a

pair

of

earrings

all

set

with

Burmese

rubies and cushion‐shaped diamonds and composed of floral and foliate motifs (Lot 490, est. CHF

185,000‐360,000/ $200,000‐400,000, illustrated p. 7).



5

Fine Period and Signed Jewels

The sale also comprises a wide range of fine period

jewels signed by the most famous and celebrated

jewellers

of

the

20th

century,

such

as

Adler,

Belperron, Boucheron, Buccellati, Bulgari, Harry

Winston, JAR, Michele della Valle, René Boivin and

Van Cleef & Arpels.

Cartier’s extraordinary craftsmanship is represented

by two exceptional creations. A testament to the

exaltation

and joie

de

vivre

that

characterised

the

between‐the‐wars era is an important and very fine

natural pearl and diamond necklace designed in the 1930s. Composed of five graduated rows of

natural pearls and enhanced by two shield‐shaped plaques, featuring circular‐ and single‐cut

diamonds, this sublime jewel carries an estimate of CHF 715,000‐1,100,000/ $765,000‐1,225,000 (lot

505, illustrated left).

Also by Cartier, a unique platinum and

diamond necklace designed as a series of

articulated stylised roses and floral motifs set

with circular‐ and single‐cut diamonds. It is

understood from Cartier that this

extraordinarily beautiful necklace was

commissioned and designed in New York in

1942, using jewels which had been supplied by

the client. Such remaking of jewellery was not

uncommon in the first half of the 20th century

as rapid changes in dress fashion and the fact

that jewels were being worn frequently, called

for new jewel designs (lot 452, est. CHF

550,000‐725,000/ $600,000‐800,000, illustrated right).



6

French jewelers excelled in the creation of Art Déco jewellery.

Among the names who contributed to the emergence the

aesthetic style of the late 1920s and the 1930s are René Boivin

and Suzanne Belperron. René Boivin’s creative vision of

expertly

crafted

designs

and

timeless

style

is

reflected

in

a

masterpiece of 20th century jewellery design: the celebrated

“Dove of Peace” brooch. Dating from 1939, this impressive

brooch is set with circular‐cut and cabochon sapphires in

various shades of blue. The tail and wings of the dove are

partially articulated, resulting in astounding movements and

textures typical of Boivin’s innovative jewellery. This brooch was designed by Juliette Moutard, after

an idea

of

Germaine

Boivin,

for

an

important

American

client.

Due

to

the

outbreak

of

war,

the

latter

never took possession of the jewel which was subsequently sold to another client in 1945 (lot 487,

est. CHF 230,000‐400,000/ $250,000‐450,000, illustrated right).

Asked once why she never signed her work, Suzanne Belperron

replied: “My style is my signature.” Audacious and elegant, her

creations pioneered a new aesthetic in jewelry, as seen in this

important diamond

necklace

dating

from

the

1930s

(lot

473,

est.

CHF 185,000‐365,000/ $200,000‐400,000, illustrated left).

Among great contemporary signatures in the sale are two

superb creations by JAR, widely acknowledged as being the

most talented

jeweller

of

his

generation.

Born

in

New

York,

Joel

Arthur Rosenthal founded JAR in Paris in 1977. Crossing the

boundaries between ornamental jewels and sculpture, JAR has

reinterpreted jewellery as an art form. His work is always

imaginative and beautifully crafted, as shown in a very fine and

rare rock crystal and diamond brooch dating from 1987.

Designed as a dragonfly, this magnificent brooch comes to the

market with an estimate of CHF 230,000‐410,000/ $250,000‐

450,000 (Lot 503, illustrated right). JAR often incorporates



7

unusual gemstones in brilliant and unexpected combinations, as reflected in a very attractive

morganite and diamond pendant dating from 1984 (lot 502, CHF 95,000‐180,000/ $100,000‐200,000,

illustrated p.6).

* Notes

to

editors:

On 16th

November 2010, Sotheby’s Geneva set a world auction record for any diamond and any jewel when it sold the

Graff Pink ‐‐ an exceptionally rare and truly magnificent Fancy Intense Pink diamond of the purest, vibrant hue, weighing

24.78 carats ‐‐ for $46,158,674 (CHF 45,442,500). The 16th

November sale totalled CHF 103,418,050 / US$ 105,047,918 ‐

the highest value jewellery auction ever held.

MAGNIFICENT

JEWELS

Sale

Hôtel Beau‐Rivage, Geneva

Session 1: Tuesday, 15 November 11, 10:00 AM

Session 2: Tuesday, 15 November 11, 2:00 PM

Session 3: Tuesday, 15 November 11, 7:00 PM

Exhibition

Sotheby’s London, 24‐26 October 11

Sotheby’s New York, 29 October‐2 November 11

Hôtel Beau‐Rivage, Geneva

Saturday, 12 November 11, 10:00 AM ‐ 6:00 PM

Sunday, 13 November 11, 10:00 AM ‐ 6:00 PM

Monday, 14 November 11, 10:00 AM ‐ 6:00 PM

Tuesday, 15 November 11, 10:00 AM ‐ 4:00 PM

(selection of lots)

ALL PRESS RELEASES ARE PUBLISHED ON WWW.SOTHEBYS.COM

IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

** Pre

‐sale

estimates

do

not

include

buyer’s

premium

Vente dirigée par le Ministère de Maîtres Claude Naville et Marco Breitenmoser, Huissiers Judiciaires.

press release - magnificent jewels - sotheby's geneva - 15 nov 2011

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