Dec 11th - Sotheby's Magnificent Jewels New York

MAGNIFICENT JEWELS AT SOTHEBY’S NEW YORK 

  December 11, 2013, Featuring:

RARE EGYPTIAN-REVIVAL JEWELS BY CARTIER 

JEWELS FROM DISTINGUISHED FAMILY AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS 

December 11th, Sotheby’s will hold their auction of Magnificent Jewels in New York, with a public exhibition beginning December 7th in Sotheby’s York Avenue galleries. 

Lisa Hubbard, Chairman, North & South America, Sotheby’s International Jewelry Division, said: 

“Sotheby’s has broken world auction record after world auction record in our jewelry sales this fall in both Hong Kong and Geneva, establishing new benchmark prices for any diamond, any jewel and any jewelry auction. Our December sale in New York is distinguished by a number of true masterpieces, including five extremely rare Art Deco Egyptian-revival jewels designed by Cartier, and an iconic Boucheron bracelet of African inspiration that was first exhibited at the 1931 Exposition Coloniale Internationale in Paris. We also are offering two important private collections: one from the family of an American heiress, whose jewels have spent most of the last 60 years secreted in a bank vault and testify to a glamorous lifestyle in the first half of the 20th century, and the other a contemporary collection of sensational emerald jewels and fancy vivid yellow diamonds."

MAGNIFICENT JEWELS FROM A DISTINGUISHED FAMILY COLLECTION 

More than 30 jewels from a Distinguished Family Collection provide a fascinating look at the taste of an American heiress who lived in Europe in the 1930s–50s. She favored Cartier, 

Boucheron and Van Cleef & Arpels for her own jewels, and refashioned others inherited from her mother. The group offered in December represents only a portion of the original collection, as Sotheby’s previously sold jewels from the collection in 2009 and 2011. 

The group is led by a Magnificent Platinum and Diamond Ring, set with a 24.48 carat D-color, VS1 clarity emerald-cut diamond (left, est. $1.5/2.5 million), as well as an Indian inspired Important 18 Karat Gold, Emerald and Diamond Necklace, Cartier, London, special ordered in 1947 and set with more than 100 carats of Colombian emeralds (above, est. $600/800,000). 

Also from Cartier, London is a Pair of 18 Karat Gold, Emerald, Ruby and Diamond Earclips, circa 1940 (est. $75/100,000), inspired by the lush flora and fauna of India. Complementing the Cartier jewels is a Gold, Emerald, Diamond and Ruby Brooch, circa 1945, encasing a 41.20 carat Colombian emerald in an ornate diamond frame . A selection of Art Deco evening bags, fine gemstone rings and decorative jewels complete the collection. 

RARE EGYPTIAN-REVIVAL JEWELS 

The discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 ignited a blaze of Egypt-mania and the 

instantaneous introduction of decorative elements from Egyptian culture into fine arts, interior design, fashion and jewelry. At this time, Louis Cartier, a collector of Egyptian antiquities, had the novel idea of reincarnating some of his ancient Egyptian faience fragments by mounting them into modern settings using platinum, diamonds and colored stones. 

It is believed that Cartier produced only 150 such Egyptian-revival jewels in the mid-to-late 1920s, and several very rare examples are featured in the December auction. The Magnificent and Rare Egyptian-revival Faience and Jeweled Brooch, Cartier, London, circa 1923 (right, est. $300/500,000) is designed as an Egyptian fan centering an ancient green glazed bust of the goddess Sekhmet, set against the lapis lazuli sky twinkling with diamond stars – one of only two fan-shaped brooches ever made by Cartier, London. This particular brooch was exhibited in 1924 at the French Industrial Exposition, Grand Central Palace, New York. 

Sotheby’s also will offer property formerly from the Estate of Iya, Lady Abdy, which includes four Egyptian-Revival jewels – two signed by Cartier. Lady Abdy was a leading light of Parisian society in the 1920s-30s, a friend of Coco Chanel and Jean Cocteau, and a style icon in her own right. She was much photographed by Man Ray and Cecil Beaton, and for Vogue by George Hoyningen Huene. Her remarkable collection at Sotheby’s includes the Rare and Important 18 Karat Gold, Platinum, Faience, Diamond, Colored Stone and Enamel ‘Sekhmet’ Brooch, Cartier, Paris, circa 1925 (left, est. $200/300,000) and the Platinum, Gold, Diamond, Faience and Colored Stone ‘Pylon’ Brooch, Cartier, London, circa 1923 (est. 

$50/70,000). Lady Abdy was photographed wearing the latter jewel for American Vogue in 1928. 

THE COLLECTION OF MARIA MONET MARKOWITZ 

The Collection of Maria Monet Markowitz comprises 40 elegant pieces dating from the 19th to mid-20th centuries. Markowitz is actively involved in the acclaimed Jewelry Arts Institute in New York, which teaches the ancient technique of granulation and more modern approaches to jewelry-making. Her curated collection focuses on period timepieces and the chronological progression of jewelry design.  Highlights on offer include the Platinum, Colored Stone and Diamond Lapel Watch, Udall & Ballou, circa 1930 (est. $20/30,000), and a Pair of Platinum, Colored Stone and Diamond Clips by Tiffany & Co., late 1920s (right, est. $30/50,000) – purported to be the only known example of Tiffany & working in the ‘Tutti Frutti’ style. 

CUSTOM BULGARI EARRINGS 

BENEFITTING THE ELIZABETH TAYLOR AIDS FOUNDATION 

Bulgari will offer a custom-designed exclusive Pair of 18 Karat Gold, Spinel, Turquoise and Diamond Earrings (left, est. $18/22,000) inspired by Elizabeth Taylor and her film CLEOPATRA, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. In tribute to Ms. Taylor, Bulgari will donate 100% of the proceeds of the sale of the earrings to The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation in support of her courageous life’s work in raising awareness and providing care for those affected by HIV/AIDS around the world. 

ADDITIONAL AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS 

Seminal designs by Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co. from a Distinguished American Collector include the 18 Karat Gold, Platinum, Sapphire and Diamond ‘Morning Glory’ Necklace (detail right, est. $100/150,000), an example of which was most recently presented in Vivienne Becker’s book The Impossible Collection: The 100 Most Important Jewels of the Twentieth Century. 

Also featured in Becker’s book is the 18 Karat Gold, Malachite, Purpurine and Ivory Bracelet, Boucheron, Paris, circa 1931 (est. $150/250,000). An iconic modernist jewel which exemplifies the influence of African art and artifacts on jewelry design, this bracelet 

was exhibited by Boucheron at the 1931 Exposition Coloniale Internationale in Paris. 

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Sotheby’s has been uniting collectors with world-class works of art since 1744. Sotheby’s became the first international auction house when it expanded from London to New York (1955), the first to conduct sales in Hong Kong (1973) and France (2001), and the first international fine art auction house in China (2012). Today, Sotheby’s presents auctions in nine different salesrooms, including New York, London, Hong Kong and Paris, and Sotheby’s BidNow program allows visitors to view all auctions live online and place bids in real-time from anywhere in the world. Sotheby’s offers collectors the resources of Sotheby’s Financial Services, the world’s only full-service art financing company, as well as private sale opportunities in more than 70 categories, including S|2, the gallery arm of Sotheby’s Contemporary Art department, as well as Sotheby’s Diamonds and Sotheby’s Wine. Sotheby’s has a global network of 90 offices in 40 countries and is the oldest company listed 

on the New York Stock Exchange (BID). 

*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium and prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium. 

2013 Rebel Chique Design Competition Winners

Announcing the 2013 Rebel Chique Design Competition Winners

Rebel Chique, the new subsidiary of legendary diamond house Royal Asscher, announced the the winners for it’s first international design competition. 

Among the winners are Americans Annie Fensterstock and Allison Nagasue -- both of whom have won several industry awards in recent years and gained much recognition for their imaginative work. Georgina Teng of the Philippines won two categories in this year’s competition while Amelia Rachim of Italy and Bimal Koley of Dubai rounded out the international roster of design stars. Designers from 11 countries entered this inaugural competition and they represented companies large and small with a few being total amateurs while others having created award-winning designs for decades.

These designers “took on the challenge of rebelling against staid diamond designs to create chic jewels that show off the innate beauty and glamour of Rebel Chique’s man-made diamonds (physically, chemically and optically the same as Mother Nature’s stones) in a dazzling array of colors,”  said Mike Asscher, vice president of Royal Asscher Diamond Co. and CEO of its Rebel Chique subsidiary. 

“It was quite difficult for our judges to choose from among the many great designs for our first ever Winners Collection, The designs will be put into production and available for sale on www.RebelChiqueDiamonds.com soon. Our manufacturing team has begun working with the designs to create the most sellable interpretations of these great ideas.”

The judges were: Royal Asscher’s US president and designer, Lita Asscher; famed “red carpet jeweler” Erica Courtney; jewelry blogger Monica Stephenson; international design stars Reena Ahluwalia and Gitta Vandenbroeck and jewelry editor/creative director Talya Cousins. 

The Winners: 

Earring Category ~ Winner:  Bimal Koley,  Dubai ~ 

Honorable Mention: Sonam Shah, Mumbai

Necklace Category ~ Winner:   Georgina Teng, Philippines ~ 

Honorable Mention: Annie Fensterstock, USA

Ring Category ~ Winner:  Amelia Rachim, Italy ~ 

Honorable Mention: Remy Rotenier, USA

Bracelet Category ~ Winner: Annie Fensterstock, USA ~ 

Honorable Mention: Vijayshree Sovani, India

Menswear Category ~ Winner: Georgina Teng, Philippines ~ 

Honorable Mention: Brenda Smith, USA

Rebelwear Category ~ Winner:  Alison Nagasue, USA ~ 

Honorable Mention: Scott Cusson, USA

Christie's Magnificent Jewels - New York - Shines Bright December 10th

A 52.58-CARAT D-COLOR INTERNALLY FLAWLESS 

GOLCONDA DIAMOND SHINES IN A 500-LOT AUCTION OF 

MAGNIFICENT JEWELS IN NEW YORK ON DECEMBER 10

On December 10, after a banner year in which new heights were achieved for colored and colorless diamonds, Christie’s New York will conclude the winter auction season with a spectacular 52.58-­‐carat D-­‐color Internally Flawless Golconda diamond that possess a superior luminance, luster and distinct brilliance. The sacred diamond mines of Golconda yield diamonds of a specific type, color, and the highest degree of transparency. 

Exhibiting a superior polish and octagonal cutting style, a diamond this rare marks an unprecedented opportunity for collectors of the world’s finest gemstones. In addition, this blockbuster 500-­‐lot day-­‐long auction at Christie’s Rockefeller Center is comprised of important colored and colorless diamonds, rare gemstones, signed jewels, and natural pearls, expected to achieve in excess of $45 million. 

Rahul Kadakia, Head of Jewelry for Christie’s Americas and Switzerland, commented: “2013 has proven to be a record-­‐ breaking year for jewelry auctions globally. Beginning with the historic sale of the Princie Diamond in New York in April to The Orange in Geneva this November, collectors worldwide paid record prices to acquire the rarest and finest gemstones that appeared on the auction block. On December 10, our team of specialists looks forward to offering collectors yet another opportunity to participate in a wonderfully curated sale.”

A SUPERB COLLECTION OF DIAMOND JEWELRY 

Property of an Elegant Lady 

Four Magnificent Jewels from an Exceptional Private Collector, all from LEVIEV, one of the world’s most exclusive diamond jewelry brands, offers a star lot in a cushion-­‐cut D-­‐ color internally flawless diamond ring of 26.72 carats (pictured below, left). The stone is mounted in platinum, flanked on either side by a shield-­‐shaped diamond. This magnificent ring is estimated at $4,000,000 – 6,000,000. A diamond pendant necklace suspending a pear-­‐haped D-­‐color VVS1 diamond of 22.12 carats to the pear-­‐shaped and oval-­‐cut necklace of 38.76 carats, pictured left, is estimated at $2,500,000 – 3,500,000, along with a diamond bracelet set with eighty-­‐eight rectangular diamonds weighing a total of 90.81 carats (pictured below, right; estimate: $500,000 – 700,000). A pair of pear-­‐shaped D-­‐color diamond ear pendants of 10.31 and 9.94 carats (pictured below, center; estimate: $2,000,000 – 3,000,000) round off the collection which was acquired and completed with great taste over the course of two years.

PROPERTY FROM THE MARION RUMSEY CARTIER COLLECTION 

AT SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY

Marion Rumsey Cartier was born in New York on April 14, 1911. Her father, Pierre Cartier, was one of the three legendary Cartier brothers. Her mother, Elma Rumsey, was the daughter of Moses Rumsey, a prominent industrialist from Saint Louis. Madame Cartier’s Saint Louis heritage was of such importance to her that it ultimately formed her connection with Saint Louis University. Her legacy to the University included photographs, letters, and paintings. In 1932, upon meeting Father J. Barry McGannon S.J., then vice president and later Chancellor of Saint Louis University, Madame Cartier found a sanctuary at the University where her memories and extraordinary life could be preserved. Her remarkable collection of manuscripts is maintained at the University and the proceeds of the sale will in part act as an endowment for their preservation as well as other valuable projects. Marion Cartier died peacefully on March 20, 1994 in Geneva at the age of 83. Highlights include:

TUTTI FRUTTI 

Few designs have captured the imagination and enthusiam of connoisseurs and collectors as Cartier’s Tutti Frutti creations. These pieces are directly inspired by the intricate Mughal carving and craftsmanship found throughout the decorative arts of India from the 16th century onwards. The introduction of Indian influences and gemstones into jewels was one of Cartier’s greatest innovations in the Art Deco period. Seen in the example below on offer on December 10, the unique incorporation of jadeite cabochons in the Tutti Frutti series. As Lot 492 in the evening session of Magnificent Jewels, devotees of the Art Deco period will have a great opportunity to acquire one of Cartier’s most sought-­‐after signature creations.

RARE GEMSTONE HIGHLIGHTS 

Natural Pearls in an exceptional four-­‐strand natural pearl and diamond necklace formed of 148 individual pearls (pictured left; estimate: $500,000 – 700,000) ranging in size from 9.10 to 5.30 mm in diameter.

A pair of Colombian emerald ear pendants of 18.98 and 16.75 carats Estimate: $650,000 
– 850,000 

A Belle Époque Kashmir sapphire ring of 21.27 carats, circa 1910 Estimate: $1,500,000 – 2,500,000