Sotheby's Hong Kong Unveils the World's Greatest Jadeite Bead Necklace - Wedding Present to Barbara Hutton from Her Father

SOTHEBY’S HONG KONG UNVEILS

THE WORLD’S GREATEST JADEITE BEAD NECKLACE

The Hutton-Mdivani Necklace

– With Qing Jadeite Beads reputedly from the Imperial Court –

Is Expected to Fetch in Excess of HK$100 million / US$12.8 million

GIVEN TO HEIRESS BARBARA HUTTON BY HER FATHER,

ON THE OCCASION OF HER WEDDING TO PRINCE MDIVANI

Sotheby’s Hong Kong is honoured to present The Hutton-Mdivani Necklace, the Greatest Jadeite Bead Necklace of Historical Importance (Expected to fetch in excess of HK$100 million / US$12.8 million*at its Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite Spring Sale to take place on 7 April at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Hutton-Mdivani Necklace has the most illustrious provenance spanning   members of Western nobility and Imperial China since the turn of last century, and is widely recognised as the most important piece of jadeite jewellery known to the world. This jadeite bead necklace, with an innovative clasp by Cartier, comprises 27 gigantic jadeite beads of magnificent green colour, excellent translucency, extremely fine texture and majestic proportions, with diameters ranging from 19.20 mm to 15.40 mm. A fine complement to the prominence of its past owners, this jadeite bead necklace offers a unique collecting opportunity for jewellery and jadeite connoisseurs.

The Cartier archive records the beads being in their possession in 1933 when an innovative clasp was designed especially for the Hutton family. The necklace was then presented as a wedding gift in the same year to Barbara Hutton from her father on the occasion of her marriage to Prince Mdivani. It was first worn publically by Barbara Hutton at her 21st birthday party, and remained in the Mdivani family for over five decades until it was first sold at auction in 1988 for US$2 million / HK$15.6 million and made news headlines as the most expensive piece of jadeite jewellery in the world. Six years later in 1994 it was offered at auction again in Hong Kong, this time doubling its previous price to achieve US$4.2 million / HK$33 million and once again bringing the price of jadeite jewellery to a new level.

QUEK Chin Yeow, Deputy Chairman and Head of Jewellery Department, Sotheby’s Asia, said, “We are most honoured to be entrusted to offer in our upcoming Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite sale The Hutton-Mdivani Necklace, the greatest jadeite bead necklace in the world. Of the finest quality and striking proportions, this jadeite bead necklace with a storied past is an epitome of the mysterious and captivating beauty of jadeite, the most revered oriental gemstone, and evokes the glamour of distinguished style icons of both China and the West at the turn of the last century. It stands as the most important piece of jadeite jewellery known to the world and is set to engage keen competition from jewellery cognoscenti.”

Barbara Hutton (1912 – 1979) – A Fabled Heiress and Iconic Collector

Socialite and heiress Barbara Woolworth Hutton was among the few in the West known for her love for jadeite. Heiress to the retail tycoon Frank Winfield Woolworth, Hutton was one of the wealthiest women in the world when she turned 21, and known for her distinguished taste, lavish lifestyle as well as elegance and beauty. A great patron of the renowned jewellery houses, her collection encompassed unique commissioned pieces by the most celebrated jewellers, as well as important royal and noble jewels, among them a pearl necklace formerly belonging to Marie Antoinette, Queen of France.

The World’s Greatest Jadeite Bead Necklace 

of Supreme Historical Importance

Widely known as the most important piece of jadeite jewellery to date, this necklace comprises 27 highly translucent beads of perfectly matched colour, extremely fine texture and extraordinary majestic proportions ranging from 19.20 to 15.40 mm in diameter, as well as a patina and polish consistent with the fine craftsmanship from the late Qing period. The proportions alone render them highly unusual and impressive, as top-quality jadeite boulders normally yield beads of no more than 5 to 10 mm in diameter due to their extreme scarcity. To fashion a strand of matching jadeite beads, all the beads must be carved from the same boulder and as many as thrice the desired number of beads are often needed from which to select the most suitable ones. With the immense wastage involved, jadeite bead necklaces rank among the most valuable and sought-after forms of jadeite jewellery.

The Hutton-Mdivani Necklace is also remarkable for its design. Jade was incorporated into Western jewellery design in the early 20th century. As Cartier embraced this unique oriental gemstone, carved jade became a notable element in the brand’s signature Art Deco designs and a novel expression of luxury. The jadeite beads on the necklace were set by Cartier to a ruby and diamond clasp of clean and geometrical design. The red colour of rubies, whilst auspicious in Chinese culture, is also a fine example of the colour palette of the Art Deco period against the luminous green colour of the beads.

Qing Jadeite Beads Reputedly from the Imperial Court

Classic and elegant, the jadeite bead necklace is among the most popular forms of jadeite jewellery and favoured by the likes of Empress Dowager Cixi of China, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek and Madame Wellington Koo, wife of the famous Chinese diplomat V.K. Wellington Koo.

As a result of political instability in the late 19th century, Imperial treasures were removed from the palace and many of them redesigned into various forms of jewellery. Like many lost treasures, the precise origin of the jadeite beads on this necklace is unknown. Nonetheless, since the beads were of supreme quality and had already found their way to Europe and been customised into a piece ofhaute joaillerie by Cartier by the early 1930s, they can be dated at least to the late 19th or early 20th century.

The prominence of the original owner of the beads is sufficiently reflected by their supreme quality. Since its introduction as a tribute to the Qing Imperial court in the 18^th century, jadeite of various forms was exclusively worn by the ruling class. Imperial court necklaces in particular were worn only by Qing emperors and senior officials. Considering the impressive size and quality, it is likely the beads on the Hutton- Mdivani Necklace would have been presented to the Imperial court. An Imperial jadeite bead necklace acquired in the early 20th century by Oei Tiong Ham, a successful Chinese businessman in Indonesia, from Beijing’s leading jadeite dealer, Tieh Bao Ting, was sold at Sotheby’s New York in 2010. While the 30 jadeite beads on the Oei Tiong Ham necklace - originally from a Qing Imperial court necklace - measure 13.40 to 13.30 mm in diameter, the beads on the Hutton-Mdivani Necklace currently offered are far superior in colour, texture, translucency and size, which indicates an equally, if not more distinguished original ownership.

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, includingNew 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.

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Diamond Services Identifies 0.14 ct. Type 1Aab Gem as Synthetic Using the DiamaTest System

Diamond Services Ltd., the Hong Kong-based firm that markets cutting-edge technological solutions to the diamond, gem and jewellery industry and trade, announced its newly developed DiamaTest machine had been instrumental in identifying the nature of a 0.138 carat, type 1Aab diamond as a synthetic stone. However, when it was tested by a DiamondSure device, the stone got a reading as a natural stone. This is the second time a non-type IIa synthetic stone is identified after the one reported by GIA a few months ago. 

"Recently, we acquired a parcel of synthetic diamonds from one of the growers, for research purposes," Yossi Kuzi, owner of Diamond Services recalled. "One of the stones in the parcel, a 0.138-carat stone, turned out to be a type 1Aab synthetic diamond. The DiamaTest machine easily identified it as synthetic. However, the DiamondSure identified it as a natural stone!  While the tested stone did not show phosphorescence, the typical, square growth lines of a synthetic diamond were observed in a DiamondView test," he explained.

Kuzi, who is also the owner of the Hong Kong-based EGL Asia gemological laboratory, said he will be glad to make the stone available for further testing and research to any of the large, international gemological laboratories that will express an interest.

The DiamaTest system will be launched next month during the upcoming International Hong Kong Jewellery Show (Asia World Expo, Hall 9, booth M07) and will be available thereafter via service stations worldwide. The first service stations will start operating from March 2014 both in Hong Kong and in Israel.

"A well known industry commentator wrote recently that 'the key to resolving the challenges presented by synthetic diamonds is our ability to differentiate natural diamonds from synthetic diamonds,' and that we need to employ the 4Ds: Differentiation, Detection, Disclosure and Documentation. We hope to be making a significant contribution toward that important goal," Kuzi concluded.

#Call4Entry - MJSA Calls for Entries to its 2014 Vision Awards - New Categories Announced

MJSA Calls for Entries to its 2014 Vision Awards

New categories include awards for the use of CAD/CAM technology and digital marketing expertise

Adam Neeley's 2013 Winner

MJSA, the association for jewelry makers and designers, has announced its Call for Entries for the 2014 MJSA Vision Awards. The deadline for submissions is later this year—April 17, and the contest winners will be celebrated at the 2015 MJSA Expo New York.

“We’ve expanded the MJSA Vision Awards so they honor not only outstanding jewelry design—including custom work—but also the remarkable work of jewelry brands in their use of digital marketing,” says David W. Cochran, MJSA president and CEO. “It also celebrates the innovative use of lasers and CAD/CAM, to showcase how jewelry designers are incorporating new technologies to better make and sell their creations.”

The MJSA Vision Awards, through the years, have celebrated the work of some of today’s most well-known jewelry artists, such as Todd Reed, Mark Schneider, Pamela Froman, Julia Behrends, Adam Neeley, and Gregoré Morin, along with countless other jewelry makers and designers successfully working in the field today.

The 2014 MJSA Vision Award categories include:
• Professional Design Excellence (1-3 years in business);

• Professional Design Excellence (4+ years in business);

• The Future of the Industry, sponsored by the MJSA Education Foundation;

• Custom Design Distinction (designs that met a client’s request), sponsored by Techform Advanced Casting;

• Laser Distinction (design that relied upon the use of a laser), sponsored by LaserStar Technologies Corp.;

• CAD/CAM Distinction (designs that were created with the use of CAD/CAM technologies), sponsored by EnvisionTEC;

• Digital Marketing Distinction (honors a business that has created a digital marketing program).

Ezra Satok-Wolman 2013 Winner - Palladium
 

All professional and distinction categories are open to independent or company-employed U.S. and international jewelry designers. The Future of the Industry Award is open to any student enrolled in an art, design, or jewelry-related program at a college, university, or proprietary technical school.

Winners will be selected by a distinguished panel of jewelry designers, manufacturers, and editors of leading jewelry trade publications. Judges will consider originality, presentation quality, effective use of materials, wearability, and the design’s perceived manufacturing and marketing potential.

All winning entries will be recognized in MJSA news releases delivered to the trade and consumer press; in MJSA Journal; in the MJSA Up to Date e-newsletter; and in a special section on the MJSA website, MJSA.org. They will also be shared via MJSA’s social media channels at LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. The winning entries will be featured in special ad pages in Instore and Metalsmith magazines (the competition's Media Sponsors).

Marc Schneider's 2013 Winner

All first-place Professional Design Excellence winners will be awarded a $500 Rio Grande gift certificate, and all second-place Professional Design Excellence winners will receive a full library of MJSA Press publications (value of up to $400) and be recognized in trade publication ads. All first-place Distinction winners will receive $750 cash awards, and their entries will be recognized in trade publication ads. The first-place Digital Marketing Distinction winner will have its digital efforts profiled as a "standard of excellence" case study, which will appear in the MJSA Technology Sourcebook (20,000 distribution to jewelry makers, designers, and retailers) and promoted by Media Sponsors Metalsmith and Instore magazines.

David Alvarado's "Cycle" Pendant - 2013 Winner

The first-place Future of the Industry winner will receive a $500 gift certificate from Rio Grande and a $1,000 scholarship from the MJSA Education Foundation, payable to any jewelry design, jewelry making, or other jewelry-related degree program at a U.S. college, university, or technical school. The second-place Future of the Industry winner will receive a $500 scholarship from the MJSA Education Foundation.

To learn more about the MJSA Vision Awards, see complete guidelines, and enter the contest, go tohttp://mjsa.org/events_and_programs/mjsa_vision_awards.

Hollywood's Hottest Celebrities Chose Platinum Jewelry for the "86th Annual Academy Awards"

Hollywood's Hottest Celebrities Chose Platinum Jewelry 

for the "86th Annual Academy Awards"

Jennifer Lawrence selected Platinum jewelry by Neil Lane for the "86th Annual Academy Awards":

-Platinum necklace with carved rock crystal, and 100 carats of diamonds ($2 million dollars)

-Platinum and 10 carat diamond stud earrings

-Platinum and diamond ring set with 3 fancy colored diamonds ($1 million dollars)

Anne Hathaway selected Platinum jewelry by Neil Lane:

-Platinum and 100 carat diamond bracelets ($1 million dollars)

-Platinum and square cut emerald and diamond ring ($250,000)

-Platinum and diamond stud earrings

Ezra Koenig - Sapphire and platinum cufflinks

Jeremy Renner - Pearl and platinum dress set

Lorna Luft - Diamond ruby platinum earrings, ruby diamond and platinum ring, and a diamond and platinum bracelet
Roshumba Willams - Amethyst white diamond and platinum earrings, kunzite and gold ring, Amethyst, ruby, yellow sapphire, diamond and platinum ring

Karen O - Huge diamond and platinum brooch on her waist

Kate Hudson in Platinum by Neil Lane

-Platinum and 10 carat diamond drop earrings

-Platinum and faceted crystal ring

-Platinum bracelet with sapphire and diamonds

Lady Gaga in Platinum by Lorraine Schwartz

-Platinum and diamond bracelet

Sandra Bullock in Platinum by Lorraine Schwartz

-Platinum and diamond earrings

-Platinum and diamond bracelet

Olivia Wilde selected Platinum by Lorraine Schwartz:

-Platinum earrings with white diamonds and jade

-Platinum bangles with white and black jade

-Platinum ring with black and white diamonds

Jessica Biel is wearing Platinum by Tiffany & Co. 

Penelope Cruz in Platinum by Chopard

-Platinum and diamond chandelier earrings, featuring a floral cluster of pear shaped diamonds (12 carats) and brilliant cut diamonds drops (4 carats)

-Platinum bracelet with fancy shape diamonds (35 carats)

Julie Delpy selected Platinum earrings by Chopard (22 carats of diamonds).

Platinum is popular on the red carpet since it holds diamonds and colored gemstones most securely, and makes them sparkle. 

...for more Celebrity Jewelry information go to Celebrity Jewel

CELEBRITIES VISITED STYLELAB’S SUITE - BORROW MILLIONS IN JEWELRY FOR THE RED CARPET

CELEBRITIES VISITED STYLELAB’S SUITE DURING ACADEMY AWARDS WEEK TO BORROW MILLIONS IN JEWELRY FOR THE RED CARPET

Style Expert Michael O’Connor Curated a Collection of the Most Exclusive Baubles

Los Angeles, CA (March 2, 2014) – This past week, celebrities including Ashley Fink (“Glee”), Kate Flannery (“The Office”), Stefanie Scott (“A.N.T.”), Christine Bently (“Ballers”), Dot Marie Jones (“Glee”), Melisa Wallack (Oscar nominee Writing Original Screenplay “Dallas Buyer’s Club”), Kristine Belson (Oscar nominee Animated Feature Film “The Croods”), Robin Mathews (Oscar nominee Best Makeup “Dallas Buyer’s Club”), Adruitha Lee (Oscar nominee Best Hair Styling “Dallas Buyer’s Club”), Alan Baumgarten (Oscar nominee Film Editing “American Hustle”), Chris Munro (Double Oscar nominee Sound Mixing “Gravity” and “Captain Phillips”), Peter del Vecho (Oscar nominee Producer Best Animated Feature Film “Frozen”), Maitland Ward (“Girl Meets World”), Kate Linder (“The Young & the Restless”), Nick Eversman (“Get on Up”), model Carissa Rosario, James Anderson (Chicago Bears), and others as well as top wardrobe stylists/costume designers, got a coveted appointment at StyleLab’s Jewelry Suite taking place during Academy Awards Week. Guests had the opportunity to borrow from over $30 million worth of jewelry for the Academy Awards and related parties.

Michael O’Connor, leading style expert and television personality, curated a selection of baubles from world-renowned brands such as Farah Khan, Kallati™, Mastoloni, Takat, The American Gem Trade Association, the Diamonds with a Story^TM collection, the Fashion of Diamonds collection, The Leo Diamond collection by Leo Schachter, and Uneek, among others.

Here’s the scoop on what celebrities and their stylists were eyeing for the Academy Awards, and surrounding red carpet parties.

Joan Rivers’ stylist Cary Fetman, gravitated towards a necklace from Farah Khan, priced at $63,977. It’s comprised of golden beryl, emerald and diamonds, at a total carat weight of over 171-carats.

Amma Asante couldn't wait to try on the “Drop Wave” earrings from Kallati, priced at $24,999. This beautiful design contains 4.25-carats of pave set brilliant white diamonds.

Gayle Ridley, wife of Oscar nominee John Ridley (Best Original Screenplay“12 Years a Slave”) stacked the “Bamboo” and “Fluted” cuffs by Mastoloni, priced at $11,000 and $19,400 respectively. They featured Tahitian pearls and brilliant cut white diamonds.

Christine Bently favored the fancy color diamond earrings from Takat, priced at $17,708. These spectacular earrings include over 12-carats of diamonds.

Melisa Wallack was a big fan of the earrings from Howard Donsky for the American Gem Trade Association. These stunning earrings feature two pear-shaped tanzanite slabs, emerald slabs, moonstones, and diamonds, at a total carat weight of over 64 carats.

Stefanie Scott was excited to wear a pair of glamorous two-tone drop earrings from the Diamonds with a Story™ collection featuring champagne and white diamonds, priced at $4,999. The trend-setting collection features diamonds ranging in shades from light champagne, to dark cognac natural color diamonds. All pieces are ethically and sustainably mined.

Maitland Ward was excited to wear the draped necklace by Fei Liu, crafted by Y&M Jewelry, for the Fashion of Diamonds collection, priced at $85,456. The collection includes one-of-a-kind pieces created by China’s top jewelry designers and manufacturers, using Argyle diamonds from Australia.

Robin Mathews was drawn to the diamond earrings from The Leo Diamond collection by Leo Schachter, priced at $350,000. These classic drop earrings contain a total diamond weight of 12-carats. They were handcrafted to be visibly brighter and make a dramatic statement.

Carissa Rosari admired the sparkling diamond cuff from Uneek, priced at $88,200. This gorgeous design contains 882 round diamonds, totaling 25-carats.

#Event - GOLD - Design, Desire and Demand - April 11th & 12th

WDMF signs Memorandum of Understanding with HRD Antwerp NV

WDMF signs MoU with HRD Antwerp NV Parties agree on cooperation in retail diamond sales training

The World Diamond Mark® Foundation(WDMF) signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HRD Antwerp NV, the commercial arm of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) that is charge of diamond grading services, research and instrumentation and worldwide diamond and gemstone grading courses and education. The MoU was signed last month, during the fifth edition of Antwerp Diamond Trade Fair. Serge Couvreur (left)  and Alex Popov The rationale for the MoU between WDMF and HRD Antwerp NV is to form a strategic partnership so that HRD can begin offering the WDM diamond sales training to WDM accredited retail members (ADDs). The parties intend to start this collaborative effort in Turkey. Once this pilot has been proven successful,. HRD will than continue and offer the WDM diamond sales training globally. WDMF Chairman Alex Popov said the MoU is an important step toward the proliferation of the WDM programmes. "HRD Antwerp and WDM both seek to sustain and improve consumer confidence for diamond and diamond jewellery worldwide. WDM's main objective is to accredit retailers and multiply the sales in diamond markets," he stated. "As a World Diamond Mark® Strategic Partner, HRD Antwerp will be providing diamond sales training to retailers and help establish trust in the markets. Starting in Turkey, I anticipate that our collaboration will grow and that working with WDM, HRD Antwerp will be instrumental in multiplying the numbers of Authorized Diamond Dealers® (ADDs) around the globe and establish consumer confidence in ADD network," HRD Antwerp CEO Serge Couvreur stated. In its consumer communications, WDM will include the recommendation to consumers to purchase certified diamonds and diamond jewellery as a source of trust in quality, origin and value of the diamonds. HRD Antwerp NV will be able use World Diamond Mark® and Authorized Diamond Dealer® logos and names in its promotional campaigns. The WDM was represented in January on occasion of the launch of Antwerp's very own quality label "Antwerp Most Brilliant" which was awarded on January 29 to the first six Antwerp jewelers during a ceremony at Antwerp City Hall and congratulated HRD Antwerp with this achievement, which is completely in line with WDM's objectives . About the WDM The WDM's global objective is to ensure the health and future growth of the diamond and jewelry industry in the luxury market sector. It is based on three fundamental principles: the education of jewelry retailers about diamonds; confidence building among consumers with the WDM accreditation program; and the creation of a generic marketing program to promote diamonds and diamond jewelry, based on the Authorized Diamond Dealer® concept. The World Diamond Mark® is a not-for-profit foundation, incorporated in Hong Kong. About HRD Antwerp NV Founded in Antwerp in 1976, the HRD Antwerp Diamond Lab is today one of the largest and most respected diamond grading labs worldwide, with its certificates accepted internationally as documented assurances of a diamond's quality and authenticity. As the most prominent laboratory to adhere to the grading standards set by the International Diamond Council (IDC), which is an authoritative body created more than 30 years ago by the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) and the International Diamond Manufacturing Association (IDMA), the Diamond Lab was the first industry laboratory to be officially accredited by the International Standards Organisation (ISO/IEC 17025). The integrity, objectivity and anonymity of the grading process are absolute