ZIRCON AND DIAMOND RING, VERDURA

Important Jewels from a Family Collection Inherited From Mrs. John C. Wilson, Née Princess Natalie Paley

ZIRCON AND DIAMOND RING, VERDURA

Designed as a band of channel-set zircon baguettes, flanked by bezel-set single-cut diamonds, extending to a border of fluted gold, size 7½, signed Verdura; circa 1947.

 Born Countess Natalia Pavlovna von Hohenfelsen in 1905, Princess Natalie Paley (Mrs. John Chapman Wilson) was the daughter of Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich, uncle of the last Russian Czar, Nicholas II.

As a young girl, Natalie escaped Russia with her mother and sister Irina and lived in exile in Paris during the 1920s. She became a noted model for Vogue Magazine, first in Paris and later in New York. Edward Steichen, Horst and Cecil Beaton took many of her fashion photographs. While in London she met the Broadway producer and director John C. “Jack” Wilson, business partner of Noel Coward, Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. Jack Wilson and Natalie were married in 1937 at his home in Fairfield, Connecticut. 

Her close friendship with jewelry designer Fulco di Verdura would result in her collection of several pieces of jewels created by the two, one of which is on offer here. Several pieces from the collection will also be sold in the December 10, Magnificent Jewels sale. 

Upon her death in 1981, the jewels on offer were passed to John C. Wilson’s niece, a portion of which was sold by Sotheby's in 2009. Sotheby's is once again honored to present a selection of jewels from this important family collection.