T his May the Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels sale presents iconic designs from the world’s most prestigious jewellery houses, such as Van Cleef & Arpels and Cartier among others. The sale also features beautiful coloured diamonds, exceptional coloured stones and magnificent jewels from the early 19th century to the present day.
Colour — exuberant, voluptuous, audacious — defines Bulgari’s style signature. It is color characterized by a very particular choice of gemstones, daringly different often idiosyncratic combinations, and a very Italian sensibility to the spirit and life in a stone. By the 1960s, Bulgari jewels exploded with color: tonal blends of paler blue Sri Lankan sapphires, striking combinations of traditional colored gems with citrines, amethysts, tourmalines, especially with colored sapphires, a massive trend spearheaded by Bulgari. From late 50s and 60s, Bulgari began using the cabochon style of cutting to evoke the richness of Renaissance jewels. Paolo Bulgari inherited his father Giorgio’s love and knowledge of gemstones, nurturing an unrivaled eye for the beauty and charisma of these stones; a passion passed on to the current Creative Director, Lucia Silvestri.
“Most of all, Bulgari stones have to be alive.”
Diamonds occur in an array of colours – from pure whites and soft pinks and blues to vibrant hues of purple and red. No matter the colour, each diamond possesses a unique composition of chemical elements that have the power to dictate rarity, value and desirability.
Exceptional contemporary jewels demonstrate the continuing mastery and creativity of modern-day diamond cutters and master jewellers. From Hemmerle and JAR to Cartier, these houses are both widely recognised as some of the most talented jewellers of the modern day.
Created in 1927 by Oscar Heyman & Brothers for Shreve, Crump & Low, one of the oldest jewellers in America, this bracelet is essentially a tour-de-force of American jewellery of the Art Deco period. This atypical Art Deco polychrome design underscores the exotic iconography, evoking rich naturalistic movement. A dynamic yet supple three-dimensional statement results from the near absence of straight lines and abundance of contrast in form and colour. It is so perfectly conceived and executed and is so expressive of the spirit of New York in the late 1920s. Each decade of Oscar Heyman’s illustrious jewellery making since 1920, has been conducted from their Madison Avenue premises, from alloying metals and stone cutting to the designing and final completion of a piece of jewellery. Very much the jeweller's jeweller, Oscar Heyman & Brothers has produced pieces for Cartier, Marcus & Co., Shreve & Co., Black, Starr & Frost, and many other firms who have chosen to remain anonymous.
The South African opera singer, Mimi Coertse, is one of the most internationally renowned Soprano singers. Having received critical acclaim for her performances as Queen of the Night in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Coertse was with the Vienna State Opera for eighteen years. Sotheby’s is thrilled to announce the sale of her Fancy Intense Yellow Diamond Ring, a jewel that is illustrative of her illustrious career and her great ambition as an opera singer. A huge star, travelling and performing around the world, it is believed that Coertse holds the record for performing the role of Queen of the Night, once remarkably more than twenty times in one season, as well as performing in front of several Presidents and Royals, including John F. Kennedy, the Queen of Netherlands, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, the Shah of Iran, and Farah Diba to name a few.
Daisy Prince is like an F. Scott Fitzgerald heroine, blessed with handsome classical blonde looks and that irresistible je ne sais quoi which make her stand out anywhere she goes. It is, perhaps, the multiple combination of her demeanor, her wit, her passion for literature, her infectious charm and her straightforward attitude to life. The epitome of old East Coast sophistication she exudes the natural, elegance of a bygone era. This is perhaps no surprise as she’s a scion of a Boston Brahmin family which includes illustrious female members such as socialite C.Z Guest -a Truman Capote Swan and a Slim Aarons muse- who was a twentieth century fashion icon and a pinnacle of style.
I present Daisy with a tray of jewels and Daisy’s choice doesn’t surprise me. Like her personality, they are bold, colourful, striking, playful, and no fuzz alternatives.
I think people have the wrong concept about their jewels, they keep it locked and tucked away. They should wear them. These things are alive. They come from the earth and they get warm when worn.
