C ollected by a private family over 40 years of global travel, this dazzling selection of jewellery and watches features timeless designs, important gemstones, and a few rarities to pique a collector’s interest.
Highlighted in this Single Owner collection is an incredible assortment of important and highly desirable watches. Led by an outstanding 1518 encased in pink gold, this watch is the epitome of perpetual calendar chronograph perfection. An evolution from the 1518 is the reference 5970 – also featured in this sale. The salmon-colored dial has a striking contrast against the white gold case. This 5970 is one of only a handful known to exist and comes to us fresh-to-the-auction-market. Another noteworthy chronograph from the collection is a stainless steel Patek Philippe reference 130 with a sector dial. Rounding out the top lots from Patek Philippe are four spectacular reference 982’s from the rare handcrafts collection with various depictions of scenes and animals on the caseback. The lots feature galloping Arabian horses, a lateen sail on Lake Geneve, a fishing eagle in flight, and a group of gold engraved flying storks against a beautiful orange enamel background. Lastly, the sale features a vintage Rolex reference 6239 featuring a pulsation dial – arguably one of the most sought-after Daytonas ever produced.
The sale features several impressive gemstones. Highlights include a magnificent 20.18 carat Kashmir sapphire mounted as a pendant and a 13.01 carat Burmese sapphire ring. Three fancy colored diamond rings including a 1.05 carat Fancy Intense Pink, a 2.73 carat Fancy Intense Purple-Pink, and a 3.09 carat Fancy Vivid Yellow offer a range of enticing hues. The sale also presents outstanding jewels that combine artistry with distinctive style. Five vintage Cartier pieces are particularly noteworthy. A lush ‘Tutti-Frutti’ brooch with large carved sapphires, an intricate two-panel diamond bracelet, a chic geometric diamond clip-brooch, and a delicate diamond jardinière brooch with ruby beads all exemplify the sophistication and craftsmanship of early 20th century Cartier jewellery. A scarce ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ charm bracelet made in cooperation with the Disney studio represents a more whimsical side of the famous jeweler. More modern pieces such as a diamond and sapphire ‘Virgo’ brooch by Van Cleef & Arpels and a diamond and ruby ring by JAR demonstrate how high levels of artistry persist in the jewellery-making of the present day.
Sotheby’s is pleased to present this collection that represents watchmaking and the jeweler’s art at their highest levels.
Read LessOf all the works produced by Cartier since its founding in 1847, it is their iconic creations from the Art Deco period that can be said to epitomize the firm’s unparalleled ingenuity, style and workmanship. Instantly recognizable, timeless in design and infinitely wearable, Cartier’s Art Deco jewels represent one of the great high points in the history of jewelry. This sale features four quintessential Cartier pieces from the Art Deco period: a platinum and diamond geometric clip-brooch, a delicate diamond and ruby jardinière brooch, an opulent carved gemstone and diamond ‘Tutti-Frutti’ brooch, and an intricate diamond two-panel bracelet.
Kashmir sapphires were mined for only a short period from the 1880s to the 1930s and today are considered the highest-quality stones in the world. They are the most sought-after of all sapphires, not only for their rarity, but also for their rich cornflower-blue color and mesmerizing depth. This velvety texture is the result of numerous inclusions, sometimes known as “silk”, that can refract and diffuse light, giving the stone an overall soft appearance. This 20.10 carat Kashmir sapphire has beautiful rich color and is of an impressive size.
One of the most elegant and classic collection of Patek Philippe's perpetual calendar chronographs, the reference 5970 was launched in 2004, was only made for 6 years, and was in fact the first watch designed by the current president Thierry Stern. It was also the final perpetual calendar chronograph where the brand to employ a Lemania-based movement, which was replaced by the successor reference 5270's fully in-house movement. Often regarded as the bridge between traditional and modern perpetual calendar chronographs from the brand, the present example of the 5970 features a white gold case and a stunning salmon dial with white gold baton markers.
Delivered in 2014 via the Geneva Boutique in Switzerland 4 years after the regular reference had ceased production, this truly remarkable watch was likely a private commission. Interestingly, one year later in 2015, Patek Philippe announced a limited run of almost identical Ref 5970G’s to coincide with the Patek Philippe Grand Exhibition held at the Saatchi Gallery, London as part of the company’s 175th anniversary celebrations. Alongside similarly salmon dialed Ref 5070 and 3940 made for the grand exhibition, a suspected 5 examples for the 5970G-019 with salmon dials were produced and delivered in 2016.
Sotheby's is proud to present the present lot which is preserved in exceptional condition and is presented with the full suite of accessories.
