Sotheby’s Geneva wil hold its Fine Jewels Sale on June 1st 2017, a brand new additional date added to its Geneva sales calendar, at their new premises, at 2 rue François Diday. The additional sale features a total of 411 moderately priced lots ranging from a moderate high of CHF 45,000 – 65,000 (USD 44,925 – 64,891) to as low as CHF 500 – 800 (USD 499 – 799). The lots include an array of antique jewels from early, mid and late 19th centuries, Belle Epoque and Art Nouveau periods, Art Deco, Retro and Modern periods, and signed jewels by renowned jewelry houses and designers such as Bulgari, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels with 15 to 20 lots, Boucheron, Gubelin, Marina and Seidler Elmar with 4 lots each, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Kessaris, with 3 lots each, Constantin Vacheron, Paltscho, Piaget and Yavorskyy with 2 lots each, and Boivin Rene, Buccellati, Chopard, Damiani, Graff, Kutchinsky, Mikimoto, Schlumberger, Sterle, David Webb and Della Valle with one lot each. The lots include bangle-bracelets, bracelets and brooches, demi-parures, earclips, earrings, necklaces, parures, pendants, pendant brooches, rings, sautoirs, unmounted loose stones, and wrist watches. The type of gemstones set include colored and colorless diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and a variety of colored stones such as amethyst, aquamarine, citrine, garnet, onyx, opal, peridot, spinel, tourmaline, turquoise and organic gemstones such as coral, cultured pearl, ivory, natural pearl, seed pearl, and mother-of-pearl.
BLUE SAPPHIRE LOTS
Top Lot of the sale is a blue sapphire and diamond lot, titled “Sapphire and diamond necklace, with a pre-sale estimate of CHF 45,000 – 65,000 (USD 44,925 – 64,891) and assigned lot no. 916. The 38.5 cm (15.2 ins) choker length, platinum and white gold necklace is composed of a line of graduated oval sapphires alternating with similarly shaped diamonds. The sapphires that are well matched in color are blue of strong saturation, with inclusions typical of sapphires. Estimated total weight of diamonds, approximately 13.50 – 14.50 carats, estimated color-grade G to H color (near-colorless) nd clarity grade VS to SI, as gauged and graded in the mount.
Other significant blue sapphire lots include Lots 907 and 798.
Lot 907 – Sapphire and diamond ring – with a pre-sale estimate of CHF 18,000 – 25,000 (USD 17,970 – 24,958) is another sapphire lot in the sale. The size 56 1/2 white gold ring is collet-set with a cushion-shaped Kashmir blue sapphire weighing 1.81 carats, surrounded by 8 rhomboidal rays, radiating from the gallery and claw-set with circular-cut or cushion-shaped colorless diamonds. GGL and SSEF reports nos. 16110128 and 91609 respectively, states that the cushion-shaped sapphire weighing 1.81 carat, measuring 7.23 x 6.11 x 4.65 mm, is of Kashmir origin, with no indications of heating. The blue color of the sapphire is of medium strong saturation. Estimated total weight of colorless diamonds approximately 1.75 to 2.25 carats.
Lot 798 is a creation by Michele della Valle, with an estimate of CHF 15,000 – 25,000 (USD 14,975 – 24,958) titled, “Sapphire, ruby and diamond ring, Michele della Valle.” The size 53, 18k white gold ring, signed MdV and numbered 150755, is multi-claw set with a sugarloaf medium blue Ceylon sapphire weighing 25.05 carats, within a mount pavé-set with circular-cut rubies and diamonds. GRS report no. GRS2016-059246, states that the sugarloaf sapphire weighing 25.05 carats with dimensions of 16.74 x 14.53 x 10.87 mm, is of Ceylon origin, with no indications of heating. The Rubies are well matched in color and the diamonds bright and lively.
EMERALD LOTS
Significant emerald lots include Lots 703, 621 and 572
Lot 703 – Emerald and diamond ring – with a pre-sale estimate of CHF 42,000 – 72,000 (USD 41,930 – 71,880) is the top emerald lot of the sale. The size 56 white metal ring is claw-set with a cabochon emerald weighing 12.27 carats highlighted by a row of pave-set circular-cut diamonds on the borders of the ring mount flanked on either side by a larger collet-set circular-cut diamond. SSEF report no. 82995, accompanying the lot, states that the cabochon emerald weighing 12.27 carats and measuring 15.36 x 13.84 x 8.21 mm, is of Colombian origin, with a minor amount of oil in fissures. The emerald has a green color of medium strong saturation, with typical inclusions. Estimated total weight of diamond approximately 2.00 -2.50 carats, with an average color-grade of H – I (near-colorless) and clarity grade of SI, as gauged and graded in the mount.
Lot 621 is another emerald lot titled. “Emerald and diamond ring,” with a pre-sale estimate of CHF 18,000 – 25,000 (USD 17,970 – 24,958). The size 51 1/2, 18k yellow gold ring is set with a cut-cornered rectangular step-cut emerald, weighing 5.15 carats, flanked by circular-cut diamonds on the shoulders of the ring.
SSEF report no. 85749 accompanying the lot states that the step-cut emerald weighing 5.15 carats and measuring 10.97 x 10.38 x 7.10 mm, is of Colombian origin, with a minor amount of oil in fissures, approved in the trade.
DIAMOND LOTS
Top among diamond lots is Lot 901 – Diamond long chain – with a pre-sale estimate of CHF 35,000 – 55,000 (USD 34,942 – 54,908). The 79 cm (31 ins.), Opera length platinum necklace is composed of a line of slightly graduated collet-set circular-cut and cushion-shaped diamonds. Estimated total weight of diamonds approximately 45.00 – 55.00 carats; color-grade H – K color; and clarity-grade VS1, as gauged and graded in the mount.
Another significant diamond lot is Lot 664 – Pair of diamond pendent earrings – with a pre-sale estimate of CHF 20,000 – 30,000 (USD 19,967 – 29,950). The 18k white gold pendant earrings of chandelier design has a surmount set with a pear-shaped diamond framed with brilliant-cut diamonds, supporting a dome-shaped tassel set with a bunch of briolette diamonds, the dome set with brilliant-cut and baguette diamonds. The earrings have post and butterfly fittings.
Estimated weight of pear-shaped diamonds 2.65 carats, average color-grade J-K and clarity grade VS1. Briolette diamonds estimated to weigh 52.08 carats; coor-grade M-color; and clarity grade SI-I; Other diamonds estimated weight 5.00 carats, color-grade G-H; and clarity grade VS-SI, as graded in the mount.
RUBY LOTS
Among the ruby lots Lot 513 is a significant lot, titled “Three ruby and diamond rings,” with a pre-sale estimate of CHF 18,000 – 28,000 (USD 17,970 – 27,953.
The upper ring, an 18k white gold cluster ring by Gübelin, is set with a 1.59-carat, oval-shaped, Burma ruby as its centerpiece, surrounded by a row of 12 brilliant-cut colorless diamonds set on the gallery; two dome-shaped motifs on either side in line with the shoulders of the ring, also set with brilliant-cut colorless diamonds; and seven radiating rows between the dome-shaped motifs, set with baguette-cut colorless diamonds.
Gübelin report no. 17037066 accompanying the ring states that the oval ruby stated to weigh 1.59 carats, measuring approximately 6.70 x 5.95 x 4.05 mm, is of Burmese origin.
The second ring in the middle is a size 52 1/2 , platinum and 18k gold ring claw-set with a 1.89-carat, cushion-shaped, Thai ruby, flanked by shield shaped colorless diamonds on its shoulders
GRS report no. GRS2015-028006, accompanying the ring states that the cushion-shaped ruby stated to weigh 1.89 carats, measuring 8.57 x 5.79 x 2.79 mm, is of Thai origin, with no indications of thermal treatment.
The third and lowest ring on the image is a size 48, 18k yellow-gold ring of bombé design set with a 1.90-carat, heart-shaped Thai ruby, the mount pavé-set with brilliant-cut diamonds.
AGL report no. CS 8085606, states that the heart-shaped ruby stated to weigh 1.90 carats, measuring approximately 7.3 x 8.1 x 3.69 mm, is of Thai origin, with evidence of heat enhancement.
