Sotheby’s New York April 29, 2014 Magnificent Jewels Spring Sale

Sotheby’s New York Annual Magnificent Jewels Spring Sale is due to take place on April 29, 2014 and will be preceded by an exhibition of the highlights from the sale, at Sotheby’s York Avenue Galleries, beginning April 25, 2014. The auction offering more than 450 lots will be held in two sessions, the first session comprising lots 1 to 214, starting at 10.00 a.m. and the second session comprising lots 215 to 458, starting at 2.00 p.m. The lots whose estimates vary from as low as US$1,500-2,000 to as high as US$6,000,000 to 7,000,000, are expected to fetch a total of more than US$37 million.

The lots include several pieces incorporating rare colored diamonds and colored gemstones, as well as pieces incorporating colorless diamonds, signed jewels from leading jewelry houses and designers and an important collection of jewelry from the estate of the late entertainer Eydie Gorme. Pieces include several classic diamonds that were given by her husband of 55 years, Steve Lawrence. Steve and Eydie reigned for decades as America’s most sophisticated and award-winning pop vocal duet.

Lot 207 - A Magnificent Platinum, Fancy Intense Orangy-Pink Diamond Ring
Lot 207 – A Magnificent Platinum, Fancy Intense Orangy-Pink Diamond Ring

The top lot of the sale is Lot 207 – A Magnificent Platinum, Fancy Intense Orangy-Pink Diamond Ring – with a pre-sale estimate of US$6-7 million. The centerpiece of this platinum ring is a cushion-cut, 15.23-carat, VS2-clarity, fancy intense orangy-pink diamond; the shoulder and hoop of the ring are accentuated with small round diamonds weighing 0.76 carats. The lot is accompanied by a GIA report bearing No. 5151931291 certifying that the diamond is a natural color, cushion-cut, fancy intense orangy pink, VS2 clarity diamond weighing 15.23 carats.

Lot 458 - Exceptional Kashmir Sapphire and Diamond Ring
Lot 458 – Exceptional Kashmir Sapphire and Diamond Ring

The next highlight of the sale is Lot 458 – An Exceptional Platinum, Sapphire and Diamond Ring – the proceeds of the lot benefitting a charitable foundation. The platinum, size-8 ring incorporates one of the finest Kashmir blue sapphires ever to appear at an auction, with a impressive weight of 28.18 carats and a perfect square emerald-cut. The sapphire is surrounded by 32 tapered baguette-cut diamonds. The ring designed by Oscar Heyman & Brothers first appeared at a Sotheby’s New York Magnificent Jewelry auction on October 19, 1983, under Lot No.384. The lot is accompanied by two lab reports, by the AGL and GGL certifying that the sapphire is of Kashmir origin with no indications of heating. A pre-sale estimate of US$4-5 million is placed on this lot.
Gary Schuler, Senior Vice President and Director of the New York Jewelry Department commenting on the sale of this Kashmir blue sapphire, said, “The current world record price per carat for a Kashmir sapphire at an auction is $175,821, achieved for the Richelieu Sapphires (26.66 and 20.88 carats) at Sotheby’s in Geneva in November 2013. The exceptional quality of this sapphire has the potential to reach historic heights as well, with proceeds benefiting a charitable foundation.”

Lot 182 - El-Dorado Emerald and Diamond Ring
Lot 182 – El-Dorado Emerald and Diamond Ring

Another highlight of the sale is Lot 182 – A Highly Important Platinum, 18k Gold, Emerald and Diamond Ring. The centerpiece of this ring is the “El-Dorado Emerald” a 36.53-carat, emerald-cut, rare Colombian emerald, with a rich, vibrant, slightly bluish-green hue, inclusion-free, with no evidence of oil/resin treatment or clarity enhancement. The emerald is flanked on either side by two triangle-shaped diamonds, weighing approximately 6.00 carats. A pre-sale estimate of US$1.8-2.2 million is placed on this rare emerald ring. The lot is accompanied by three lab reports by AGL, GGL and GIA, all certifying that the emerald is of classic Colombian origin, with no indications of clarity enhancement.

Lot 453 - Fine platinum and diamond bracelet
Lot 453 – Fine platinum and diamond bracelet

A Fine Platinum and Diamond Bracelet, bearing Lot No. 453, set with 39 round diamonds, weighing 58.55 carats, with a pre-sale estimate of US$850,000-1,000,000 is another highlight of the sale.The lot is accompanied by 39 GIA reports, one for each diamond on the bracelet. According to these reports the weights of the diamonds range from 1.01 to 3.24 carats; the color varies between D to F (top-color); and the clarity between internally flawless and VS2. Each of the diamonds has excellent polish, cut and symmetry.

Lot 447 - Important platinum and diamond ring
Lot 447 – Important platinum and diamond ring

Among the pieces incorporating white diamonds, the top lot of the sale is Lot 447 – An Important Platinum And Diamond Ring – incorporating a cushion-cut, D-color, VS1-clarity diamond weighing 10.07 carats as its centerpiece, flanked by four baguette-cut diamonds weighing 0.60 carats. A pre-sale estimate of US$775,000 to 1,000,000 is placed on this lot. The lot is accompanied by a GIA report stating that the diamond is D-color, VS1-clarity and Type IIa.

Lot 206 - Important pair of platinum and diamond earstuds
Lot 206 – Important pair of platinum and diamond earstuds

Lot 206 – Important Pair of Platinum and Diamond Earstuds and Lot 409 – Fine Platinum and Diamond Ring are also pieces incorporating colorless diamonds. The pair of platinum and diamond earstuds, are set with two circular-cut diamonds, weighing 5.02 and 5.01 carats. The diamonds are certified by GIA as E-color, internally flawless, with excellent polish, cut and symmetry. A pre-sale estimate of US$750,000 to 1,000,000 is placed on this lot.

Lot 409 - Fine Platinum and Diamond Ring
Lot 409 – Fine Platinum and Diamond Ring

Lot 409, a fine platinum and diamond ring, also incorporates a D-color, emerald-cut diamond as its centerpiece, weighing 9.22 carats, flanked by two tapered baguette-cut diamonds, weighing 0.5 carats. A GIA report accompanying the lot, certifies that the diamond is D-color, Type IIa and internally flawless clarity. A pre-sale estimate of US$700,000-900,000 is placed on this lot.

Lot 213 - Elegant diamond and platinum ring by David Webb
Lot 213 – Elegant diamond and platinum ring by David Webb

Lot 213 is a signed jewel by designer David Webb, having the same pre-sale estimate as Lot 409, of US$700,000 to 900,000. The piece incorporates a 14.26-carat, emerald-cut, G-color, VVS2-clarity diamond as its centerpiece, flanked by two triangle-shaped diamonds weighing 1.75 carats. A GIA report accompanying the lot certifies that the diamond is G-color and VVS2 clarity.

Lot 457 - Elegant Platinum, Emerald and Diamond Bracelet
Lot 457 – Elegant Platinum, Emerald and Diamond Bracelet

Two top signed jewels by Cartier incorporating colored gemstones and diamonds are lots 457 and 450. Lot 457 – An Elegant Platinum, Emerald and Diamond Bracelet – designed by Cartier around year 1930, is a flexible line bracelet set with seven emerald-cut emeralds weighing 4.37, 3.98, 3.65, 3.39, 2.95, 2.18, and 2.06 carats, alternating with seven cushion-cut diamonds with a total weight of 17.91 carats, spaced by baguette-cut diamonds, weighing a total 3.90 carats. The lot is accompanied by seven AGL reports, one for each emerald, certifying that all the emeralds are of Colombian origin, with clarity enhancement of either insignificant or minor. A pre-sale estimate of US$700,000 to 900,000 is placed on this lot.

Lot 450 - 18k-Gold, Colored Diamond, Diamond, Onyx and Emerald Bangle-Bracelet
Lot 450 – 18k-Gold, Colored Diamond, Diamond, Onyx and Emerald Bangle-Bracelet

The other Cartier signed jewel is Lot 450 – 18k-Gold, Colored Diamond, Diamond, Onyx and Emerald Bangle-Bracelet. The bracelet of hinged design terminates in opposing tiger motifs, pave-set with numerous round diamonds of yellow hue weighing 15.00 carats, accented by round near-colorless diamonds, weighing approximately 0.45 carats, highlighted throughout with onyx stripes, completed by four pear-shaped emerald eyes. Cartier’s tiger motif jewels or “big cat” jewels inspired by Jeanne Toussaint, the director of Haute Joaillerie for Cartier, affectionately nicknamed “la Panthere” by Louis Cartier, became very popular in the first-half of the 20th-century and were admired and worn by the world’s best-dressed women such as Daisy Fellowes, Princess Nina Aga Khan, Barbara Hutton and the Duchess of Windsor.

Lot 196 - Platinum fancy colored diamond ring
Lot 196 – Platinum fancy colored diamond ring

Lot 196, with a pre-sale estimate of US$500,000 to 700,000 is another interesting piece composed of fancy colored diamonds. The piece is a platinum ring whose centerpiece is a cut-cornered square modified brilliant-cut fancy-deep pink diamond weighing 1.50 carats, flanked on one side by a cushion modified brilliant-cut fancy-deep blue-green diamond weighing 0.26 carats, and on the other side by a cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut fancy-deep greenish-blue diamond weighing 0.22 carats, and the hoop of the ring accented by circular-cut diamonds weighing 0.26 carats. The lot is accompanied by three GIA reports, one certifying that the 1.50-carat diamond is a fancy-deep pink, natural colored, SI2-clarity diamond; a second certifying that the 0.26-carat diamond is a fancy-deep blue-green, natural colored, SI2-clarity diamond and the third certifying that the 0.22-carat diamond is a fancy-deep greenish-blue, natural colored, SI2-clarity diamond.

Lot 419 - Unmounted 4.25-carat, oval-shaped Mogok ruby
Lot 419 – Unmounted 4.25-carat, oval-shaped Mogok ruby

Lot 419 – A Ruby Ring – is an important colored gemstone piece set with an oval-shaped Mogok ruby weighing 4.25 carats mounted in 18k gold. The lot is accompanied by an AGL report certifying that the ruby is of classic Burmese origin, with no indications of heating. A pre-sale estimate of US$250,000-350,000 is placed on this lot.

Lot 406 - Platinum, Kashmir Sapphire and Diamond Ring
Lot 406 – Platinum, Kashmir Sapphire and Diamond Ring

Three important pieces incorporating blue sapphires are Lots 406, 408 and 412. Lot 406 – A Platinum, Sapphire and Diamond Ring – is set with an oval-cut, Kashmir blue sapphire weighing 5.45 carats, and the mounting set with single-cut diamonds weighing 0.30 carats. The lot is accompanied by three lab reports from AGL, SSEF and GGL certifying that the sapphire is of Kashmir origin, with no indications of heating. A pre-sale estimate of US$200,000 to300,000 is placed on this ring.

Lot 408 - Platinum, Burmese Sapphire and Diamond Ring
Lot 408 – Platinum, Burmese Sapphire and Diamond Ring

Lot 408 is also another Platinum, Sapphire and Diamond Ring, but a signed piece by Cartier, with the same pre-sale estimate of US$200,000-300,000 as Lot 406. The centerpiece of the ring, an oval-shaped blue sapphire of Burmese origin weighing 10.99 carats, is flanked by two triangle-shaped diamonds weighing 1.75 carats. The lot is accompanied by an AGL report certifying that the blue sapphire is of Burmese origin, with no indication of color enhancement by heating.

Lot 412 - 18k-Gold, Platinum, Sapphire and Diamond bracelet
Lot 412 – 18k-White Gold, Platinum, Sapphire and Diamond bracelet

Lot 412 -An 18k-White Gold, Platinum, Sapphire and Diamond Bracelet – A signed piece by Aletto Brothers, is a flexible band set with three main rows of round sapphires weighing approximately 68.00 carats, bordered by a layer of round white diamonds, weighing approximately 8.90 carats. The lot has a modest estimate of US$45,000-65,000.

Lot 407 - Platinum and Diamond Ring
Lot 407 – Platinum and Diamond Ring

Lot 407 – A Platinum and Diamond Ring – is another lot incorporating a D-color, Type IIa diamond. The ring set with an oval-cut, D-color, internally flawless, 5.76-carat diamond has a pre-sale estimate of US$450,000-650,000 and is accompanied by a GIA report certifying that the diamond is D-color, internally flawless, Type IIa diamond.

Lot 433 - Platinum and Diamond Ring
Lot 433 – Platinum and Diamond Ring

Lots 433 and 434 are two lots from the Eydie Gorme Collection. Lot 433 – A Platinum and Diamond Ring – was a gift by Steve Lawrence to Eydie Gorme on the occasion of their 10th wedding anniversary. The centerpiece of the ring is a marquise-shaped, D-color, internally flawless diamond weighing 7.51 carats, flanked by two tapered baguette diamonds weighing 1.30 carats.

Lot 434 - Platinum and Diamond Riviere Necklace
Lot 434 – Platinum and Diamond Riviere Necklace

Lot 434 – A Platinum and Diamond Necklace – was a gift by Steve Lawrence to his wife Eydie Gorme on the occasion of their 25th wedding anniversary. The diamond riviere necklace of graduated design is set with 75 circular-cut diamonds, with a total weight of 55.00 carats. A pre-sale estimate of US$250,000-350,000 is placed on this necklace.

Lot 439 - Platinum and Diamond Ring by Harry Winston
Lot 439 – Platinum and Diamond Ring by Harry Winston

Another important piece from the Eydie Gorme collection is Lot 439 – A Platinum and Diamond Ring by Harry Winston – The ring incorporates an emerald-cut, J-color, SI1-clarity diamond weighing 17.40 carats as its centerpiece, flanked by two baguette-cut diamonds.
Commenting on the sale of Eydie Gorme Collection, Lisa Hubbard, Chairman, The Americas, Sotheby’s International Jewelry Division said: “Not only were Eydie Gorme and Steve Lawrence gifted performers, they were a wonderful love story. Her very personal jewelry collection is a testament to one of the great, enduring romances in show business history. Eydie dreamed of one day owning a diamond in every classic shape, and Steve Lawrence made her dreams come true.”

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