Sothebys, Christies 100ct Diamonds Oh My!

   The anticipation is over as the world most EXPENSIVE 118cts white diamond in the world has been auction for a record breaking $30 MILLION dollars. There was a bidding war and at the last moment the other bidder had backed out. The buyer of this remarkable, historic diamond is apparently a private collector and wishes to remain anonymous.  When a large diamond is auctioned, it isn't named. The stones are named by the new owner.... So does that mean that this magnificent diamond is going to sit in a vault without a name?? But maybe just at cocktail parties? Shame...shame... 

 

118cts Diamond Auction price $30.8 Million 

   At the same auction was an incredible unheated pigeon blood Burmese ruby and diamond ring that was created by Vietnamese Jewelry designer Cindy Chao ( her work is mind blowing!) had sold for $3.8 Million dollars. The Burmese ruby is unheated and adds value to the stone and the ring, but still at less than 10cts, that's a substantial amount of money for a ring~But with the embargo right now Burmese rubies aren't allowed to exported into the US. It could of added a little more value to this piece of art jewelry~

 

8.20tcw Unheated Burmese Pigeon Blood Ruby & Diamond Ring

    Its the year for large gems to break records! A large lump that was discovered by a poverty stricken African girl turned out to be a rather large diamond. It was found by the girl in a pile of rubble that had been discarded by the diamond company.  This big rock has turned out to be the most expensive diamond  (407cts) necklace in the world according to Guinness. The necklace features 90 diamonds that weigh 230 carats, for a grand total of 637cts necklace! The original rough 890 carats and took 4 years to polish. The fate of the girl that had discovered the stone is unknown... 

  

L'Comparable diamond necklace

It shows the size at how large the necklace truly is! 

  Sothebys "Magnificent Jewels & Jadeite" Auction held in Hong Kong on October 7th had an exquisite internally flawless 7.59cts fancy vivid blue diamond that was pre auction estimate to be around $19 Million dollars ( ouch!) But the stone failed to met the reserve and the bidding got as high as $16.1 but wasn't sold. But in other news regarding blue diamonds (how many can there be?) A stunning 12.47cts blue diamond was sold for  $7.5 Million and an 82ct white diamond for $4.8 Million. Both of these stones were mined from the Lesteng Mine in Lesotho by Gem Diamonds. At $7.5 Million that equates to $603,047 a carat! (I had written about the finds in this mine in a previous post.)

 

12.47cts Blue Diamond

 

   New trends for jewelry can be seen all over. Our recent trip to Hong Kong for the Asia world Expo we had seen so many beautiful gems and gorgeous jewelry designs. Along with the sale at the best auction houses there is still a demand for larger sized gems. Pearls are making a big comeback, classic and always in style, they are still highly coveted. Designers have been using pearls in a fresh and updated look. Chanel has a new line of gorgeous multi hued pearl bracelets and earrings.

Chanels "Lion Talisman" features diamonds, and multi colored cultured pearls

 There is something so beautiful about putting on a strand of cold pearls and have the heat up to your body temperature. It's a wonderful feeling. 

  And speaking of pearls, in 1917 Maisie Plant and her husband Morton Plant were planning on moving uptown from 5th Ave in New York with the other socialites at the time. they were selling their mansion for the same price as a strand of pearls she owned. A reported double strand of pearls (reportedly worth $1,000,000, equivalent to $16 Million dollars today)) was used as well as $100 to purchase the building in 1917, it is where Cartier stands now on 5th Ave. 

 

Maisie Plant and her $1.0 Million Dollar Pearl Necklace

   
 Towards the end of the year some larger stones will be hitting the auction block. An exceptional piece of jewelry that will be auction at Sothebys is the Walska Yellow Diamond " bird of paradise" brooch. This brooch features a 96.62 yellow diamond briolette, diamonds, emeralds and a sapphire cabochon.  It was created by Van Cleef in 1971.  The pre auction estimate is $8 million dollars!  It is very unique and I'd love to hear the story behind it~

 

96.62cts Yellow Diamond Bird of Paradise Brooch

                  

Ganna Walska pictures during her theatrical career, she was a beauty!

  Ganna Walska was quite a character herself. She was an opera singer and an actress. She had many husbands and during her life had created quite a controversy wherever she went. She had six husbands and loved her orchids and plants. Her estate in California "Lotusland" is one of the most magnificent places that contains rare orchids and fauna. She also had a fabulous collection of jewels from her many travels around the world and her various husbands as well.  I'll be featuring her and her love of jewels in a future Blog entry.

  It seems like the two auction house are always in quiet competition with one another. Not to be outdone by Sothebys, ( they are auctioning the most expensive diamond in the WORLD) Christies is holding an auction on November 13th in Geneva. What a beautiful setting!  The jewelry featured in this auction will be from two very prominent people. One of them is the Bolivian mining tycoon ( aka King of Tin) Simón Itturi Patiño and also the wife of fashion designer Helene Rochas. Helene had met her future husband Marcel Rochas  on the Metro when she was 18. he was from the famous fashion house Rochas.  When he passed away in 1955 Helene turned her husbands company into an empire and was known for hosting the most glamorous of parties. She passed away in 2011 and since then, her french apartment and its contents had been sold in September 2012.

  

Helene Rochas

  Not only is the jewelry incredible but also the stories of the women who owned these fabulous pieces of jewelry. I think that is an interesting concept and adds mystery to the jewelry. 

 

A diamond, coloured diamond and emerald Tiger shoulder brooch by René Boivin, the property of Madame Hélène Rochas

Three sapphire, ruby and diamond Honeycomb bracelets by René Boivin

 

A mystery-set ruby Magnolia brooch by Van Cleef & Arpels, 1968, the property of Madame Hélène Rochas

  There 18 items from the estate of Helene Rochas and 3 items from Simón Iturri Patiño estate.  There might be only 3 items, but they have significant historic value. 

 The emerald and diamond cross necklace was designed by Cartier in 1937. The cross that was added is from Queen Eugenia Victoria of Spain and had also belonged to Empress Eugenie of France. It is carved from one piece of emerald and weighs 45cts and is called the "Andean Cross'.  Pre auction estimate is $7 - $10 million dollars. Simon passed away in 1947. he was one of the wealthiest men in the world and had owed his great success to mining tin after purchasing a land deed that was of no value at the time. it was later learned that it contained a large vein of tin. He controlled the majority ( 80%) of the tin population in the world. 

 He invested his money wisely and had bought jewels that were of historic value.  

 

A magnificent emerald and diamond necklace, by Cartier, 1937, from the Patiño collection

 
Here is a picture of the necklace intact.  Earrings had been made in 1945 and the necklace was shortened.

  http://www.royal-magazin.de/spain/Bilder/patino-emeralds-cartier-12.jpg

                                             Keep sparkling until next time~