Rare examples of stones from the legendary mines of Goldconda, Kashmir, and Muzo will be offered in Christie’s Jewels: The Geneva Sale to be held on November 17.
The Indian mines of Golconda are considered legendary by gem connoisseurs. The quality of the diamonds discovered in those mines is so outstanding that they have been compared to 'pools of crystal water' by the 17th Century French traveller Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. Mining activities in the Golconda area reached their climax in the mid 1600s. Over the years the mines yielded the greatest historical diamonds of India, such as the Koh-I-Noor, now part of the Crown Jewels of England, the Agra and the Hope. The mines were almost depleted in the mid 18th Century and as a result large diamonds with this famed provenance and distinction are seldom encountered today. Christie’s has now the privelege to offer a unique pear-shaped Golconda diamond weighing 26.17 carats, D colour, Internally Flawless clarity, Type IIa. This antique pear-shaped diamond, suspended form a diamond briolette chain, is estimated at $3,000,000-5,000,000.
From central India Golconda the sale will move North to the mountains of Kashmir where the most beautiful sapphires were mined in the late 19th Century. Their rich blue color, with a mesmerizing velvety quality, and their rarity, especially above 10 carats, commands a much higher price than all other sapphires. To find a superb Kashmir such as the superb unmounted cushion-shaped Kashmir sapphire of 19.94 carats is excessively rare, especially because it displays an incredibly rich saturation and velvety blue color spared from any form of enhancement (estimate $1,000,000-1,500,000).
From Kashmir to South America: the history of the legendary mines of Muzo began with the discovery of the New World by the Spanish conquerors in the early 16th Century. Certainly the most sought after, emeralds from the Muzo mines are highly valued because of their famous saturated pure green to slightly bluish green hue, their size and their clarity. Since their discovery by the Spanish, the Muzo mines have supplied exceptional emeralds which now adorn the crown jewels of most
Royal collections around the world. Unlike the mines of Golconda and Kashmir, which are now depleted, Muzo still yields to this day high quality gemstones, though very few displaying the purity and intense saturation of the exceptional square-cut offered in November: an exceptional square-cut 'Muzo' emerald weighing 9.27 carats, highly transparent pure crystal, free of any form of enhancement, estimated at $380,000-580,000.
In November 2009, Texma, of which Muzo International is the marketing and trading arm, was awarded exclusive mining rights to the Muzo mines. Muzo international is unique in the emerald business in that they have complete control of mine to market, establishing the concept of traceability for every gem. This ensures that both the emeralds and the methods by which they have been processed are of the highest quality and ethical standards. From a large rough emerald weighing
86.99 carats, only 3 polished emeralds were cut to obtain perfect stones: a 9.27 carats rectangular-cut, a 0.28 carats circular-cut and a 0.48 carats heart-shaped.
The total yield was very low at only 11.54% of the total rough and no expense was spared in this quest for perfection. Muzo International, also have a zero resin/polymers policy and only non-permanent oils are used to treat stones when necessary, dispelling any concerns with regards to potentially detrimental fillers.Unlike the mines of Golconda and Kashmir, which are now depleted, Muzo still yields to this day high quality gemstones, though very few displaying the purity and intense saturation of the exceptional square-cut being offered in Christie’s sale.
Two Indian Diamond “Sarpechs” from Royal Collections, each estimated at $1,000,000-1,500,000, evoke the magnificence of the Maharajas’ lifestyle. The sarpech (Hindi for ‘head feather’), considered the ultimate symbol of Indian royalty and sometimes used as a reward for exceptional service, was a turban ornament. It was worn almost exclusively by the Moghul emperors, Indian princes and their immediate family. After Queen Victoria became Empress of India in 1857, no Indian Prince was allowed to wear a crown, which explains the emergence of highly elaborate and jewelled sarpechs as a symbol of royalty.
The first example is one of the most impressive diamond sarpechs of Royal provenance ever offered at auction, with a total diamond weight of approximately 152 carats. The second sarpech, coming from another Royal Collection, is set with high quality emeralds and diamonds of impressive sizes, ranging from approximately 15.16 to 7.87 carats.
One of the most sophisticated pieces with exceptional Imperial provenance is the superb diamond necklace created by René Boivin in 1935 for the late Empress Nam Ph'u'ong of Vietnam, estimated at $100,000-150,000. Marie-Thérèse Nguyen Huu Thi Lan (pictured below) was born in 1914 in what was then the French colony of Cochinchina.
The daughter of a wealthy merchant, she was sent to France at the age of twelve, to study at the famous catholic school 'Couvent des Oiseaux'. Upon her return to Vietnam, Mariette as she was best known, met the future Emperor Bao Dai. They married in 1934, and she was named Empress Nam Ph'u'ong in 1945.
Due to her education, the Empress had a strong attachment to French culture. The Imperial couple soon became important clients of the famous jeweler René Boivin, from who they commissioned in 1935 five tiaras, four rings and five pairs of earrings. This included the present diamond necklace which could originally be worn also as a tiara. René Boivin was an exceptionally avant-garde jeweler, established in Paris, who worked for an exclusive international clientele. He rarely produced all diamond-set jewels of this importance, and the sale in November offers a rare opportunity to own a unique jewel bearing the exclusive Boivin signature.
After her husband’s abdication, the Empress and her five children moved to France. She separated from the Emperor in 1955 and spent a peaceful and discreet life until her death in 1963. The Empress always remained faithful to her country, where her devotion, beauty, great sense of style and elegance makes her much loved and admired to this day.
Among the period jewelry is an antique ruby and diamond necklace, circa 1890, from the property of a Lady of Title, set with 18 beautiful Burmese rubies Of classical cluster design, this necklace displays the best unheated, highly saturated and well matched Burma rubies $300,000-400,000).
The sale also includes some rare Art Nouveau pieces such as a delicate and rare enamelled and gold fringe necklace by iconic jeweler René Lalique $60,000- 80,000. Signed by Lucien Gaillard, two rings and a gold necklace are again very representative of the Art Nouveau movement. Less prolific than René Lalique, Lucien Gaillard is one of the most admired jewelers of the period who won numerous awards for his innovation in craftsmanship.
Another highlight of the auction is a magnificent and extremely rare diamond sautoir by Cartier, a striking example of the Art Deco craftsmanship of the French jeweler (estimate: $800,000- 1,200,000.) Very few of these important diamond sautoirs survived the change of fashions, as diamonds were often reset to adapt to changing styles. To have a sautoir of this importance, still centrally set with a 12.70 carat brilliant-cut diamond, is therefore a true rarity.
The auction also features an exceptional group of 14 Boivin jewels, which remain just as fashionable and wearable today as they were when they were first created. The ruby and amethyst starfish brooch for example, is a quintessential Boivin design, estimated at $160,000- 200,000. Van Cleef & Arpels has been since their foundation in 1906 one of the most sought-after jewelry houses. Renowned for their original designs, choice of high quality stones as well as their impeccable craftsmanship, which to this day remains a Van Cleef & Arpels signature, they are represented in the sale by a group of forty-three jewels. Ranging from the iconic and charming “Lion Ebouriffé” brooch to an important rectangular-cut diamond ring of 13.43 carats, F color, VS1 potentially internally flawless clarity, the selection also features a mystery-set ruby and diamond “Pavot” brooch with an estimate of $150,000-250,000.
Christie’s Geneva remains true to its tradition of offering the most important diamonds and gemstones at auction. One of the highlights is an important oval-shaped diamond ring weighing 20.54 carats, D color, VVS1, Excellent polish and symmetry, potentially Internally Flawless, estimated at $1,800,000-2,500,000 (illustrated left). Also noteworthy are a brilliant-cut diamond ring weighing 13.88 carats, E color, Flawless clarity, estimate and a rectangular-cut Fancy Intense Orangy-Pink diamond weighing 12.30 carats, estimate $1,300,000-1,500,000. The market for natural pearls, which have become a true rarity, remains as strong as ever and Christie’s will have impressive pearl jewels on offer such as a five-strand natural pearl necklace (estimate $350,000- 500,000) and an important antique diamond and pearl brooch, dated 1870 estimated at $200,000-300,000.
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