Spring Into May Auctions

A peek into the treasures to be found in the May auctions.

CHRITIE'S AUCTION HOUSE

Magnificent Jewels May 17, 207 Geneva

LA LÉGENDE
A diamond and cultured pearl sautoir necklace by Boehmer et Bassage
Set with a heart-shaped diamond, weighing approximately 92.15 carats. 

A superb diamond fringe necklace with square, old and baguette-cut diamonds as well as cushion, and single old-cut diamonds set in platinum. Signed Cartier

A colored star sapphire and chalcedony 'bourrelets' ring by Suzanne Belperron.

A pair of ruby and diamond earrings by Bhagat. Stylised lotus flowers with central rubies surrounded by flat diamond petals.

In the culmination of Geneva Luxury Week, the Magnificent Jewels auction features a fantastic 92 carat D Flawless heart-shaped diamond pendant, named ‘La Légende’, and a pair of chandelier earrings, named ‘La Vie Bohème’,  both by Boehmer et Bassenge. With a thematic section dedicated to the Dolce Vita era along with pieces formerly owned by Doris Duke and Elizabeth Taylor, the sale embraces distinguished provenance and jewellery with a storied past. Signed pieces from Bulgari and Cartier, Kashmir sapphires, Burmese rubies and Columbian emeralds round out an exceptional sale this season.

Magnificent Jewels May 30, 2017 Hong Kong

An exceptional natural pearl and diamond necklace, by Paspaley. The three-strand necklace composed of two hundred thirty-seven natural pearls gathered by a button-shaped natural pearl surrounded by circular-cut diamonds.

A unique pair of natural pearl and diamond ear pendants by Etcetera for Paspaley.

An exceptional colored diamond ring by Moussaiff. The rectangular-cut fancy vivid blue diamond, weighing approximately 3.98 carats, within a cushion and triangular-shaped pink diamond surround. 

A natural jadeite and diamond ring. 
A natural oval jadeite cabochon, within a marquise-cut diamond two-tiered surround, to the circular-cut diamond three quarter-hoop, mounted in gold

The Magnificent Jewels Hong Kong auction features an assortment of natural gemstones including pearls, jadeite, and diamonds of various colors. 

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SOTHEBY'S AUCTION HOUSE

Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels, Sessions 1, 2, and 3MAY 16, 2017 GENEVA

Pair of attractive diamond ear clips. Diamonds range from 2.01 to 3.08 carats. Accompanied by ten photocopies of GIA reports, stating that the diamonds ranging from 2.01 to 3.08 carats, are D to F Colour, Internally Flawless to VS2 Clarity.

Diamond parure, Van Cleef & Arpels. Comprised of: a sautoir set with brilliant-cut diamonds, supporting a detachable pendant that can be worn as a brooch, a pair of ear clips and a ring 

Two ruby and diamond rings by JAR
 

Important diamond ring by Van Cleef & Arpels.
Set with a step-cut diamond weighing 21.60 carats, between tapered baguette diamonds.

'Apollo & Artemis' fancy blue and fancy pink diamonds. 

Superb and extremely rare fancy vivid blue diamond. 
The pear-shaped fancy vivid blue diamond of truly and outstanding color and purity weighing 14.54 carats, mounted as an earring with a pear-shaped and a brilliant-cut diamond, post fitting. Accompanied by GIA certification. 

The pear-shaped fancy intense pink diamond of fine color weighing 16.00 carats, mounted as an earring with a pear-shaped and a brilliant-cut diamond, post fitting. Accompanied by a GIA certification. 

Sotheby’s spring sale of Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels at Mandarin Oriental, Geneva will be led by the ‘Apollo and Artemis Diamonds’. Individually, these captivating diamonds – one Fancy Vivid Blue, one Fancy Intense Pink – are truly exceptional stones and when considered as a pair, they enter a class of their own: the most important earrings ever to appear at auction. Offered separately as individual lots, ‘The Apollo Blue’ will be presented with an estimate of CHF 38,125,000–50,160,000 ($38,000,000–50,000,000) and ‘The Artemis Pink’ is estimated between CHF 12,545,000–18,060,000 ($12,500,000–18,000,000). The sale features jewellery from different collections comprising signed jewels and superb gemstones. Gems from Kashmir, Burma, Colombia rub shoulders with signed jewels from the most iconic and well-known jewellery houses, such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Lacloche, Bulgari, Schlumberger and Tiffany.

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BONHAM'S AUCTION HOUSE

Bonham's Jewelry May 24, 2017 Edinburgh 

A Victorian topaz and gold brooch

A pink tourmaline, emerald and diamond necklace, circa 1900

A diamond brooch, circa 1910

A 1940s diamond double clip brooch

A sapphire and diamond ring

Bonham's Rare Jewels and Jadeite May 31, 2017 Hong Kong

A Fine Natural Sapphire and Diamond Ring.
The cushion-shaped sapphire, weighing 10.83 carats, between heart-shaped diamond shoulders, the gallery and hoop pavé-set with brilliant-cut diamonds, diamonds approximately 3.05 carats total, ring size 6½

An Exceptional Ruby, Tsavorite Garnet and Diamond Ring, by Ferri

An Important Natural Ruby and Diamond Bracelet

An Important natural jadeite and diamond 'Guanyin' Pendant

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DOYLE'S FINE JEWELRY AUCTION

Doyle's Auction House May 22, 2017 Beverly Hills

Gem-Set and Enamel and Plique-à-Jour Calla Lily Bracelet by Moira
Numerous round pink sapphires, yellow stones & round diamonds.

Platinum, Gold, White Enamel and Diamond Clip-Brooch, David Webb

Art Deco Platinum, Coral, Black Onyx, Diamond and Enamel Ring
One oval cabochon coral, 8 old European & single-cut diamonds, c.1925

Antique Gold, Tourmaline and Sapphire Cross Pendant, Tiffany & Co.

Doyle will hold the Spring 2017 sale of Fine Jewelry at The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills on Monday, May 22, 2017 at 10am (Pacific). Our West Coast sales of Fine Jewelry attract hundreds of bidders vying for exquisite designs consigned from prominent private collections and estates. The range of offerings includes stylish jewelry for garden lunches to glittering statement pieces perfect for the red carpet!

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AGTA Spectrum Award Winners

This suite of round brilliant demantoid garnets weighing 24.67 total carats won Best of Show in this year’s AGTA Spectrum Awards.

Judging for this year’s Spectrum Awards took place Saturday and Sunday in New York. For the first time the competition was held in the summer rather than the fall. This was the second year in a row that an entry in the 'Cutting Edge' category took best in show. The design contests highest honor was given to a suite of round brilliant Russian demantoid garnets weighing a total of 24.67 carats cut by Ruben Bindra of B&B Fine Gems (see above photo).

This year’s judges were: Gail Brett-Levine of National Association of Jewelry Appraisers, Diane Garmendia of 33 Jewels at El Paseo, Jay Mednikow of J.H. Mednikow & Co., Inc. Victor Velyan of Victor-Christy Studios and Lew Wackler of Lew Wackler Gem Co.

The winners will be receiving their awards during the 2017 AGTA GemFair in Tucson (Jan. 31 to Feb. 5) at the Tucson Convention Center. Winning entries will be displayed during the show and the award winners will be recognized during the Spectrum Awards Gala on Feb 4.

Winners of the 2016 Summer AGTA Spectrum Awards:

Best Of Show And Pairs & Suites

Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems, with this suite of round, brilliant Russian demantoid garnets weighing 24.67 carats

Best Use of Color

Derek Katzenbach of Katzenbach Designs for this 14-karat white gold ring featuring a 4.97-carat bicolored tourmaline accented with tsavorite garnets, tourmalines and diamonds

Best Use of Pearls

Judy Evans, Oliver & Espig Gallery of Fine Arts for this platinum pendant featuring a 13.44 mm golden South Sea cultured pearl accented with diamonds

Best Use of Platinum and Color

Kathy Kinev of Jewel Creations Inc. for this platinum “St. Chapelle” ring featuring rubies, sapphires, tsavorite garnets and blue and white diamonds

Fashion Forward

Lorenzo Chavez of Geogem-USA won for this platinum and 18-karat yellow and rose gold “Gift from the Abyss” pendant featuring a 124.73-carat carved kunzite accented with blue zircons and diamonds

Bridal Wear

Ricardo Basta of E. Eichberg Inc. won First Place and Platinum Honors for this platinum “Royal Blue” ring featuring a 12-carat blue sapphire accented with diamonds. The ring also has a detachable 18-karat yellow gold “Quilt” jacket--creating a ring within a ring--featuring turquoise accented with diamonds and tsavorite garnets.

Business/Day Wear

Ricardo Basta of E. Eichberg Inc. also won First Place in the Business/Day Wear category with this 18-karat yellow gold and platinum “Honey” ring featuring a 13.58-carat Heliodor accented with sapphires and diamonds.

Classical

Niveet Nagpal of Omi Gems won first place in Classical with this 18-karat rose gold ring featuring a 4.01-carat cushion-cut pink spinel accented with spinel and diamond melee and a 0.01-carat alexandrite.

Evening Wear

The first place winner was David Gross of David Gross Group for this platinum necklace featuring 21 unheated Mozambique rubies weighing 29.33 total carats accented with 21.61 carats of diamonds.

Men's Wear

Mark Schneider of Mark Schneider Design won First Place and Platinum honors for this platinum and 18-karat yellow gold ring featuring an 8.76-carat Maw Sit accented with black, white and yellow diamonds and tsavorite garnets.

Carving

Naomi Sarna of Naomi Sarna Designs’ hand-carved ametrine (297 total carats)

Classic Gemstone

Ruben Bindra of B & B Fine Gems for this 10.11-carat Sri Lankan cushion-cut orange sapphire

Innovative Faceting

John Dyer of John Dyer & Co. for this 80.29-carat specialty-cut ametrine

Phenomenal

Gil International for this 5.56-carat untreated alexandrite

All Other Faceted

Jeffrey R. Hapeman of Earth’s Treasury for this 42.47-carat brilliant square cushion specialty cut apatite

“Best of” Category
Best of Show: Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems
Best Use of Color: Derek Katzenbach, Katzenbach Designs
Best Use of Pearls: Judy Evans, Oliver & Espig Gallery of Fine Arts
Best Use of Platinum and Color: Kathy Kinev, Jewel Creations Inc.
Fashion Forward: Lorenzo Chavez, Geogem-USA 

Bridal Wear
First Place and Platinum Honors: Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg Inc. 
Second Place: Alexia Connellan, Alexia Connellan Luxury Jewelry
Third Place: Caroline Chartouni, Caroline C
Honorable Mention: Jessica Neiwert, Jessica Nei
Honorable Mention: Samuel Sulimanov, Samuel Sylvio Designs
Manufacturing Honors: Dennis de Jonghe, deJonghe Original Jewelry
Gem Diva Award: Heena Chheda Shah, Real Gems Inc.

Business/Day Wear
First Place: Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg Inc. 
Second Place: T. Foster & Co. Fine Jewelers
Third Place: Zoltan David, Zoltan David LLC
Honorable Mention: Shuang Feng, Fon Shon Jewellery Art & Design
Honorable Mention: Patrick King, Jewelsmith
Manufacturing Honors: Llyn Strong, Llyn Strong Fine Art Jewelry
Platinum Honors: John Ford, Lightning Ridge Collection by John Ford
Entry Platinum Innovation: Jill Maurer, Jill Maurer
Gem Diva Award: Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs

Classical
First Place: Niveet Nagpal, Omi Gems Inc.
Second Place: Niveet Nagpal, Omi Gems Inc.
Third Place: Alexia Connellan, Alexia Connellan Luxury Jewelry
Honorable Mention and Entry Platinum Innovation: Lindsay Jane, Lindsay Jane Designs
Honorable Mention and Gem Diva Award: Heena Chheda Shah, Real Gems Inc.
Manufacturing Honors: Dominique Israileff, ASBA USA Inc.
Platinum Honors: Zoltan David, Zoltan David LLC

Evening Wear
First Place: David Gross, David Gross Groups
Second Place: Phillip Dismuke, Jewelsmith
Third Place: Robert Pelliccia, J.R. Dunn Jewelers
Honorable Mention: Erica Courtney, Erica Courtney Inc.
Honorable Mention: Sinork Agdere, Lord Jewelry
Manufacturing Honors: Llyn Strong, Llyn Strong Fine Art Jewelry
Platinum Honors: John Ford, Lightning Ridge Collection by John Ford
Gem Diva Award: Alexia Connellan, Alexia Connellan

Men’s Wear
First Place and Platinum Honors: Mark Schneider, Mark Schneider Design
Second Place: William Travis, William Travis Jewelry
Third Place: Craig Slavens, Studio 247 Fine Jewelry
Honorable Mention and Entry Platinum Innovation: William Travis, William Travis Jewelry 

The winners for the Cutting Edge Awards are as follows.

Carving
First Place: Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs
Second Place: John Dyer, John Dyer & Co.
Third Place: Meg Berry, Mega Gem
Honorable Mention: Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs

Classic Gemstone
First Place: Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems
Second Place: Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co.
Third Place: Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co.
Honorable Mention: Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems

Innovative Faceting
First Place: John Dyer, John Dyer & Co.
Second Place: John Dyer, John Dyer & Co.
Third Place: Ryan Joseph Anderson, Ryan Joseph Gems
Honorable Mention: Glenn Wm. Lehrer, Lehrer Designs Inc.

Objects of Art
Honorable Mention: Brenda Smith, Brenda Smith Jewelry
Honorable Mention: Neda Behnam, Samuel B. Collection

Pairs & Suites
First Place and Best of Show: Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems
Second Place: Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co.
Third Place: Ben Kho, Kho International Ltd.
Honorable Mention: Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co.

Phenomenal
First Place: Gil International
Second Place: Robert Shapiro, Robert Shapiro
Third Place: Manu Nichani, Blue Moon Ent.
Honorable Mention: Robyn Dufty, DuftyWeis Opals Inc. 

All Other Faceted
First Place: Jeffrey R. Hapeman, Earth’s Treasury LLC
Second Place: Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s
Third Place: Ambassador Gems
Honorable Mention: Hemant Phophaliya, AG Color Inc.

Excavation Reveals a 2,000-year-old Natural Pearl Found in Australia

Australian scientists said Wednesday that they have uncovered a "very rare" 2,000-year-old natural sea pearl while excavating a remote coastal Aboriginal site. The pearl is the first found on the continent. 

Australia's University of Wollongong on June 3, 2015: a "very rare" 2,000-year-old natural pearl (the first found on the vast island continent) uncovered while excavating a remote coastal Aboriginal site

Kat Szabo, an associate professor at the University of Wollongong said that archaeologists came across the pearl while excavating the site on the north Kimberley coast of Western Australia.

"Natural pearls are very rare in nature and we certainly -- despite many, many (oyster) shell middens being found in Australia -- we've never found a natural pearl before," Szabo, who specialises in studying shells at archaeological sites, told AFP.

The discovery's location is particularily significant because "the Kimberley coast of Australia is synonymous with pearling, and has been for the better part of the last century, " says Szabo 

The pink-and-gold-coloured pearl is almost completely spherical, and measures five-millimeters in  diameter. Because the pearl was nearly perfect round researchers were able to use a micro CT scan to test its age as well as prove that is was naturally occurring rather than a modern cultured pearl.

Pearl producing oysters have been used in rainmaking ceremonies in indigenous cultures, and their shells have been found in the central desert more than 930 miles away. Archaeologists have known about the rainmaking rituals but were not aware of how far back in history they had been practiced until now.

"Studying the pearl has led us to the study of the layer in which it's found," Szabo said.

"In indigenous terms, that's telling a really interesting story about a cultural tradition to do with pearl shells which we knew historically but we've never been able to prove that it went back into the past." 

The pearl is set to go on display at the Western Australian Maritime Museum in Perth later this month, with details of the find published in the Australian Archaeology journal.

Kathleen Marino M.A, G.G., AJP, NAJA

Doyle's New York to Hold Auction in LA

Continuing the westward move of auction houses Doyle will hold its Inaugural West Coast Auction in Beverly Hills on Thursday, May 21, 2015 at 10am. These important sales address an entire demographic that has been ignored in the past by the established Eastern houses. 
The sale of Fine Jewelry will feature exquisite designs by such prestigious makers as Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Bulgari and Tiffany & Co. Comprising over 250 lots, the sale showcases jewelry set with diamonds, colored gemstones and pearls, as well as gold jewelry, fine watches and gentlemen's accessories.
One star of the show will be the dazzling collection of jewelry once owned by film star Mae West, comprising a circa 1950 platinum and diamond bracelet-watch by Fred and a platinum, moonstone and diamond ring.