SOTHEBY'S TO SELL RARE 10.99 CARAT PINK DIAMOND

SOTHEBY'S GENEVA ANNOUNCED RECENTLY THAT IT WILL PRESENT AN IMPORTANT PINK DIAMOND, WEIGHING 10.99 CARATS IN ITS SALE OF MAGNIFICENT & NOBLE JEWELS ON 17.MAY, SIX MONTHS AFTER THE RECORD BREAKING SALE OF THE GRAFF DIAMOND, THE MOST EXPENSIVE DIAMOND AND JEWEL EVER SOLD AT AUCTION. COMMENTING OF THE FORTHCOMING SALE, DAVID BENNETT, CHAIRMAN OF SOTHEBY'S JEWELRY DEPARTMENT FOR EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST SAID: 'I DO NOT REMEMBER THE MARKET FOR COLOURED DIAMONDS TO HAVE EVER BEEN AS STRONG AS IT IS TODAY. THIS WAS UNDERLINED BY THE UNPRECEDENTED RESULTS OF OUR LAST NOVEMBER SALE AND UNDOUBTEDLY INFLUENCED THE OWNER'S DECISION TO SELL THIS BEAUTIFUL PINK DIAMOND WHICH HAS NOT APPEARED ON THE MARKET FOR OVER 30 YEARS.' THE SUPERB STONE, MOUNTED AS A RING, HAS BEEN GRADED 'FANCY INTENSE PINK', NATURAL COLOUR AND VSI CLARITY BY THE GEMOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF AMERICA. IT HAS BEEN FURTHER ASSESSED TO BE PART OF A VERY RARE SUBGROUP OF DIAMONDS AS TYPE IIa AND COMPRISING LESS THAN 2% OF ALL OF THE WORLD'S GEM DIAMONDS. THE BEAUTY AND RARITY OF THE STUNNING DIAMOND ALSO LIES IN ITS CUT AND SHAPE. IT FEATURES A CLASSIC EMERALD CUT, A STYLE OF CUTTING NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH WHITE DIAMONDS AND IMMENSELY SOUGHT-AFTER WHEN FOUND IN THE RARE COLOURS SUCH AS PINK AND BLUE. ESTIMATED AT $9-$12 MILLION, THE STONE IS BEING OFFERED FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTOR.

BONHAMS TO SELL BROOCH THAT ONCE BELONGED TO QUEEN VICTORIA

A GOLD, ENAMEL AND GARNET BODICE BROOCH FROM 1830 THAT BELONGED TO QUEEN VICTORIA WILL BE OFFERED IN THE JEWELERY SALE, TAKING PLACE ON 6.APRIL AT BONHAMS KNIGHTSBRIDGE. THE FINELY DETAILED BROOCH IS EMBELLISHED WITH GREEN AND RED ENAMEL, SET WITH CABOCHON GARNETS THAT SUSPEND AN ELONGATED DROP OF A SIMILAR DESIGN. IT IS ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR £600 – 800. THE BROOCH ORIGINALLY BELONGED TO VICTORIA, DUCHESS OF KENT, WHO ON HER DEATH BED IN 1861 (THE SAME YEAR AS THE DEATH OF PRINCE ALBERT) LEFT HER JEWELRY TO HER DAUGHTER, QUEEN VICTORIA. QUEEN VICTORIA SUBSEQUENTLY GAVE THE BROOCH TO HER THIRD DAUGHTER HELENA, PRINCESS CHRISTIAN OF SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN, AS A PRESENT ON HER 24th BIRTHDAY IN 1870. THE REVERSE OF THE BROOCH HAS A SIMPLE, YET VERY PERSONAL ENGRAVING: 'BELONGED TO DEAR GRANDMAMMA V. FROM MAMA V.R. TO HELENA 25th MAY 1870'. ALTHOUGH PRINCESS HELENA MARRIED THE GERMAN PRINCE CHRISTIAN OF SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN IN 1866, THEY REMAINED IN BRITAIN CLOSE TO THE QUEEN, WHO LIKED TO HAVE HER DAUGHTERS NEARBY. HELENA WAS CONSIDERED THE MOST ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, CARRYING OUT AN EXTENSIVE PROGRAM OF ROYAL ENGAGEMENTS. SHE WAS ALSO AN ACTIVE PATRON OF CHARITIES, AND WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE RED CROSS. SHE WAS ALSO FOUNDING PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL SCHOOL OF NEEDLEWORK, AND PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL BRITISH NURSES' ASSOCIATION.

HERMES ARCEAU POCKET PROMENADE DE LONGCHAMP

THE ARCEAU WRISTWATCH IMAGINED IN 1978 BY HENRI D'ORIGNY LENDS ITSELF IDEALLY TO A POCKET-WATCH VERSION. ITS ASYMMETRICAL ATTACHMENT AND ITS LUGS NATURALLY INVITE A CORD-STRAP FIXED TO THE ARCH LIKE STIRRUP LEATHER TO A STIRRUP, THUS EVOKING THE SADDLE AND HARNESS MAKING ORIGINS OF HERMES. WHETHER IN A TROUSER OR JACKET POCKET, THE MANNER OF WEARING THE ARCEAU POCKET FURTHER ACCENTUATES THE INNATE CLASSIC CHIC OF THE ORIGINAL WATCH DESIGN. THE ARCEAU POCKET PROMENADE DE LONGCHAMP INTRODUCES A NEW DIAL THAT IS A TRUE WORK OF ART SCULPTURE FROM A BLOCK OF NATURAL MOTHER OF PEARL. IT DEPICTS AN EQUESTRIAN SCENE USING A RELIEF MODELING TECHNIQUE: THE CARRIAGE, HORSES AND PROTAGONISTS ARE THEMSELVES ENGRAVED ON TWO SUPERIMPOSED GOLD PLATES. THE PERSPECTIVE LINES, THE VARIOUS PLANES AND THE DEPTH OF FIELD, UNDERSCORED BY THE THIRD DIMENSION OF THE CREATION, INSTILL A DISTINCT SENSE OF LIFE AND MOVEMENT. THE MOTIF EVOKES THE CENTRAL DETAIL OF THE PROMENADE DE LONGCHAMP SILK CARRE DESIGNED BY PHILIPPE LEDOUX IN 1965. THE WHITE GOLD 43.2mm CASE AND SHIMMERING GREY-BLUE MOTHER OF PEARL DIAL RADIATE A SENSE OF DIAPHANOUS HARMONY THAT MAKES A STRIKING CONTRAST WITH THE CORD-STRAP AND POUCH IN MATT HAVANA ALLIGATOR LEATHER.

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL ICONIC JAR EAR PENDENTS

CHRISTIE'S RECENTLY ANNOUNCED A SPECIAL HIGHLIGHT OF ITS 20.OCTOBER JEWELS SALE IN NEW YORK: AN ICONIC PAIR OF EAR PENDENTS BY JOEL ROSENTHAL, THE CELEBRATED CONTEMPORARY DESIGNER WHO GOES BY THE SIMPLE MONIKER OF JAR. THE EARRINGS, ESTIMATED AT $300,000-500,000, WERE CUT AND DESIGNED FOR THE AWARD-WINNING ACTRESS ELLEN BARKIN AND FEATURED IN HER LANDMARK COLLECTION SALE AT CHRISTIE'S IN OCTOBER 2006 AS PART OF GROUP OF 17 JAR CREATIONS, THE LARGEST AND MOST SIGNIFICANT GROUP EVER TO BE AUCTIONED. THE SALE, WHICH ACHIEVED OVER $20 MILLION TOTAL, REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST TALKED ABOUT EVENTS IN JEWELRY AUCTION HISTORY. A SPOKESPERSON FOR CHRISTIE'S SAID: 'WE ARE PROUD TO RE-OFFER THESE ICONIC EAR PENDENTS THAT CAPTURED SO MUCH ATTENTION FROM COLLECTORS AND MEDIA AROUND THE WORLD WHEN THEY WERE FIRST SOLD AT CHRISTIE'S JUST FOUR YEARS AGO. WHENEVER JAR CREATIONS COME UP FOR AUCTION THEY ARE MUCH SOUGHT AFTER BY COLLECTORS, WHO VALUE THEIR EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY, EXCLUSIVITY AND METICULOUS CRAFTSMANSHIP. IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR JOEL ROSENTHAL TO SPEND MONTHS OR EVEN YEARS SEARCHING FOR THE PERFECT GEM TO FIT ONE OF HIS UNIQUE CREATIONS, AND THESE RARE TOPAZ STONES WITH THEIR UNUSUAL TOUCH OF RED ARE THE PERFECT FIT FOR THIS STUNNING DESIGN.' MEASURING 2¾ INCHES LONG AND ONE INCH AT THEIR WIDEST POINT, EACH EAR PENDENT IS SET WITH ELONGATED OVAL-CUT IMPERIAL TOPAZ AND ACCENTED WITH A CIRCULAR-CUT DIAMOND SURROUND ENHANCED BY CIRCULAR-CUT RUBY CLUSTERS. THE DIAMOND SET LINK AND HOOP ARE MOUNTED IN SILVER AND 18 CARAT ROSE GOLD. BARKIN FAMOUSLY WORE THE EAR PENDENTS ON THE NIGHT OF THE OSCARS IN 2005, COORDINATING THEM WITH A STUNNING ORANGE HUED GOWN.

VAN CLEEF & ARPELS FOLIE DES PRES RING

THE NEW VAN CLEEF & ARPELS FOLIE DES PRES RING IS NAMED MADNESS IN THE MEADOWS DUE TO ITS ABNORMAL SETTING. THE CENTERPIECE OF THE RING IS AN EXTREMELY RARE SIX POINT TWENTY ONE CARAT MAUVE SAPPHIRE MINED IN MADAGASCAR. THE CENTRAL MAUVE SAPPHIRE IS SURROUNDED BY SMALLER MAUVE SAPPHIRES AND DIAMONDS IN A SEMI-FLORAL PATTERN. THE STUNNING RING IS A UNIQUE ONE-OFF PIECE AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY FROM VAN CLEEF & ARPELS PARIS.

LEVIEV ORANGE DIAMOND RING

LUXURY JEWELER LEVIEV IS RENOWNED FOR THEIR STUNNING AND UNIQUE DIAMONDS MINED FROM SOME OF THE MOST EXCLUSIVE SOURCES ALL OVER THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY THEIR COLOURED AND LARGE SIZE STONES. ONE OF THEIR RECENT HIGHLIGHTS IS A FANCY VIVID ORANGE COLOURED DIAMOND, WHICH IS AMONG THE RAREST COLOURS WITHIN THE DIAMOND COLOUR SPECTRUM. THE ORANGE COLOUR IS CAUSED BY THE PRESENCE OF A MINERAL TITANIUM-PYROPE. THE NEW LEVIEV ORANGE DIAMOND RING FEATURES A PEAR SHAPED FLAWLESS FANCY VIVID ORANGE DIAMOND WEIGHING FIVE CARATS SURROUNDED BY TWO PEAR AND THREE MARQUISE SHAPED FLAWLESS WHITE DIAMONDS TOTALLING ALMOST FIVE AND A HALF CARATS SET IN A PLATINUM SETTING.

FRENCH POLICE RECOVER STOLEN CARTIER JEWELRY FROM 26.NOVEMBER ROBBERY

POLICE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY HAVE RECOVERED NEARLY $1,181,900 IN JEWELRY AND GEMS STOLEN LAST MONTH IN A SMASH AND GRAB ROBBERY AT A CARTIER BOUTIQUE IN THE SOUTHEASTERN CITY OF LYON. A POLICE OFFICIAL, SPEAKING ON THE CONDITION OF ANONYMITY BECAUSE OF DEPARTMENT POLICY, SAID OFFICERS CAME ACROSS THE AMAZING STASH OF JEWELS BY ACCIDENT WHILE SEARCHING THE APARTMENT OF A SUSPECT IN ANOTHER JEWELRY THEFT. THE SUSPECT IS STILL AT LARGE. IN THE 26.NOVEMBER ATTACK ON THE CARTIER STORE, THIEVES USED A SLEDGEHAMMER TO SMASH THROUGH THE REINFORCED GLASS ON DOWNTOWN STOREFRONT. THEY THEN SWIPED JEWELRY AND WATCHES FROM SEVERAL DISPLAY CASES. THE ATTACKERS ROUGHED UP THE STORE'S MANAGER AND SLAPPED ONE CUSTOMER BY NO ONE WAS INJURED.

CHRISTIE'S, HONG KONG, SELLS VIVID PINK DIAMOND FOR $10.8 MILLION

THE VIVID PINK, A FIVE CARAT POTENTIALLY FLAWLESS PINK DIAMOND, GARNERED $10.8 MILLION, OR A RECORD $2.1 MILLION PER CARAT, AT AUCTION THIS WEEK AT CHRISTIE'S HONK KONG. THE LARGEST FANCY VIVID PINK DIAMOND EVER OFFERED FOR SALE AT AUCTION WAS THE TOP LOT AT CHRISTIE'S FALL 2009 SALE OF MAGNIFICENT JEWELS, WHICH ENDED LAST NIGHT AND FETCHED A TOTAL OF $48 MILLION WITH 89% SOLD BY LOT AND 92% SOLD BY VALUE. 'THE VIVID PINK WAS THE GLITTERING STAR OF CHRISTIE'S HONG KONG, WHERE RECORD PRICES WERE ACHIEVED ACROSS ALL CATEGORIES THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. $2.1 MILLION PER CARAT IS BY FAR THE HIGHEST PRICE ACHIEVED FOR ANY DIAMOND WORLDWIDE', SAID A SPOKESPERSON FOR CHRISTIE'S THE STUNNING GEM, SET BY LONDON-BASED LUXURY JEWELER GRAFF DIAMONDS, WAS SOLD TO AN UNIDENTIFIED ASIAN BUYER. TEH PREVIOUS PER-CARAT RECORD FOR A DIAMOND WAS SET AT SOTHEBY'S IN GENEVA ON 12.MAY, WHEN HONG KONG BILLIONAIRE REAL INVESTOR JOSEPH LAU SCOOPED UP A 7.03 CARAT INTERNALLY FLAWLESS FANCY VIVID BLUE THAT HE NAMED THE STAR OF JOSEPHINE FOR $9.48 MILLION.