Sotheby’s has unveiled an extraordinary jewelry collection for auction, boasting over 250 pieces, meticulously assembled by a passionate European female collector over five decades. Dubbed Iconic Jewels: Her Sense Of Style, this collection stands as one of the most significant private assortments of signed jewelry ever to grace the auction block.
With an estimated value ranging from CHF 4.7 million to 7.3 million (US$ 5.4 million to US$ 8.3 million), this exceptional single-owner collection will be split between two sales in May. The first part will showcase approximately 46 of the most remarkable jewels during Sotheby’s Luxury Sales in Geneva on May 14, 2024, as part of the Magnificent Jewels sale. The second part, comprising over 200 pieces, will be featured in a dedicated online sale running from May 2 to May 16.
The collection boasts pieces from esteemed jewelers including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Boucheron, Chaumet, David Webb, Mauboussin, Marina B, Sterlé, and Mellerio dits Meller. Notably, Sotheby’s highlighted Rene Boivin jewels, describing them as potentially the most extensive selection of works by the French jeweler ever presented, and undoubtedly the largest collection of Boivin jewels to hit the auction market.
Among the notable offerings are exquisite pieces from Bulgari, such as a remarkable pair of earrings adorned with two Fancy Intense Yellow diamonds, each weighing just below 10 carats, previously owned by the legendary American socialite Baroness di Portanova (400,000 – 600,000 CHF).
The highlights also include a choker and earring set by Marina B, intricately adorned with carved amethyst, reflecting the bold styling synonymous with 1980s jewelry (30,000 – 50,000 CHF), as well as a transformable Passe-Partout set from the 1940s by Van Cleef & Arpels, comprising a necklace, three brooches, and a pair of ear clips (80,000 – 120,000 CHF).
Additional noteworthy pieces from the René Boivin collection, spanning from the 1930s to the 1990s, comprise a Bouquet de Violettes brooch and earring ensemble (25,000 – 35,000 CHF), an Algae necklace (20,000 – 30,000 CHF), a Noeud de Passementerie brooch (15,000 – 20,000 CHF), and a seal flacon pendant (estimated at 30,000 – 50,000 CHF).
Marie-Cécile Cisamolo, Jewellery Specialist, Sotheby’s Geneva, said, “When you come across a jewellery collection as consistently stunning and substantial as “Iconic Jewels: Her Sense of Style”, it’s a heart-stopping moment – the kind you know you’ll never forget. This collection, with its many, many dazzling signed jewels from the most beloved and sought-after design periods in jewellery history, is truly one of a kind and one of the most important private jewellery collections I’ve ever seen. It is an incredibly powerful and sophisticated love letter to jewellery from an enlightened private collector which I know will inspire other collectors and connoisseurs all around the world.”
The anonymous European female collector’s discerning eye has culminated in a showcase of unparalleled quality, style, and flair. With an overall estimate surpassing US$5.4 million, this auction promises to attract collectors and connoisseurs from around the globe eager to acquire pieces from this prestigious assemblage of jewelry artistry.
