Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels | 14 May 2024

It’s that time of year again! The major European Auction Houses are having their annual spring Royal and Noble Jewellery Sales, and we are featuring splendid Royal and Noble Jewels on Auction at the Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels Sale in Geneva this week!

Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels | 14 May 2024

René Boivin Diamond Ear Clips

Estimate: 20,000 – 30,000 CHF

Formerly in the Collection of Empress Nam Phu’o’ng of Vietnam

A pair of René Boivin Diamond Ear Clips formerly in the collection of Empress Nam Phu’o’ng of Vietnam, eech designed as a floral spray set with circular-cut and marquise-shaped diamonds, suspending a fringe set with pear-shaped and baguette diamonds,

Accompanied by René Boivin certificate of authenticity no. 202404PRD, dated 15 April 2024, stating that this pair of ear clips was created in March 1951 after a drawing by Juliette Moutard; together with a photograph of Empress Nam Phu’o’ng of Vietnam (1914-1963) wearing this pair of ear clips.

Carved Emerald Bead

Estimate: 140,000 – 230,000 CHF

Formerly In The Al Thani Collection

A unmounted Mughal Indian, drop-shaped, carved Emerald Bead, weighing 92.16 carats, was formerly In The Al Thani Collection, and was Lot 221, in the Maharajas and Mughal Magnificence Sale in New York in 2019.

Cartier Diamond Mystery Clock

Estimate: 150,000 – 200,000 CHF

From a European Royal Family

A Cartier Nephrite, Hardstone, Mother-Of-Pearl And Diamond Mystery Clock, circa 1980, the circular facetted rock crystal dial within a bezel set with brilliant-cut diamonds, the diamond-set hands of flame design, the gilt silver case and base embellished with nephrite, hardstone, mother-of-pearl and brilliant-cut diamonds, from a European Royal Family.

The mystery clock is without a doubt Cartier’s most wondrous innovation whereby the hands of the clock seem suspended in mid-air, telling time apparently unaided by any mechanism. In fact, the design cleverly uses two disks of transparent quartz with two glass disks in between, one holding the hand for the hours, the other for the minutes, which are rotated by a mechanism hidden within the frame. Mystery clocks were only produced at Cartier Paris and not in the London and New York houses. Their production continues to this day, but exceedingly few examples are created each year.

The mystery clock offered in this sale was created circa 1980. Its design elements, in particular the carved nephrite vase, the stylised hours and hands of flame design, refer to the East Asian motifs that featured prominently on the celebrated mystery clocks of the art deco era.

Cartier Emerald and Diamond Ring

Estimate: 100,000 – 200,000 CHF

Property of a Lady of Title

A Cartier Emerald and Diamond Ring, circa 1960, set with a step-cut emerald weighing 3.62 carats and a step-cut diamond weighing 4.81 carats, between tapered baguette diamond shoulders.

This emerald and diamond ring was acquired by the present owner at Cartier Paris in the early 1960s and has remained in her possession since.

Harry Winston Diamond Ring

Estimate: 300,000 – 500,000 CHF

Property of a Lady of Title

A Harry Winston Diamond Ring, circa 1960, set with a pear-shaped diamond weighing 12.47 carats, between tapered baguette diamond shoulders.

This diamond ring by Harry Winston was acquired by the present owner in the late 1950s to early 1960s and has remained in her possession since.

Pearl and Diamond Pendent Ear Clips

Estimate: 200,000 – 300,000 CHF

Property of a Lady of Title

A pair of Natural Pearl, Cultured Pearl and Diamond Pendent Ear Clips, Circa 1960, each composed of a detachable pendant set with a slightly baroque drop-shaped natural pearl, enhanced with baguette and square diamonds, to a surmount centering a roundish cultured pearl framed by baguette and brilliant-cut diamonds.

This pair of natural pearl, cultured pearl and diamond ear clips was acquired by the present owner in the late 1950s to early 1960s and has remained in her possession since.

Cartier Pearl and Diamond Necklace

Estimate: 550,000 – 730,000 CHF

Formerly in the collection of Maharani Gayatri Devi, Rajamata Of Jaipur

An exceptional Natural Pearl and Diamond Necklace, circa 1920, designed as a graduated row of round to oval natural pearls measuring approximately from 7.05 to 14.00mm, by repute formerly in the Collection of Maharani Gayatri Devi, Rajamata of Jaipur and in the Al Thani Collection, sold in the Maharajas and Mughal Magnificence Sale in New York in 2019.

JAR Yellowish Green Diamond Ring

Estimate: 460,000 – 640,000 CHF

Formerly in the collection of Countess Eliza Krasinska, Née Branicka

A JAR rare Fancy Intense Yellowish Green Diamond Ring, set with an old mine brilliant-cut fancy intense yellowish green diamond weighing 2.47 carats, the mount set throughout with single-cut diamonds. The diamond was formerly in the collection of Countess Eliza Krasinska, née Branicka, and sold in Geneva, 18 November 1998, lot 780. Subsequently mounted by JAR and previously offered at auction lot 95, New York 16 April 2014.

The Fancy Intense Yellowish Green diamond mounted at the centre of this ring by JAR originally belonged to Countess Eliza Branicka (1820-1876), an aristocrat of Polish descent, born in 1820 on her family’s sprawling Ukrainian estate Belaya Tserkov.

Her paternal grandmother was Alexandra von Engelhardt (1754-1838), the favourite niece of Prince Grigory Potemkin who was one of the most influential men in 18^th century Russia as Catherine the Great’s principal favourite. Therefore, Alexandra was rumoured by some to have been the Empress’ natural daughter. Alexandra von Engelhardt was the principal heiress to Potemkin’s immense fortune, thus her marriage to Franciszek Ksawery Branicki (1730-1819), Grand Hetman of Poland, brought enormous wealth to the Branicki family.

Eliza’s father, Count Wladyslaw Branicki (1783-1843), was the godson of Empress Catherine the Great, while her mother, Countess Roza Potocka was a member of the ancient Polish Potocki dynasty. The couple was blessed with six children. Eliza’s two sisters married a Count Potocki and a Prince Odeschalchi respectively.

Eliza herself was married to Count Zygmunt Krasinski (1812-1859), one of Poland’s great Romantic poets. Zygmunt’s father was the colonel in chief of the famous regiment of Chevaux-Legers Polonais de la Garde, stationed in Chantilly. The engagement took place in Rome on 20th April 1843, when, apart from this green diamond mounted as an engagement ring, Eliza received from her fiancé’s father, two parures “one of stones, the other of diamonds”, as she noted in a letter to her sister.

They married in Dresden on 26th July 1843. Their marriage lasted for sixteen years during which time Eliza and her husband had two sons and two daughters. After the poet’s death in 1859, Eliza married her husband’s cousin Count Ludwik Krasinkski, a great landowner and brilliant entrepreneur who became one of the richest men in Poland.

Chaumet Diamond Tiara

Estimate: 110,000 – 160,000 CHF

Formerly in the Collection of Anne Gunning Parker, Lady Nutting

A Chaumet Diamond Tiara, circa 1960, of graduated fringe design, set with circular-cut diamonds, embellished with a line of channel-set baguette and old cushion-shaped diamonds, accented by square diamonds.

This elegant diamond tiara was created by Chaumet in 1960, later it became part of the collection of Sir and Lady Nutting. In fact, Lady Nutting had modelled a Chaumet tiara of similar design in a photo by Henry Clarke published in the May 1953 edition of Vogue France which focused on the upcoming coronation of Queen Elizabeth II later that year.

Anne Gunning Parker (1929-1990) was a renowned British-Irish fashion model of the 1950s. She was born in Southern Rhodesia to parents related to the Dukes of Hamilton. In the early 1950s, she became a house model for the Irish designer Sybil Connolly and, in August 1953, modelled a Connolly ensemble on the cover of Life Magazine. She frequently collaborated with photographer Norman Parkinson for Vogue, most notably for a series of fashion photographs shot on location in India.

In 1961, Anne Gunning married the British diplomat and Member of Parliament Sir Harold Anthony Nutting, third Baronet Tiverton (1920-1999). He had served in the cabinets of Winston Churchill and Anthony Eden. The Nutting family furthermore owned estates in Scotland and England. After retiring from politics, Sir Nutting was active as an author and lecturer.

Emerald and Diamond Brooch

Estimate: 370,000 – 550,000 CHF

Formerly in the Collection of ‘La Païva’, Countess Henckel Von Donnersmarck

A historical and important Emerald and Diamond Brooch, formerly in the Collection of ‘La Païva’, Countess Henckel Von Donnersmarck, set with an octagonal emerald weighing 30.70 carats within a border of old cushion-shaped diamonds accented by rose diamonds.

Countess Henckel von Donnersmarck ‘La Païva’ (1819-1884)

Count, later Prince Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck (1830-1916)

Countess, later Princess, Katharina Henckel von Donnersmarck (1862-1929)

Thereafter, by direct family descent

Lot 395, Geneva November 2007

Private Collection

La Païva was the most celebrated, successful and formidable Parisian courtesan of the Second French Empire.

Born Esther Lachmann in Moscow’s Jewish ghetto, in 1819, as the daughter of a cloth merchant, she escaped her humble surroundings at seventeen by marrying a Parisian tailor named Antoine Villoing with whom she had a son. In Paris, she abandoned her young family and began a relationship with the pianist Henri Herz. Together they entertained a bohemian society including Franz Liszt, Richard Wagner and Théophile Gautier.

When Herz left her shortly before the 1848 Revolution, she successfully launched herself as a courtesan first in London and eventually again in Paris, quickly becoming well-acquainted with some of the wealthiest and most influential men of the era. Around 1850, she married the destitute Portuguese marquis of Païva-Araujo to acquire his title. Henceforth, she was known by the moniker ‘La Païva’, inspiring her detractors to quip ‘qui paie y va’ (he who pays goes there). The economic boom years of Napoleon III’s Second Empire coincided with La Païva’s apex. She had an opulent hôtel particulier erected on the Champs-Elysées, complete with a silver-lined onyx bathtub.

In 1851, the sulphurous marquise met Count Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck (1830-1916), a Prussian aristocrat eleven years her junior who had recently inherited one of Germany’s largest fortunes. He was furthermore a cousin of Otto von Bismarck. Together the couple enjoyed many years of high living and were eventually married in 1871, just as Prussia laid siege on Paris during the Franco-Prussian War.

La Païva had an insatiable appetite for rare and magnificent gemstones. Over the years she amassed a fabled collection and counted among Frédéric Boucheron’s most prolific clients. Her rise to the pinnacle of society was complete when she acquired a superb three-row pearl necklace sold by Empress Eugénie in exile. A page from Boucheron’s sale ledger dated 19 December 1882 documents a commission of jewellery cases to house some of her most important pieces. The item described as ‘1 broche applique 1 grosse émeraude entourée de brilliants’ most likely corresponds to this emerald and diamond brooch.

La Païva passed away on her husband’s family estate Schloss Neudeck in 1884. Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck was elevated to the rank of Fürst or Prince in 1901. He had two sons from his second marriage to the Russian-born Katharina Slepzow (1862-1929). La Païva’s emerald and diamond brooch remained with his descendants from his second marriage until November 2007 when it was offered for sale in Geneva together with other heirlooms of the Princely Henckel von Donnersmarck family.

Sapphire and Diamond Parure

Estimate: 730,000 – 1,100,000 CHF

From a Royal Collection

A Sapphire and Diamond Parure from a Royal Collection comprising: a pendent necklace centering an oval sapphire weighing 51.77 carats, set with pear-shaped, brilliant-cut and tapered baguette diamonds, a pair of earrings, each set with an oval sapphire weighing 8.43 and 8.12 carats respectively, a a ring set with an oval sapphire weighing 11.59 carats, and a lady’s wristwatch of similar design featuring a cushion-shaped lapis lazuli dial, signed Gérald Genta.