Jewelry lovers and collectors will be gathered December 5 - 15 at Christie’s France Jewellery Department for incredible pieces coming on the market.
Over 290 pieces with estimates ranging from €1,000 to €400,000 will be shown online from December 5 through December 15 by Christie’s France Jewellery department.
Magnificent 19th-century pieces will also be on display, along with a carefully curated collection of vintage and modern pieces by the best jewellers, including Belperron, Boivin, Boucheron, Brandt, Bulgari, Cartier, Chaumet, Fred, JAR, Lacloche, Lalique, Mauboussin, Van Cleef & Arpels, Harry Winston, etc., as well as works by artists Arman and Max Ernst.
19th - Early 20th Century
A collection of antique jewellery from the 19th and early 20th centuries will be offered first, including a Neo-Renaissance pomander bracelet set with rubies, exquisite pearls, and enamel by Jules Wièse for François-Desiré Froment-Meurice, valued at €200,000-400,000, based on James Pradier’s work.
The five other variations are in the collections of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (France), Château de Compiègne (France), Musée de Pforzheim (France), as well as two private collections. It is an absolute masterpiece and the final model to be offered at auction.
One of the women makes a delicate motion as she prepares to open a case; the other watches, curious to see what it will show.
In a homage to the Pandora box, the pomander initially had a grid with a sponge that had been previously impregnated with vinegar or fragrance, whose perfume helped to relieve the discomfort of tight corsets and stuffy drawing rooms. This historical object will undoubtedly entice collectors of jewellery from that era.
With a stunning, finely crafted brooch depicting Datura blossoms in amethysts, mother-of-pearl, and enamel, estimated at €50,000–60,000, one of the great figures of Art Nouveau, René Lalique, matches the refinement and ingenuity of these items.
Four other works by the designer will be on show, including an enamel cicada brooch (€40,000–50,000), which will provide a deeper look into his universe of forms and bestiary.
A magnificent “Insect” pendant by Paul Brandt, into which the jeweller poured all of his talent as a modeller, painter, sculptor, engraver, enameller, and goldsmith (estimate €20,000-30,000), is also noteworthy within the same universe.
One of the sale’s highlights is a convertible choker necklace set with a magnificent, slightly oiled 12.284 carat Colombian emerald. The SSEF laboratory awarded the stone an excellent rating for colour and purity ($200,000–$250,000).
This exquisitely refined brooch from the early 19th century that is set with excellent saltwater pearls and diamonds (between €200,000 and €300,000) would also appeal to collectors of exceptional pieces. Or by a lavish three-row necklace made of superb pearls and with a clasp covered in diamonds (€100,000–150,000).
Another section will feature significant diamonds, such as the magnificent 8.59 carat pear-cut diamond, estimated to be worth €300,000 to €350,000; a ring adorned with an 8.01 carat diamond, estimated to be worth €200,000 to €250,000; or even a modified 15.84 carat lozenge-cut diamond, estimated to be worth €250,000 to €350,000, set on a ring by Cartier.
The sale catalogue also includes gorgeous coloured stones, such as a Cartier-designed ring for an untreated 15.97-carat sapphire from Burma that is valued between €120,000 and €150,000. A Burmese unheated 6.85-carat ruby that is also mounted on a ring has a value estimate of between €50,000 and €80,000.
A stunning jadeite, onyx, and diamond brooch by Maison Boucheron (estimated at €20,000–30,000), a one-of-a-kind rock crystal and diamond brooch by Van Cleef & Arpels, valued at €40,000–50,000, and, once more by the same Maison, a magnificent sautoir estimated at €40,000–60,000, should captivate collectors who are passionate about Art Deco.
Among the vintage jewels are also of note cornerstone pieces from the 40s to the 70s, such as a stunning retro “Ludo” bracelet by Maison Van Cleef & Arpels, adorned with diamonds and cabochon rubies, estimated at €30,000-40,000, as well as a transformable necklace-brooch set and a pair of earrings by Jacques Lacloche, adorned with diamonds and cabochon emeralds, estimated at €30,000-40,000.
Significant Jewellery by Renè Boivin
The auction also highlights a significant jewellery collection by Maison Renè Boivin and Susan Belperron, highlighted by a spectacular famous brooch from the Art Deco era embellished with superb pearls, rock crystal, and diamonds by a boyfriend valued between 15,000 and 25,000 euros. According to a drawing by Juliet Moutard for Bolvin, another brooch with retro-inspired shapes set with sapphires and diamonds is estimated to be worth between €50,000 and 60,000. Also worthy of note is a sapphire and diamond set brooch by Suzanne Belperron, which is valued between €20,000 and €30,000. Collectors will have the opportunity to purchase a beautiful solitaire ring from the same jeweller with a retro design and a 15.07 carat sapphire expected to cost between €40,000 and 60,000.
For more information visit https://www.christies.com
- Online sale: 5-15 December 2022
- Viewing from 8 to 15 December 2022
- Christies 9 Avenue Matignon, 75008 Paris
