Article | Rocks To Watch The Geneva Jewels Auction Vii

VIVID BLUE IMAGINATION

Blue diamonds, which emerge like a mystery from beneath the ocean floor, are perhaps more mesmerizing than any other stone. After all, what is perhaps the world’s most famous gem — the Hope Diamond — is a blue. Exceedingly rare, any blue diamond captures our attention, but one with the remarkable attributes of the present lot — Fancy Vivid Blue, Natural Colour, VVS2 Clarity, Excellent Polish and Symmetry — can hold our attention for hours as we find ourselves gazing into the depths from which the stone came. Behind its official colour designation, the FCRF describes it as “ink blue” in their research note accompanying the lot. It goes on to note that the stone has an estimated Rarity Ratio of approximately one in nine million. To hold it is a wonder; to wear it, a gift, but to own it is a remarkable accomplishment of taste and discovery.

PERSONALITY FOR CENTURIES

Many pieces than come to auction are prized for their history, while others are sought after for their remarkable stones. This impressive brooch, however, embodies both. The eye is first met with an incredible late 19th century design, almost rococo in its fin-de-siècle opulence, which presents a regal golden crown suspending a line of diamonds that embrace an impressive emerald centerpiece. We’re charmed by the classical old mine and old-European cut diamonds, but on closer look, the step-cut Colombian emerald of 7.96 carats with no indications of clarity modification simply takes our breath away. Accompanied by an SSEF report certifying the emerald’s clarity and origin, and no less than fourteen GIA reports attesting to the diamonds’ colour (F to L) and clarity (VS1 to SI2), this piece is brimming with personality and begging for yours to enhance it.

BACK TO THE BASICS WITH BUCHERER

Let’s consider for a moment the four Cs. Though we know them well, a piece as remarkable as this ring can make us lose count.

Colour? D — the highest possible rating from the GIA.

Clarity? Flawless — the most superlative rating on the GIA scale.

Cut? Excellent — the brilliant cut is also the ideal choice to maximize the transparency and brilliance of a stone of this caliber.

Carat? A showstopping 10.09 carats.

We’re already speechless, but there’s far more to consider. This exceptional stone is Type IIa, denoting virtually no nitrogen in its chemical composition — a rare distinction that only applies to approximately 1-2% of all gem quality diamonds. Coupled with its signature from Bucherer and a GIA report attesting to its extraordinary attributes, the result is a piece far greater than the sum of its parts. This ring is a collector’s trophy that wears with an easy grace that only enhances its stature.

AN EMERALD FIT FOR A QUEEN

A lively and luminous pear-shaped emerald radiates from the center of a brilliant-cut diamond halo in this remarkable ring from Jahan, a Swiss house historically known for their creations for royalty. Accented by cascading pear-shaped diamonds at its widest point, every element of this design flows together to form a seamless, harmonious whole. But beyond the beautiful design, this emerald is the true showstopper. To find any emerald of such clarity over 5 carats would be incredible, but to find one of 16.53 carats is simply astonishing. Both vivacious and imposing, this statement ring is accompanied by an SSEF report detailing the stone’s Russian origin and lack of clarity modification. Its greatest power perhaps lies in its promise of a slower, grander way of life, one that we can still live today.

HARRY WINSTON: SAPPHIRE TO HEART

Perhaps the only feeling better than a necklace of marquise-shaped diamonds on the neck is a Sapphire against the chest — the stone’s ancient spiritual associations with divine protection, truth, and integrity merging with our own heartbeat as we face the world. And what an incredible Sapphire this is, presented in a design by Harry Winston with a maker’s mark for one of the maison’s most iconic designers, Jacques Timey. Accompanied by an SSEF report certifying the stone coveted Ceylon origin, with no indication of heating, this necklace deserves pride of place in any collector’s jewellery box.

THE WHIMS OF A PASSION

A very special discovery at auction, this collection of nine Fancy colour diamonds shows the vision of collector driven by a fascination with how nature imparts colour on its most precious material. As the FCRF’s note accompanying this lot muses, to assemble a collection of such coloured stones in today’s market would be remarkably difficult, if not impossible. Of various cuts, weights and colours — including the rarely seen Fancy Dark Gray Violet diamond — this assemblage of unmounted stones appeals to the undeniable whimsy we recognize in the truest connoisseurs.

MORE TO EXPLORE: KASHMIR SAPPHIRES

The upcoming November auction also features incredible examples of Kashmir Sapphires, highlighted in a new Phillips Collector’s Guide. From the Collections & Provenance section, dedicated to period jewels, signed pieces and objects distinguished by their exceptional provenance, to further important gemstones and signed jewels, there’s something to strike the fancy of any jewellery lover. Visit the preview in Geneva or on the global tour to discover what moves you.

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