Phillips Hong Kong Autumn Sale of Jewels and Jadeite

HONG KONG – 6 November 2018 – Phillips brings together an extraordinary range of jewels in its upcoming sale of Jewels and Jadeite in Hong Kong on 26 November 2018 at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong.  Featuring 148 lots, the sale is led by a stunning and rare 10.02-carat Burmese Mogok pigeon’s blood red ruby and diamond ring (illustrated above).  Cartier’s 43.40-carat Type IIa briolette diamond and gem-set ‘Jambi’ necklace and a pair of matching earrings will also grace this season’s sale (illustrated above).  A magnificent piece of heirloom jadeite jewellery - a jadeite bead and diamond necklace featuring 29 matching beads, sizes ranging from 12.27 to 15.03mm - will also be on offer.  The sale is expected to realise in excess of HKD140 million / USD18 million, and will present an array of gemstones, signed vintage and period jewellery, important diamonds, and jadeites of superb quality.  

Terry Chu, Head of Jewellery, Phillips Asia, said: “The sustained and steady growth in our Jewels and Jadeite sale in Hong Kong demonstrates Phillips’ ability to build a thriving jewellery business and expand its presence in Asia. This season, we continue to curate a highly selective sale to suit different collecting needs – from unparalleled heirlooms to everyday jewels, and from gemstones to jadeites, accessible to seasoned collectors, fashionistas, and tastemakers alike.  We are particularly proud to be entrusted with two rare and unique pieces of jewellery - an exceptional 10.02-carat Burmese Mogok pigeon’s blood red ruby and diamond ring, and the cover lot this season - a 43.40-carat Type IIa Briolette diamond and gem-set necklace with a pair of matching earrings by Cartier.  A jadeite necklace featuring 29 matching beads of impressive sizes is equally desirable. Highly coveted and exquisite, these offerings would be precious additions to any connoisseur’s collection.”

JEWELS FROM IMPORTANT ASIAN PRIVATE COLLECTIONS

Phillips is privileged to be entrusted by two Asian private collectors to offer their private collections respectively.  All herald from esteemed jewellers Cartier and Bulgari, and are set to pique the interest of both jewellery lovers and connoisseurs alike.

The cover lot of this season is the one-and-only suite of 43.40-carat Type IIa Briolette diamond and gem-set ‘Jambi’ necklace and a pair of matching earrings by Cartier (illustrated left). 

 

Reference to jewels from the East is evident in this ‘Jambi’ demi-parure in the use of ruby beads and rose-cut diamond beads, exuding opulence of Maharajas who entrusted Cartier with their precious gemstones and diamonds during the many visits that Jacques Cartier made to India in the early 20th century.  The structured diamond-set motifs are balanced by the erratic shapes of ruby and rose-cut diamond beads, which are anchored by an impressive briolette in a soft golden tone. This suite of jewels is a daring combination of stylistic influences and a triumphant meeting of East and West.

A glamorous collection from another important Asian collector features distinctive creations from the House of Bulgari spanning from the 1980s to 2000s, including bespoke designs customised exclusively for the collector.

 

The 1980s were marked by Bulgari’s characteristic parures in yellow gold set with diamonds and other precious gemstones (illustrated far left). There was also a use of darker materials such as hematite during this period, contrasted with brightly-coloured gems (illustrated far right).  A colourful palette remains constant throughout the years in the House’s creation but there was a notable shift to paler colour combinations in the 1990s (illustrated second on the left).  In 2009, the House converted a long aquamarine necklace from its Sassi collection featured on a model in an advertisement for Bulgari’s fragrance into the present shorter version for the current owner (illustrated second on the right).

RARE GEMSTONES

This Autumn, Phillips Hong Kong will yet again present rare and stunning natural Burmese Mogok pigeon's blood red rubies.  Rubies mined from Mogok in Myanmar have become increasingly rare in recent decades, not to mention the present unheated examples weighing over five carats after cutting and polishing.  Their natural “pigeon’s blood red” colour is synonymous with the most exceptional Burmese rubies.

An exquisite example is the 10.02-carat unheated Mogok pigeon’s blood red ruby and diamond ring (illustrated above left).  This ruby has, very uncommonly, been granted ‘pigeon’s blood red’ grading by both AGL and SSEF, two of the most respected gemological laboratories in the world. In addition, a pair of ruby earrings by Tiffany & Co. also features two Mogok unheated rubies weighing 5.38 and 5.15 carats respectively (illustrated above right).  Glowing and blazing from within, these gems embody passion, power and prosperity. 

The allure of sapphires from Kashmir partly rests in their legendary origin amidst the Himalayan Mountains, a source that was exhausted over a hundred years ago.  Its unique blue is soft and velvety, yet rich and lustrous, and glows under any kind of light.  The three Kashmir sapphires on offer this season are particularly rare for they all feature the step-cut, which is a cutting style reserved for the finest and cleanest sapphire roughs.  Any sapphire from Kashmir weighing over 5 carats and free from any heat treatment, such as the present Art Deco 5.22-carat sapphire and diamond ring set by Cartier, is greatly sought-after (illustrated previous page, bottom left).  Also included is an elegant pair of Harry Winston sapphire and diamond pendent earrings (illustrated previous page, bottom right), two attractive step-cut Kashmir sapphires of the same colour intensity and proportion weigh over 4 carats each, and are set with classic two-stone diamond surmounts. 

The finest Colombian emeralds exhibit a richly saturated and homogeneous bluish green colour, and often possess a variety of internal inclusions or fingerprints of nature due to the delicate balance of their formation and the demanding methods taken to obtain these precious gems. Untreated examples with high clarity are thus extremely rare and sought after.

 

This season Phillips Hong Kong presents an exceptional Colombian emerald of over 10 carats by Cartier, possessing exemplary qualities of the finest Colombian gemstones – free from any oil treatment, desirable colour intensity and with a well-proportioned cut.  In November 2017, Phillips Hong Kong offered a 19.90-carat no-oil Colombian emerald which sold for close to HK$10 million. 

To put together a row of natural pearls in matching high quality is no small feat.  This triple-strand necklace on offer assembles over 200 round natural pearls (illustrated above left) of not only the most desirable cream white body colour, but most importantly matching rose overtones.  Over a thousand round natural pearls were required to make this meticulous selection in order to achieve a gentle graduation of elegance.  It is a superb example of the finest natural pearl necklaces available on the market.

 

Also on offer is a pair of natural pearl and diamond pendent earrings (illustrated above right) which carries a pair of matching round button-shaped pearls and another in an appealing drop shape.  Set in a style reminiscent of regal jewellery from the 18th century, this pair of earrings is sure to enchant the most meticulous connoisseur.

 

 

MAGNIFICENT DIAMONDS

Diamonds of impressive sizes and superb quality are amassed for this season’s sale.  A 3.81-carat fancy purplish pink diamond and diamond ring (illustrated above left) is an example of the finest specimen of pink diamond.  With the majority of the cut stones weighing no more than 0.20 carat, a pink diamond over one carat is very rare.  This fancy purplish pink diamond of almost 4 carats is a tremendous example.  A 10.01-carat pear-shaped colourless diamond ring (illustrated above centre) also brings the best quality of its category – the highest D Colour, Internally Flaweless clarity and the “whiter than white” Type IIa appearance.  The delicate balance of brilliance and scintillation is further exemplified by its being over 10 carats, unique charm and rarity.  GRAFF’s 17.77-carat fancy yellow diamond and diamond ring (illustrated above right) boasting an impressive size scintillates with the jeweller’s distinctive golden warmth, evoking a sense of modernity and youthfulness.

 

JADEITE

The unparalleled status of the jadeite bead necklace ranks it among the most sought-after form of jadeite jewellery, especially in Asia.  However, its very elegance has also enticed the west – Cartier’s Hutton-Mdivani necklace made in the 1930s was arguably the most legendary jadeite bead necklace ever offered at auction. The astonishing price achieved testifies to the timeless appeal of a fine jadeite bead necklace, which will only become rarer as time passes by.

 

This season, Phillips will offer a very fine jadeite bead and diamond necklace set with 29 impressive natural jadeite beads of matching colour, translucency and texture.  With bead sizes ranging from 12.27 to 15.03mm, the raw material from which this piece of jewellery originates is truly one-of-a-kind. (illustrated left; top). 

Cabochons is without doubt the most classic cutting shape for jadeites that best demonstrates the gemstone’s subtle optical qualities.  This fine bracelet boasts a stunning assembly of 9 jadeite cabochons of exceptional colour and fine translucency.  Their pleasing outlines and perfect dome shapes are accentuated by a minimalistic straight-line design. (illustrated left; bottom) 

 

Jadeite double hoops are regarded as some of the most precious forms of jadeite jewellery for three main reasons. First, the jadeite boulder from which it is carved must be of significant size.  Second, the material must be free from inclusions that could jeopardise the stability of two interlocking hoops. Third, the cutting and polishing of double hoops call for utmost prowess.  This current pair of earrings presents a rare occasion to acquire very fine jadeite jewellery, and tells a tale of wisdom, as well as the importance of passing on the tradition of unappalled craftsmanship.