In these times of uncertainty and anxiety, one of the things that brings cheer to the heart is beauty. That is what underlines the one of a kind jewelry pieces on offer at Sotheby’s Fine Jewels Online Auction in London. From contemporary and vintage to antique pieces, the auction catalogue has something for every taste and jewelry preference.
The auction catalogue is easy to navigate. Items can be searched by different categories, including name of creator or artist, or by value of the current bids. In addition, the search tab items can be found which are more tailored to your specific likes and choice. Online bidding closes on April 7th, 2020 at 8:00 am EDT, and since the auction is online, it is easy to bid for your favourite pieces from the comfort of your home.
My Favourite Pieces
What drew me to the auction was pearl jewelry pieces, and I was not disappointed. The fine jewelry pearl pieces have variety and depth, and the range of jewelers and jewelry houses represented is excellent. What I really loved about the selection was the number of pieces adorned with natural pearls. The luminous beauty of natural pearls makes them really stand apart, and the fact that they retain their lustre and shine over many, many decades is remarkable!
Choosing my favourite pieces was unsurprisingly, not very easy. Like a kid in a candy store, I jumped from one lot to another, excited to see so many lovely pearl jewelry items. So, here are the pieces that really spoke to me:
Lot 4: Natural Pearl and Diamond Pendant Necklace, Circa 1910 and Later, Estimate: 14,000 – 18,000 GBP
From a private collection, this pendant necklace is a real showstopper. The pendant is of negligée design and is adorned with a sparkling 2.55 carat weight circular-cut diamond, which is spectacularly eye catching. Two natural saltwater pearls, one creamy white and the other dark grey are suspended from the central pendant with an articulated line of collet-set diamonds. The colour and lustre of these drop shaped natural pearls is exquisite. The way light reflects off their surface is lovely, something that is so unique to natural saltwater pearls. For me, this is a very versatile piece: worn on its own, it is sure to make an impression but paired with earrings and a bracelet, it can complete a dressy but elegant look. Therefore, this pendant necklace is a must-have for jewelry collectors who love the marriage between beautiful diamonds and outstanding natural pearls.
Lot 22: Pair of Cultured Pearl and Diamond Ear Clips, Estimate: 4,000-6000 GBP
From a Private Collection, the design of their ear clips is nothing short of spectacular. The surmount of sunburst design, set with brilliant cut and baguette diamonds is so perfectly crafted. What I love about these earrings is that suspended from the surmount, articulated lines of baguette diamonds finish with a pair of cultured pearls, one grey and the other creamy white. The colour contrast of the pearls is fabulous and elevates the earrings to something unique. The drop shaped cultured pearls have great lustre and seem to be matched almost perfectly in terms of shape and size. For me, these earrings seem to evoke a bright spark of joy, the diamonds seem to enhance the beauty of the pearls, while the lustre of the pearls really bring out the brilliance of the diamonds and the elegance of the design.
The clip fittings have been stamped with French assay marks for 18 carat gold.
Lot 181: Cultured Pearl, Emerald and Diamond Bracelet, Cartier, Estimate: 7,500-9500 GBP
This is a particularly exquisite Cartier pearl bracelet, showcasing the beauty of Cartier design and craftsmanship. The fine details on this bracelet are absolutely breathtaking. The intricate design of the dolphins and the partial pave setting of diamonds on their body, their deep green circular-cut emerald eyes and the bamboo shaped links holding the three rows of cultured pearls are marvelous. Coming to the pearls, there is so much to appreciate. Their round shape, creamy white colour, and size are really well matched. In addition, the pearls are very lustrous and have slight green and pink overtones. Looking just at the pearls, it seems as if they are glowing from within. Overall, I feel that this bracelet is an absolute winner, from the design to the execution and to each separate element that come together to create an object of sublime beauty. To find a piece like this on auction is just awesome!
This bracelet come with a Cartier certificate of authenticity and the Bracelet is stamped with French assay marks and 750 for 18 carat gold.
Lot 245: Natural Pearl and Diamond Necklace, Late 19th Century, Estimate: 4000-6000 GBP
A beautiful antique piece of jewelry, this necklace is designed as a graduated fringe of knife-edge bars which are set with alternating rose diamonds and natural seed pearls. The setting of the pearls and diamonds is magnificent, and really brings out the elegance of the design. the setting of the diamonds is particularly impressive and shows remarkable craftsmanship. The pearls also seem to graduate in size, the pearls in the front being slightly bigger than those at the sides and back of the fringe. This necklace is a one of a kind piece of jewelry that brings together elegance and charm.
Lot 251: Natural Pearl Necklace, Late 19th Century, Estimate: 5,000-7,000 GBP
Formerly in the collection of the Duchess of Hamilton (1854-1934), this necklace consists of a single row of natural pearls, separated by seed pearls. The pearls are of mixed shape, some oval and other bouton and are predominantly cream in colour, but with different overtones- over all they are well matched. And that is what makes this necklace so special, because a single strand of such well matched natural pearls is something rare. For lovers of pearl jewelry, who also want to own a piece of history, this is the piece!
This necklace is accompanied by a Pearl and Gem laboratory report.
Conclusion
These pieces really stood out for me. They are unique and wonderfully crafted and the pearls adorning each piece, whether natural or cultured, are simply exquisite. Just going through the online catalogue was a treat but to find so many exceptional pieces, particularly ones with lustrous natural pearls, was really extraordinary.
The bidding closes soon, and there are some remarkable pieces on offer. So, if you have not checked out Sotheby’s Fine Jewels Online Auction, I would urge you to do so and please do share your favourite piece of jewelry in the comments below 🙂
Featured Image: LOT 274, Pair of Natural Pearl and Diamond Earrings, Attributed to Cartier, 1930s at the Sotheby’s Fine Jewels Online Auction
All images used in this post are the property of Sotheby’s. Any person or organization not affiliated with Sotheby’s may not use, copy, alter or modify any of the images used in this post, without the advance written permission of Sotheby’s.
4 comments
so good!
Hi Mahnoor, Thank you so much for your comment 😊 the auction is really lovely with gorgeous jewels 🙂🌸
Beautiful pieces!
Hello Viskalooza thank you so much for your comment. I totally agree with you, the pieces on auction at Sotheby’s are exquisite 😊