RAPAPORT... Christie’s upcoming jewelry sale on April 22, 2009 in New York will offer not only diamonds, colored gems and signed jewels, including antique, Belle Époque, Art Nouveau, retro and contemporary creations, but  five JAR jewels, a rare quantity of JAR for just one show. Viewing will take place from April 17 to 21 at Christie’s galleries in Rockefeller Center.

The JAR jewels will include three elaborate ear clips: a pair of diamond and black-diamond hedgehog ear clips with an estimated value of $20,000 to $30,000; a pair of emerald and diamond ear clips, estimated at $20,000 to $30,000; and a pair of chalcedony, diamond and sapphire ear clips designed as a fan and estimated at $25,000 to $35,000. The show will also offer two JAR brooches for sale, specifically an emerald, chalcedony, diamond and pink sapphire brooch centering upon an oval, 103.28-carat cabochon emerald and a sapphire, diamond, violet sapphire and pearl brooch with a cushion-cut, 52.57-carat sapphire centerpiece. 

Other contemporary pieces will include a pear-shaped, 30.02-carat, D color diamond ring of internal flawless clarity, set with an intense pink diamond band, a rectangular cut, 32.72-carat diamond ring of D color and VS1 clarity with an estimated value of $1.4 million to $1.8 million and a pear-shaped, 15.05-carat, D color, VVS2 diamond pendant Harry Winston estimated at $700,000 to $1 million.

Among the colored diamonds to be sold will be a fancy grayish yellowish green "chameleon" briolette-cut, 19.13-carat diamond pendant necklace with a pre-sales estimate of $800,000 to $1.2 million. The chameleon is the largest briolette-cut chameleon diamond in the world to be offered at auction, according to Christie's. A marquise cut, fancy vivid yellow, 8.06-carat diamond will be another highlight among the colored diamonds, while a 6.76-carat ruby and diamond ring displays a pigeon-blood red color typical of old Burmese material and a degree of transparency seen only in the finest rubies.

Several elegant sautoirs will also be available at the sale, such as a pearl and diamond sautoir by Boucheron made with 155 graduated pearls. The latter item will be sold to benefit the Rosemoor Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides consulting and start-up funding for activities and organizations run by women to benefit women both locally and internationally. A sapphire, pearl and diamond sautoir by Marcus & Co. will represent the Belle Époque period, while a diamond sautoir by Tiffany & Co. is emblematic of the firm’s classic 1920s designs. Cartier will offer a set of retro lapis lazuli, diamond and gold jewelry, circa 1937.

LH