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Christie’s to Sell 24ct. Marilyn Monroe Diamond
Oct 18, 2018 5:01 AM
By Rapaport News
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RAPAPORT... Christie’s is set to auction a 24-carat diamond necklace that
Marilyn Monroe wore for the premiere of her 1953 movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
The fancy-yellow, VS2-clarity Moon of Baroda — which originated from the famous Galconda
mine that also produced the Hope Diamond — is estimated at $500,000 to
$750,000. Christie’s will also auction an autographed photo of the actress
wearing the stone, it said Wednesday. The picture carries a presale valuation of $10,000 to
$15,000. 
The 24.04-carat stone was first documented in the 15th
century as part of the collection of the Gaekwads of Baroda, the ruling family
of India. After disappearing for a few centuries, the piece turned up in the US
in 1926, brought there by Prince Ramachandra, who then sold it.
In the 1950s, the Moon of Baroda was acquired by Meyer
Rosenbaum, the president of Meyer Jewelry Company. Rosenbaum loaned it to
Monroe for the opening of the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, in which
she sings “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.”
In 1990, Christie’s auctioned the diamond in New York for
$297,000. It subsequently remained out of the public eye for more than two
decades.
“After 28 years, it has once again reappeared at
Christie’s…only this time, the diamond has been classified as a historical
diamond,” the auction house said.
Christie’s will preview the Moon of Baroda in Los Angeles
from October 16 to 20, auctioning it at its Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels sale on
November 27.
Main image: The 24.04-carat Moon of Baroda.
(Christie’s)
Side image: Marilyn Monroe wearing the necklace. (Frank Powolny)
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Tags:
Christie’s, Gaekwads of Baroda, Galconda mine, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels, hope diamond, Marilyn Monroe, Meyer Jewelry Company, Meyer Rosenbaum, Moon of Baroda, Prince Ramachandra, Rapaport News
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