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2009 was an exceptional year for Sotheby’s Jewellery department in Geneva.  The team brought a superb array of jewels to auction, achieved sales in excess of $73 million and established new world record prices for coloured diamonds and rubies.  Following this success, Sotheby’s is delighted to announce that its Spring sales of Magnificent and Noble Jewels at the Beau-Rivage Hotel in Geneva on Tuesday, 11th May, 2010 will present a further stunning selection of outstanding diamonds and coloured stones, glamorous signed pieces by the most prestigious houses and important jewels with noble provenance.


Magnificent Jewels:
At the heart of the Magnificent Jewels sale will be an exquisite group of white and coloured diamonds, the centrepieces of which will be:

     An extremely rare emerald-cut white diamond ring weighing 52.82-carats, which is expected to fetch in excess of CHF7.3 million /  $7million.  The diamond is Type IIa, D-colour and has flawless clarity.
                                                                                                 
     A highly important pear-shaped fancy vivid blue diamond weighing 5.02 carats, which is set in the form of a toi et moi ring and is the design and creation of the celebrated French jeweller Alexandre Reza.  The blue stone is mounted alongside an exceptional white diamond of the same shape and weighing 5.42-carats, and the immensely chic and refined design is a perfect illustration of the excellence of Reza’s creations.  The ring is estimated at CHF4.25-7.4 million / $4-7 million.
                                                                                                  
Further highlights will be a rare cushion-shaped fancy intense blue diamond ring weighing 7.64-carats (est: CHF 4.2-6.2 million / $4-6 million) as well as pieces from the collections of Lily Marinho and the Italian opera star, Antonietta Stella.


Noble Jewels:
Leading the dedicated sale of Noble Jewels (sales which are now in their fourth year) will be a diamond rivière of 28 circular-cut diamonds with a total weight in excess of 160-carats from an Italian noble family (est: CHF1.5-2.2 million / $1.4-2.1 million) and a group of seven diamond jewels which were formerly in the collection of Mrs Fitzherbert, the secret and illegal wife of Prince Regent (later King George IV).  Reputedly given to Mrs Fitzherbert by the Prince, the seven jewels have since descended through her family, passing from daughter to daughter, and they now come to the market with an estimate of CHF70,000-100,000 / $65,000-95,000.

Helen Collier
Sotheby's Press Office.