Jeweller - August Issue 2018

NEWS
French Royal jewellery for sale
Jewellery once owned by the famous Queen
of France, Marie Antoinette, will be up for
auction through Sotheby’s in November.
The Royal Jewels from the Bourbon-Parma
Family lots span centuries of European
history, including the reign of King Louis XVI
and the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Sotheby’s considers the collection owned
by Marie Antoinette to be one of the “most
important jewellery collections to ever
appear on the market”.
“Each and every jewel is absolutely imbued
with history. Never before seen in public,
this extraordinary group of jewels offers
a captivating insight into the lives of its
owners going back hundreds of years,”
Sotheby’s deputy chairman Daniela
Mascetti stated.
“The precious gems they are adorned with
and the exceptional craftsmanship they
display are stunning in their own right.”
Marie Antoinette’s natural pearl and
diamond pendant is one notable piece,
expected to fetch between US$1-2 million
(AU$1.3-2.7 m). Famously fond of pearls, her
multi-strand 331 pearl necklace and natural
pearl drop earrings are also on offer.
It will be the second time the Queen’s jewels
have graced a Sotheby’s auction in 2018.
The auction house sold the French Royal’s
6-carat blue diamond for US$6.7 million
(AU$9 m) back in May.
Many of the Queen’s jewels have not been
viewed since her reign and were shipped by
the royal family to Brussels during political
upheaval of the French Revolution.
Other jewels in the 100 lots for sale
belonged to generations of the Bourbon-
Parma family and include pieces once
owned by Kings of France, Spain, Austria and
various other European reigning dignitaries
spanning more than 200 years.
Diamond ring breaks record
Indian jewellers have constructed a piece that
has broken the record for the most diamonds
on a single ring.
The 18-carat rose gold band includes
6,690 diamonds and was designed by
Surat jewellers Vishal Agarwal and
Khushbu Agarwal.
The lotus, flower-shaped ring comprises
48 bejewelled petals and weighs more than a
golf ball. The piece has an estimated value of
more than US$4 million (AU$5.4 m).
Vishal created the design for the ring, and
Khushbu funded and provided the resources
for the Guinness World Record-breaking
project. The ring was manufactured by
Hanumant Diamonds artisans, based in
Mahidarpura, India, who spent six months
putting the final piece together.
According to Vishal, the lotus flower style was
created in order to “raise awareness about
the importance of water conservation.” Being
the national flower of India, it also depicts the
“beauty growing in the water-world”.
In order to qualify for the Guinness World
Records, all diamonds had to be conflict-free
and independently sourced.
Prior to the lotus ring’s construction, fellow
Indian Jeweller Savio Jewelry held the
world-record after its team created the
Peacock Ring, which comprised of 3,847 cut
diamonds in 2015.
Savio’s ring combined 16.5 carats in total and
weighed around 50 grams, with an estimated
value of US$270,000 (AU$366,000).
Jewellery awards’ Melbourne move
Supporting retailers with unique,
quality designs for over 30 years.
Life Instyle Melbourne, 2-5 August, stand 2302
IJF, ICC Sydney, 25-27 August, stand G34
+61 2 9452 4981 | info@pastiche.com.au
@pastichejewellery /pastichejewellery
Entries for Diamond Guild Australia Jewellery
Awards are now open. The ceremony will
celebrate its 13th year and its first visit in
Melbourne on 16 October. The awards
will showcase the work of jewellers across
categories covering solitaire, fancy colour,
diamonds for everyday, diamonds for men,
red carpet and emerging talent. Finalists will
be announced on 3 September, with all in
contention for the supreme award, an overall
prize to be showcased as the pinnacle of
jewellery design excellence.