Gazette Drouot - C apencheres

THE MAGAZINE UPCOMING AUCTIONS
Fit for a princess
The Sotheby’s sale in Geneva on 14 November
includes pieces of jewellery fit for a princess – or to be
precise, a queen and a princess. A beautiful Cartier
conch pearl, enamel and diamond bracelet, estimated
at CHF750,000-1,300,000, formed part of the personal
collection of Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain (1887-
1969), the granddaughter of Britain's Queen Victoria
58 GAZETTE DROUOT INTERNATIONAL I N° 19
Archduke Joseph Diamond
Despite the economic downturn, glittering
items of the utmost luxury, with prices to match,
are continuing to find buyers at auction. Christie’s
will undoubtedly have its fair share of sparkling
success on 13 November, with the sale in
Geneva of the 76.02-carat Archduke Joseph
Diamond, which is expected to fetch over
$15M. This exquisite and rare jewel boasts
internal flawlessness and the highest grade for
a certified diamond, as well as a royal provenance:
the House of Habsburg. It belonged to
Archduke Joseph August of Austria, after
whom it was named, before he passed it on to
his son. This noble lineage provides a
colourful history for this perfectly colourless
carbon creation, making it all the more attractive
to anyone lucky enough to contemplate
placing a bid. Joanna Laverock
and grandmother of the current King of Spain, Juan
Carlos. A member of the Spanish royal family has put it
up for auction. A splendid pair of ruby and diamond
pendant ear clips (CHF 1,400,000-2,330,000) will also
bring a sense of the regal to the saleroom, having
belonged to Princess Max Egon zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg
(1892-1990).