Auction house Christie’s is putting the final touches to spectacular fall season, the final part coming only in December with the much talked about sale of items from the collection of the late actress Elizabeth Taylor.
Christie’s New York season will kick off on October 18, when the auction house holds its Magnificent Jewels sale. It will include 340 lots with a presale estimate of $35 million, where the headliner is a 32.77 carat, vivid yellow diamond, that the Gemological Institute of America has ranked it amongst the rarest of gemstones in its class. The yellow diamond comes with presale estimate of $6 million to $8 million.
The October 18 sale also includes a 3.21-carat, pear-shaped, fancy vivid blue diamond ring, flanked by side diamonds, with a presale estimate of $2.5 million to $3 million; an 8.20-carat, pear-shaped fancy purplish-pink diamond ring by Tiffany & Co., with a presale estimate of $1.25 million to $1.8 million; and a 25.74-carat, oval-cut diamond ring by Graff, with a presale estimate of $3.5 million to $5 million.
Christies will also conduct jewelry sales in Geneva, Paris, London and Hong Kong before returning to New York for the grand finale, featuring the Taylor Collection.
The sale of items of jewelry belonging to the Elizabeth Taylor estate will comprise the first day of a two-day sale starting December 13. Widely celebrated as one of the greatest private collections ever assembled, the array of jewels includes several of Ms. Taylor’s most iconic diamonds, gemstones, historic jewels, and one-of-a-kind creations, as well as personal mementos and gifts. The total selection of 269 magnificent jewels the collection is estimated to achieve well in excess of $30 million.
“From her most jaw-dropping diamonds, gems, and one-of-a-kind historic jewels, to cherished ‘It's Tuesday, I love you gifts’, and never-before-seen keepsakes, Elizabeth Taylor's magnificent collection of jewels promises to captivate the auction world this fall. This is without a doubt the greatest private collection of jewelry ever assembled in one place, and Christie's is honored to have been entrusted with the global tour of the collection this fall, and the sale of the collection in its entirety this December,” said Marc Porter, chairman and president of Christie's Americas.
The Taylor Collection boasts exquisite examples from the most celebrated of jewelry designers, including Bulgari, Boucheron, Cartier, JAR, Schlumberger, Tiffany, and Van Cleef & Arpels, among others.
Select highlights from the Elizabeth Taylor’s collection of magnificent jewels will began a three-month global tour earlier month, starting with a public exhibition at GUM on Moscow’s Red Square on September 15, followed by public exhibitions of collection highlights in London, Los Angeles, Dubai, Geneva, Paris, and Hong Kong.