There are many spectacular Royal and Noble Jewels on Auction this month, with the a Castellani Gold Tiara, a Diamond Necklace from a European Aristocratic Family, a Van Cleef & Arpels Emerald Pendant from a Noble Family, and a Cartier Mystery Clock from a European Royal Family on Auction at the Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels Sale in Geneva this week!
Castellani Gold Tiara
Estimate: 26,000 – 45,000 CHF
Revival: A Unique Collection Of 19th-century Jewels
A Castellani Gold Tiara, designed as a flowering laurel wreath, fitted case stamped Castellani in Greek lettering.
The Castellani firm became renowned for incorporating elements from various historical periods into their designs, including ancient, medieval, and modern intaglios, cameos, Egyptian scarabs, and micro-mosaics. Jewellery historians note that the firm was the first to incorporate micro-mosaics, often featuring Early Christian, Byzantine, and Egyptian motifs, into frames designed in the archaeological style.
Diamond Necklace
Estimate: 30,000 – 40,000 CHF
From a European Aristocratic Family
A Diamond Necklace, 1880s, of swag design, set with circular-cut diamonds connected by knife-edge linking, the front part detachable to be worn as a tiara, tiara fitting deficient.
Van Cleef & Arpels Emerald and Diamond Pendant/Brooch
Estimate: 60,000 – 100,000 CHF
From a Noble Family
A Van Cleef & Arpels Emerald and Diamond Pendant/Brooch Combination, circa 1970, designed as a cascade of oval and pear-shaped cabochon emeralds framed by brilliant-cut, marquise- and pear-shaped diamonds, signed Van Cleef & Arpels.
Cartier Mystery Clock
Estimate: 150,000 – 200,000 CHF
From a European Royal Family
A Cartier Nephrite, Hardstone, Mother-Of-Pearl and Diamond Mystery Clock, circa 1980, the circular facetted rock crystal dial within a bezel set with brilliant-cut diamonds, the diamond-set hands of flame design, the gilt silver case and base embellished with nephrite, hardstone, mother-of-pearl and brilliant-cut diamonds.
The mystery clock offered in this sale was created circa 1980. Its design elements, in particular the carved nephrite vase, the stylised hours and hands of flame design, refer to the East Asian motifs that featured prominently on the celebrated mystery clocks of the art deco era.
The mystery clock is without a doubt Cartier’s most wondrous innovation whereby the hands of the clock seem suspended in mid-air, telling time apparently unaided by any mechanism. In fact, the design cleverly uses two disks of transparent quartz with two glass disks in between, one holding the hand for the hours, the other for the minutes, which are rotated by a mechanism hidden within the frame. Mystery clocks were only produced at Cartier Paris and not in the London and New York branches. Their production continues to this day, but exceedingly few examples are created each yea
