This Is the Auction Jewelry Experts Have Been Waiting For
Some buy jewelry because they think a piece is beautiful. Others acquire more strategically. Can “only the best” be a collector’s mission? Reviewing the pieces that will be up for sale at Christie’s on December 10 (previews will be from December 6-9) the answer, it seems, is absolutely.
“Jewels as Art: Magnificent Jewels from a Private Collection,” is, Claibourne Poindexter of Christie’s Jewelry tells us, “one of the finest collections of jewelry design assembled by one individual to ever come up for sale. The American collector who acquired these rare treasures over the last several decades thoughtfully purchased each work, with the goal of collecting wearable art. Many pieces have additional provenance, from Cole Porter to Diana Vreeland, adding to what are already the best jewels of their kind.”
That is some endorsement. In addition to the inarguable provenance and excellence of the collection, the big news is the inclusion of 15 jewels by Suzanne Belperron, considered by jewelry experts to be one of the greatest of the 20th century (see how she dared to carve rock crystal and smoky quartz; look at how Vreeland waved that cuff at El Morocco) and revered both for her singular bold style and for her pioneering spirit. She was one of the very few women working in high jewelry in the early part of the century and showed true heroism and conviction during World War II when her partner Bernard Herz was arrested. He never returned to Paris. Belperron kept the business open and when Herz’s son finally returned, gave him back the keys. They continued the work together.
“Arguably the most important are the jewels by Suzanne Belperron,” Poindexter says, “who resonates most with the collector, being a bold trailblazer who forever made her mark in the world of jewelry. The intentional nature by which each jewel was acquired also makes it an exciting and very rare occurrence at auction. We are so thrilled at Christie’s to work with this remarkable collector to help facilitate the next chapter of these masterpieces of jewelry design.” Some of the Belperron pieces, including a colored stone charm bracelet, are from the Belperron’s personal collection. Insider tip: for a jewelry lover, there is no greater provenance.
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