Public Exhibition: 28 September – 3 October｜Auction: 3 October Hall 1, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

Hong Kong, 1 September, 2017 On 3 October, Sotheby’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite Autumn Sale 2017 will bring to the market a series of iconic masterpieces hailing from legendary jewellers, highlighted by a rare art deco ‘Tutti Frutti’ Cartier bracelet, an exquisite 8.49-carat ruby ring by JAR and an impressive emerald and diamond parure by Van Cleef & Arpels. The sale will also feature a fine selection of rare coloured diamonds, exceptional gemstones and bejewelled garden themed selection inspired by the flora and fauna of nature. Over 250 lots estimated in excess of HK$650,000,000/US$83,000,000 will be offered this season.

QUEK Chin Yeow, Deputy Chairman of Sotheby’s Asia and Chairman of International Jewellery, Asia, said, “We are extremely pleased to present a great selection of the marvellous jewels to captivate our Asian jewellery connoisseurs: From an iconic Cartier ‘Tutti Frutti’ masterpiece to an amazingly rare ‘pigeon’s blood’ ruby in a revolutionary mounting by Indian supremo designer, BHAGAT, not to mention blue and pink diamonds and an array of precious gemstones. We are also delighted to offer a great rarity - The Woolworth Yard Jadeite Necklace which dates from 1957.”

SALE HIGHLIGHTS
TIMELESS TALES OF LEGENDARY JEWELLERS
A Rare and Important Art Deco Gem Set and Diamond 'Tutti-Frutti' Bracelet, Cartier
Est. HK$10,500,000 – 14,000,000/US$1,300,000 – 1,800,000
A witness to the fin-de-siècle when Art Deco was at its peak, this classic 'Tutti-Frutti' bracelet by Cartier weds the bold and vibrant designs of the East to the elegant and classic aesthetics of the West. Rich with Indian influences, the Tutti Frutti jewels blossomed with ripe Mughal fruits and foliage, each individual piece an intricately carved sapphire, ruby or emerald, intertwined with a ribbon of diamonds. Following its inception, Cartier’s ateliers became an obligatory stopover for visiting Maharajas. Christened the name ‘Tutti Frutti’ in 1970, the exuberant colours and sumptuous textures bear testament to one of Cartier’s most iconic collections of the Art Deco era.

An Exquisite 8.49ct Burmese Ruby and Diamond Ring, JAR
Est. HK$13,000,000 – 15,000,000/US$1,700,000 – 1,900,000
Through the years, part of the JAR mystique has come from the fact that the jewels were so rarely seen in public. An exhibition at London’s Somerset House in 2002-2003 caused a sensation within the international jewellery world, whilst the 2013 Metropolitan Museum, New York 2013 retrospective, Jewels by JAR, demonstrated the full force of his protean talent. Featuring in The Impossible Collection of Jewellery: The 100 Most Important Jewels of the Twentieth Century publication, JAR’s jewels rank amongst the great art jewels of history. This 8.49ct Burmese Ruby and Diamond Ring, displays JAR’s fine, meticulous pavé work. His attention to detail demonstrated in the simple mounting of the ring itself. When worn, the ruby is designed to be in constant contact to the wearer’s skin, accentuating the gem’s associations with power and protection, creating a subtle but significant connection between the gem and the wearer.

Exquisite Jade, Diamond and Ruby Brooch, BHAGAT
Est. HK$2,000,000 – 2,800,000/US$256,000 – 358,000
Crowned with the majesty of the opulent Indian treasures, BHAGAT jewels encompass the sophistication of Mughal artistry and the grandeur of Islamic structures, blended with the elegancy of Art Deco; an incarnation of the past enduring through the present. Ardent admirers of jade, Mughal emperors delighted in collecting exquisitely carved works of jade, symbolising their dynastic aspirations and exhibiting the acculturative genius of Mughal style of art with the harmonious integration of intercultural influences. Designed as a stylized poppy, the flower gracefully emerges from a sinuous diamond encrusted stem, which terminates in an old-mine pear-shaped diamond leaf. The sensuousness and tactile qualities of Mughal jade resonates through the delicate celadon green jade, carved with contrasting techniques used between the front and rear petals.

Fine Sapphire and Diamond Ring, 'Les Voyages Extraordinaires', Van Cleef & Arpels
Est. HK$2,800,000 - 3,800,000/US$360,000 – 490,000
Les Voyages Extraordinaires™, Van Cleef & Arpel’s whimsical collection inspired by four of Jules Verne’s fantastical novels, pays tribute to the history of the Maison and its indefatigable representatives who travel the globe in the quest of the finest gems. Of this collection, four exceptional rings were made especially for its presence in the 25th Biennale des Antiques in Paris, representing each of the four Verne novels; Five Weeks in a Balloon, From the Earth to the Moon, Journey to the Center of the Earth and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Named the Hydôr Ring, this ring is inspired by Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Dedicated to the fluidity of water, the swirling gradient of bright diamonds to light and dark sapphires are reminiscent of the gradual plunge deep into the oceanic abyss. Whilst the 20.04 carat sapphire, fixed as the glorious centre, remains the constant – a reminder of how inescapably the ocean reigns supreme.