Bulgari is to auction an extraordinary collection of 11 one-of-a-kind jewelry creations and 7 limited edition timepieces at Christie’s New York. The jewels’ overall value is estimated at around $4 million, and all proceeds will be donated to Save the Children’s Rewrite the Future campaign, dedicated to providing quality education for 8 million children living in conflict-affected areas.
The auction at Christie’s is part of a series of initiatives that Bulgari has organized in celebration of their 125 year anniversary. The collection was officially presented to the public on May 20, 2009, at a private celebration inaugurating Bulgari’s first-ever retrospective museum exhibition at the prestigious Il Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome. From June until November 2009 the collection will tour the world’s greatest cities, where they will be presented at a series of high-profile events; these include Shanghai, London, Los Angeles, Miami and New York. This international tour will culminate with the New York auction in December when these 18 exquisite creations will be sold at Christie’s – the world’s leading auction house.
The spectacular and brilliantly hued sapphire and diamond necklace features 169 sapphires totaling 400 carats and 951 brilliant-cut diamonds. The “kilim” bracelet is made in yellow gold with cushion-cut sapphires and pavé diamonds. The ring features a spectacular cabochon-cut purple star sapphire with a total weight of approximately 60 carats.
This spectacular white gold LUCEA necklace is made of diamonds that total 84 carats and alternating square and circular elements in white gold. The ASSIOMA D watch is in white gold, with case, dial and bracelet studded with over 800 white diamonds totaling 27.77 cts. The ASTRALE watch has a white gold case studded with 86 pavé and brilliant-cut diamonds and a bezel with 177 pavé-cut diamonds.
The white gold includes more than 70 carats of gems including five spinels and a weave of baguette and brilliant-cut diamonds. The matching earrings have a cascade of teardrop diamonds and two spinels of equal rarity. The PARENTESI COCKTAIL ring is made of white gold and diamonds and a large faceted rubellite custom cut for this collet.
This yellow gold sautoir pays homage to the long tradition of Bulgari’s love of mounting ancient coins as jewels. It is composed of a long gourmette chain decorated with seven Macedonian tetradrams; the large coins depict the head of Heracles on the front, and an enthroned Zeus on the back; each is engraved to honor Alexander the Great: “Macedonia – Alexandros III 336-323 a.C.” The piece can be converted into a parure, thanks to invisible clasps that allow it to become a choker and twin bracelets.
Finally, the collection celebrates the 125th Anniversary of Bulgari with three exclusive serpent bracelets made for the auction. Two of the bracelets are composed in yellow gold with pave diamonds: one with onyx and the other with coral. The third bracelet is made of polychrome enamel with a violet-tinged guilloché finish. All three are flexible and sinuously produced using the same technique
BVLGARI created in the 1940s.
The Sotirio Bulgari Quantième Annuel was created expressly in celebration of the company’s 125th Anniversary, and named after the company’s founder. Both the white gold and pink gold models are distinguished by a 225° retrograde date display and a self-winding manufacture movement, the BVL 260 calibre, composed of 360 individual components.
The Assioma Multicomplication Squelette is by far the most valuable and sophisticated piece in the auction, featuring a platinum case, skeletonized dial, tourbillon, perpetual calendar and GMT function (second independent time zone dial). There are only 25 of these limited edition, numbered watches in the world. The Diagono Calibro 303 features a steel case, a bezel in white gold, a three-level manufacture dial. The Diagono Phases de Lune is distinguished by a pink gold case, a transparent back panel and a moon phase display.
For more information see: www.bulgari.com
www.savethechildren.org
www.christies.com
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- Important Colored Diamonds, Gemstones and Signed Creations Highlight Christie’s December 10 Jewels Sales in New York
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