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| A ruby and diamond Camellia brooch created for Lily Safra by renowned jeweler, JAR. |
Christie's Geneva announced that the Brazilian-born billionaire Lily Safra is selling her personal collection of jewelry at auction expecting to raise more than US$20 million for 20 different charitable organizations. The sale, called "Jewels For Hope," will feature 70 exquisite jewels.
Philanthropist and socialite Lily Safra, who is the widow of Lebanese banker Edmond J. Safra, is known as a discerning connoisseur of jewelry whose taste in jewels has been admired and the cause of inspiration during the past five decades. This outstanding collection contains important rubies, sapphires, and diamonds, as well as an exceptional array of fine antique and period jewelry.
“Throughout our journey as collectors, my husband and I sought the highest quality in our diverse areas of interest, from pictures, to furniture, works of art, watches and jewelry,” Safra said.
A special section of the sale will be dedicated to a group of extraordinary creations by JAR, the majority of which were designed specifically for Lily Safra by the renowned jeweler between the 1980s and 2000s. Showcasing 18 pieces, this is the largest private collection of creations by JAR ever to be offered at auction.
“A sublime collection of rare jewels, comprising the very best in all styles, periods and makers, from the late 18th Century all the way to modern times, is enough to attract the attention of jewelry amateurs and professionals worldwide," commented François Curiel, head of Christie's International Jewellery Department.
The Safra jewel collection will tour the world with stops in major cities before the auction takes place in Geneva in May.
Some of the charities identified to receive donations from the auction include the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the Paris Opera, the Paris Ballet, the Royal Opera House London, Water Treatment Program in Bahia, Brazil, Keren Shemesh, Israel, and Henry Street Settlement in New York.
 President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed British Prime Minister and his wife, David and Samantha Cameron to a state dinner at the White House on 14 March.
The guest list included Washington insiders, numerous members of the media, and international personalities such as George Clooney, Sir Richard Branson, Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, clothing designer Georgina Chapman, and British actors Damian Lewis and Helen McCrory.
First Lady Michelle Obama's stunning off-the-shoulder silk teal gown was the talk of the town. The gorgeous gown was designed by British designer Georgina Chapman for American fashion House Marchesa. Ms. Chapman, who was a guest at the dinner, did not know beforehand that the First Lady had chosen to wear her gown for the occasion.
Complementing the First Lady's striking look was a bold blue and silver statement necklace by Tom Binns. The cascading array was made up of multi-strands of silver, turquoise, and teal beads.
Tom Binns jewels have also adorned well-known personalities such as Beyonce, Cate Blanchett, and Lady Gaga.
See more Tom Binns designs at http://www.tombinnsdesign.com/as-seen-in-binns/
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| This exquisite Fabergé design features 79 emeralds, totaling 186.85 carats, with sugar-loaf cabochons and a single pear-shaped drop of 30.65 carats. It includes 1,991 round white diamonds, totaling 98.15 carats, 151 rose-cut diamonds, totaling 43.29 carats, with one rose diamond of 0.67 carats and a pear-shaped rose cut of 3.48 carats. |
The House of Fabergé recently unveiled the Romanov necklace, a breathtaking emerald and diamond collar that is a reworking of an early jewel from the House of Fabergé, recreated and contemporized from an archival gouache design dated 1885.
Fabergé and Gemfields collaborated on creating the piece to draw attention to ethical mining and fair trade practices in the gemstone and jewelry industry. The emeralds, which Fabergé confirmed were ethically and ecologically sound, were sourced directly from Gemfields’ Zambian mines and hand selected by Fabergé’s creative director, Katharina Flohr.
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The detachable Romanov collar, designed by Fabergé can be worn separately, with or without the pear-shaped emerald drop.
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Following the stone selection, a complex and challenging design process was undertaken by Fabergé’s in-house design team in collaboration with a leading Paris-based jewelry workshop, inspired by legendary master jeweler Peter Carl Fabergé. Following two months of work on the design process were 14 months of intense and meticulous workmanship by artisans, goldsmiths and gem setters. The finished piece contains a collection of 79 emeralds of exceptional quality, totaling 186.85 carats, featuring skillfully cut sugar-loaf cabochons and a single pear-shaped drop of 30.65 carats.
Crafted in white gold, the Romanov necklace is designed to spread over the shoulders and neckline in a silky openwork trellis composed of emeralds, white round diamonds and rose diamonds, shimmering with a soft, vintage luster. In all, the necklace is set with 2,225 gemstones, totaling 363.48 carats, including 1,991 round white diamonds, totaling 98.15 carats, 151 rose-cut diamonds, totaling 43.29 carats, with one rose diamond of 0.67 carats and a pear-shaped rose cut of 3.48 carats.
A special feature of the necklace is that it was crafted in three pieces that can be worn separately, or in different combinations to create different looks. The detachable collar can be worn with or without the pear-shaped drop.
 Fabergé and Gemfields also collaborated on the Solyanka Emerald ring. This extremely rare emerald of 13.73 carats is set high into a detailed platinum and diamond ring featuring 14 baguette diamonds and 251 round diamonds totaling 5.62 carats.
This 13.73 carat emerald is set in a detailed platinum ring, with stylized swags and finely tapered diamond baguette drapes on all sides, tapered square-cut diamonds at the sides and inside edges of the shank, which is also rimmed with diamonds.
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| Getty Photo |
Comedienne and actress Tina Fey looked gorgeous on the red carpet at the 84th Annual Academy Awards. The 30 Rock star's midnight-blue, strapless gown was specially made for her by renowned fashion designer Carolina Herrera. Complimenting her formal wear was a pair of beautiful blue sapphire and emerald chandelier earrings and a blue sapphire ring, both designed by Bulgari. Fey was listed on many of the Best Dressed lists for this glamorous star-studded event at the Hollywood & Highland Center. As one of the presenters at the awards ceremony, she looked stunning and was ready for a night of Hollywood-style celebration. Fey currently stars in, produces and writes for the Emmy®-winning comedy series 30 Rock. Actor Alec Baldwin is her co-star.
Stylist to the stars Michael O'Connor predicted colored stone jewelry would dominate the red carpet at Oscars night. "Bright and vibrant colored gemstones in pink, blue, orange and green, will make a resurgence," O'Connor said. Many other stars lit up the night with an array of exquisite colored gemstone jewelry. InStyle read more...
 New York — Christie's
The extraordinary beauty, rarity and provenance of the pearl known as “La Peregrina” inspired a fierce bidding battle at Christie’s New York at the opening auction of The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor. Estimated at $2-3 million, the pearl reached a world auction record price for a pearl at $11,842,500 (£ 7,579,200 / € 9,118,725) after four and a half minutes of bidding. The pearl, an historic 16th century pear-shaped pearl suspended from a necklace custom designed for Ms. Taylor by Cartier, has been widely heralded as one of Elizabeth Taylor’s most iconic jewels.
The price with premium for La Peregrina surpasses the previous world auction record for a pearl jewel, set in 2007 at Christie’s New York with the sale of The Baroda Pearls for $7,096,000.
La Peregrina is a remarkable pearl of 203 grains in size –equivalent to 50 carats – that was first discovered in the 1500s in the Gulf of Panama. King Philip II of Spain was among the first recorded owners of the pear-shaped pearl, which later passed on to the Spanish queens Margaret and Elisabeth, who proudly wore the pearl in 17th century portraits painted by Velázquez himself.
Richard Burton famously purchased the pearl for Elizabeth Taylor at auction in 1969 for $37,000, after successfully outbidding a member of the Spanish Royal family. Inspired by a 16th century portrait of Mary Queen of Scots, Ms. Taylor later commissioned Cartier to design an exquisite new mount of matched natural pearls and rubies to offset what she called “the most perfect pearl in the world.” www.christies.com
 A pair of 25.38 and 23.12 cts cushion-shaped Colombian emerald ear pendants set a world record at Christie's Autumn Hong Kong sale at US$83,000 per ct., realizing a total of $4,036,318 from a private Asian buyer.
The stones, known as The Stars of Colombia (see image), with their remarkably large size - 25.38 and 23.12 carats - high clarity, refined cutting and superior color, are a pair of unparalleled rarity. These cushion-shaped gems, each boasting a verdant green, are untreated, making them extraordinary, and the purity they exhibit is not often encountered in the market today. Indeed, a single Colombian emerald of this quality is rare. To have its equal in quality and color to match so well in size and shape is virtually unheard of.
Some of the finest emeralds in the world originate in Colombia which are especially prized for their intensity and depth of color - a particularly rich grass-green with a medium-dark tone.
For further information visit the Christie's website: http://www.christies.com/about/press-center/releases/pressrelease.aspx?pressreleaseid=5106
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