Dubai – Christie’s, the worlds leading art business, is delighted to announce their fifth sale series in Dubai beginning with a spectacular sale of Jewels and Watches. The sale at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel on 29 October, 2008 will include jewelry from the world’s leading contemporary designers, natural pearls, rare vintage Cartier and antique Indian jewels. The sale is expected to realize between US$20-25 million with a comprehensive group of important diamonds including a major private European collection estimated at US$6-8millon.

“Our jewelry sales are defined by quality at every level, whether it is a 1920s classic from Cartier, a rare gemstone or a museum-quality contemporary jewel. We are excited to be bringing another important selection of jewels to the region ensuring that Christie’s Middle East sales continue to be a major event in the international jewelry calendar,” said David Warren, Director of Jewellery, Middle East.

“In April our sale totalled US$20,079,300 /AED 73,691,031, and achieved three world record prices, reenforcing the success of Dubai as an established international centre from which to offer exceptional jewelry and watches. This October’s sale is no exception and we look forward to another highly successful evening. We are also delighted to continue our sponsoring partnership with Credit Suisse, one of the leading global providers of financial products and services in Private Banking, Investment Banking, and Asset Management,” said Michael Jeha, Managing Director, Middle East.

Diamonds

Diamonds have always captured the hearts and interest of jewelry lovers and connoisseurs worldwide, and the Dubai sale will offer a captivating selection. The highlight of the sale will be 12 lots of fine diamond jewelry from an important private European collection with a combined estimate of US$6-8 million. The highlights from this collection include a yellow diamond necklace, earring and bracelet suite (partly illustrated above), divided into 3 lots, with a combined estimate of US$1,250,000-1,650,000, and a rectangular-shaped diamond ring weighing 16.76 carats, D-colour and internally flawless (D IF) mounted by Cartier, estimated at US$2-3 million. Along with a pearshaped diamond ring weighing 10.06 carats, D colour, VVS2 (potentially flawless), estimated at US$800,000-1,200,000. The largest diamond in the sale is a radiant-cut 57.02 carat Fancy Intense Yellow diamond ring (estimate: US$2-2.5 million). A classic 1940s diamond bracelet by Cartier is also included with an estimate of US$300,000-350,000.

Contemporary Jewels

Christie’s are committed to offering only the finest examples of modern jewelry and one-of-a kind pieces from the greatest names in contemporary jewellery design. Highlights from this sale include a flowerhead bangle from the studio of Wallace Chan, a Hong Kong-based designer recognised for his innovative use of metals, set with a 153 carat sapphire mounted in titanium, (estimate: US$350,000-400,000).

A stunning bracelet intricately set with precious stones, one depicting a tiny ladybird, by the well established Chanel designer Lorenz Bäumer, is estimated at US$80,000-100,000 and a fabulous 12cm brooch of a palm tree (pictured above), the trunk articulated with brown and rose-cut diamonds by Michelle Ong, is estimated at US$60,000-80,000

By Vicente Gracia, a sought-after Spanish designer based in Valencia, is an exquisite ring based on a Persian tale of a bird which intrigued by the beauty of a white rose, flies down an is pierced by its thorns. A drop of blood then drips onto the rose, turning it red, thus explaining the origins of red roses (estimate: US$15,000-20,000).

Other designer pieces include a stunning moonstone and diamond earring (US$10,000-15,000) and bracelet (US$15,000-20,000) suite by House of Taylor Jewelry, The Elizabeth Collection and an egg-sized peridot ring by Margherita Burgener with a swirling diamond mount (estimate: US$18,000-20,000). A more modest estimate (US$6,000-8,000) is attached to a predominantly turquoise flower bracelet set with diamonds and lapis lazuli.

Merging Markets – India and Europe

The influence of India in Western jewelry design is perhaps most apparent in the jewelry of Cartier in the 1920s, but what is often not referred to is the Western world’s influence on Indian jewelry design during the same period. The highlights of this section of the sale are a dramatic rose-cut diamond ring, the stone 2cm in diameter, estimated at US$80,000-120,000 and an early 20th century sarpech, an important Indian symbol of status worn on the turban, encrusted with diamonds, rubies and emeralds. Both pieces make use of Western jewelry making techniques. The sarpech has a large rose-cut diamond at its centre and is embellished with flags, banners and a crescent moon picked out in rubies (estimate: US$50,000-70,000). An early 20th century fringe necklace of drop spinel beads, a similar colour to rubies and mined in Afghanistan, will be offered with a matching pair of earrings (estimate: US$28,000-38,000). Three sets of Sherwani buttons, European in their design and beautifully set with diamonds and rubies, circa 1910-1930, are all estimated at around US$15,000-20,000 each.

Two rare Indian-influence Cartier jewels, very different in design and grandeur, are included in the sale. One has a cushion-shaped old-mine Colombian emerald forming the centre of an oblong diamond pendant, with fine detailing of black onyx (shown above). This classic Cartier jewel, created in Paris in 1921, subtly blends Art Deco with distinctly Indian elements and is estimated at US$200,000-300,000. The other is a very small 1940s clip brooch, mounted in yellow gold again set with a rectangular emerald, bordered with diamonds and rubies (US$13,000–18,000).

Precious Pearls

Christie’s holds the record for the most expensive single pearl, ever sold at auction (La Régente Pearl, French Crown Jewels, circa 1811, 302 grains, gem white drop pearl, sold Christie’s Geneva 12 May 1988 for $2,516,000), and the highest selling pearl necklace (The Baroda Pearls, sold at Christie’s in New York for US$7,096,000 in April 2007).

After the historic sale by Christie’s this April of Umm Kulthum’s pearl necklace for US$1.4 million / AED 5.1 million, this October’s sale is highlighted by an opulent suite of pearls, emeralds and diamonds, omprising necklace, earrings, bracelet and ring, estimated at US$650,000-750,000. The graduated six-strand natural pearl necklace has a 108.36-carat emerald and diamond centre. A purplish-brown coloured natural pearl dress ring (estimate: US$120,000-150,000), a diamond bar brooch set with three large natural pearls (estimate: US$100,000-150,00), a dramatic pair of seed-pearl tasselled earrings set with large Basra pearls (US$200,000-250,000) and a graduated three-strand necklace (US$80,000-100,000) will also be of interest.

Wristwatches

The highlight of the watches in the sale is a platinum manual-winding tourbillon watch by Frank Muller. Estimated at US$200,000-300,000, (shown right) this intricate mechanism has 60-second and 8-minute carriage counters. A Breguet ‘Classique’ Grand Complication Squelette with a transparent or keletonised mechanism is another tourbillon wristwatch and estimated at US$60,000-80,000. A beautiful pocket watch set in white gold with 30 carats of baguette, brilliant and briolette-cut diamonds, is another top lot with an estimate of US$50,000-70,000.

• Christie’s auction, Jewels and Watches; The Dubai Sale, takes place at the Jumeirah Emirates
Towers Hotel on 29 October 2008 at 7pm
• Christie’s auction of International Modern and Contemporary Art takes place at the Jumeirah
Emirates Towers Hotel on 30 October 2008 at 7pm
• Viewing is open to the public at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel:
Monday 27 October: 2-10pm
Tuesday 28 October: 2-10pm
Wednesday 29 October: 10am-4.30pm
• For catalogues and further information, please telephone +971 4 361 5323 - www.christie's.com - Images Christie's ltd.