Platinum, natural pear and diamond necklace, circa 1930. Photo Sotheby's

The graduated single-strand composed of 63 natural pearls measuring approximately 9.85 to 5.56 mm., completed by a lozenge-shaped clasp set with kite-shaped, old European-cut and single-cut diamonds weighing approximately .70 carat, length 20½ inches. ESTIMATE 80,000-120,000 USD. Lot Sold: 518,500 USD

Formerly from the collection of Mrs. Violet Morrison Brokaw

NOTE: Violet Morrison was born in New York to Irish immigrant parents. She met her future husband, the wealthy clothier Clifford Brokaw, while serving as a nurse in a hospital where he was a patient. The couple were married in San Francisco in 1929. The natural pearl necklace offered here, that Mr. Brokaw helped design, was a wedding present from him to his bride. According to family history, it is one of the many beautiful gifts he was to give his wife over the years. Mrs. Brokaw left her nursing career after her marriage to become a full-time wife and mother. She is shown along with her two children in the photograph reproduced here.

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels. New York | 07 Dec 2011 www.sothebys.com