Lot 51. 259.33 carats Natural Kunzite, Gem-set and Diamond 'Fairyland' Pendent Necklace, Nisan. Estimate K$250,000 - 350,000 (US$32,000 - 45,000). Courtesy Tiancheng International

The garland-style pendent necklace suspending a pear-shaped pink kunzite weighing 259.33 carats, decorated with floral and fauna scrollwork surrounds set with coloured sapphires and tsavorite garnets together weighing approximately 9.70 and 1.85 carats respectively, embellished with brilliant-cut diamonds together weighing approximately 3.40 carats, to the back highlighted by a cupid motif, mounted in 18 karat white and pink gold, completed by a cord decorated with a gold-plated silver clasp, length approximately 711mm.

Accompanied by C. Dunaigre report numbered CDC1407108, dated 27 July 2014, stating that the 259.33 carat kunzite is natural, Pink colour.

Kunzite
Kunzite belongs to the Spodumene family. Following its discovery in California, USA, in 1902, the stone was named after Tiffany & Co.’s vice president of gemology Dr. George Frederick Kunz, whose contributions to gemology greatly impacted his home country and the world. He encouraged Tiffany & Co. to be the first to use kunzite in the jewellery design, bringing the gemstone into the mainstream.

The gemstone owes its fine lilac colour to traces of manganese it contains. One of kunzite’s most distinctive attributes is its colour can fade with prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. Another is its strong pleochroic properties, causing the stone to display two different colours in different angles. 

Kunzite’s fancy violet hue is so mesmerising by its dreamy allure. However, strong vivid colour kunzite is extraordinarily rare and the gemstone can split cleanly due to its perfect cleavage and splintery fracture. Therefore, large size kunzite of vivid hue is not commonly seen.

This season, Thai jewellery designer Nisan is once again collaborating with Tiancheng International, after the highly successful and sought-after “God of Success” pendant he created, which was sold for two times its estimate at Autumn Auction 2015. For the upcoming auction, he has fashioned a 259.33-carat kunzite, gem-set and diamond “Fairyland” pendent necklace. The impressive kunzite of saturated rich pink is decorated with floral and fauna scrollwork surrounds set with various gemstones, depicting an enchanting fairyland of elves and flying canaries. 

Tiancheng International. HONG KONG SPRING AUCTION, Jewellery and Jadeite. 12 Jun · 1 pm