A late 19th century natural pearl necklace with later diamond clasp

A stunning piece included in the auction was Lot 97, a late 19th century three-strand natural pearl necklace which tripled its low estimate in a busy bidding battle, finally achieving £56,450. In today’s jewellery market, most pearls are cultured, which are commercially grown in cultured pearl farms. Natural pearls which are formed without human intervention are extremely rare, subsequently the rarity commands higher prices.

A convertible diamond tiara/necklace/brooch

Our cover lot, the beautiful early 20th century and later convertible diamond tiara/necklace (Lot 118), doubled its pre-sale expectations and sold for £37,700. 

The tiara dates from the 1920s and showcases how many family heirlooms have been adapted over the years. The family had it thoughtfully reworked in the 1960s to add a diamond chain and clasp for wear as a necklace and to make the central panel detachable for wear as a brooch. It was presented in a beautiful fitted case and sold together with copies of letters and the hand painted sketch by Garrard & Co.

A late 19th century Fontenay crane brooch

Lot 60 was a rare 19th century jade and gem-set brooch by Eugene Fontenay which flew past its estimate achieving a price of £21,420. The brooch was illustrated in Henri Vever’s book titled French Jewellery of the 19th Century. It is a beautiful, though unusual piece, which had lost its original pendant loop and been turned into a brooch. Nonetheless, it attracted a lot of interest both nationally and internationally, as this fantastic result demonstrates.

Other highlights

Other highlights included an antique mourning locket (Lot 74), a late Victorian diamond rose brooch (Lot 64) and a mid-20th century diamond bracelet (Lot 116). With excellent prices realised, it shows that the market for period jewellery continues to thrive.

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Thinking of selling? For a free auction valuation, please contact our jewellery specialists on: +44 (0) 1635 553 553 | jsw@dreweatts.com. Alternatively, you can also complete our online valuation form, here.

UPCOMING AUCTIONS:
18 June: Fine Jewellery, Silver, Watches and Objects of Vertu: entries close 30 April

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