As yet another eye-popping jewel by the Bronx-born designer known as "JAR of Paris" goes on the block next month, a few observations of what a designer can achieve by going against convention when it comes to gemstones.
As yet another eye-popping jewel by the Bronx-born designer known as "JAR of Paris" goes on the block next month, a few observations of what a designer can achieve by going against convention when it comes to gemstones.
As Christie’s prepares to sell the largest private collection of JAR jewels ever offered at auction – at Geneva’s Four Seasons des Bergues on May 14 – I dug up an interview I did in 2006 with François Curiel about Joel Arthur Rosenthal. Curiel, then the Geneva-based head of Christie’s jewelry department, was getting...
Christie’s is claiming no less than a dozen world records for the December 13, 2011, auction, known officially as The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor: The Legendary Jewels evening sale. Day after the sale, I posted about five of them. With a haul of almost $116 million, the sale was the most valuable private collection...
Christie’s sale of Elizabeth Taylor’s famous jewels was anticipated to be the most important single-owner jewelry sale in a decade, but the results were staggering. Taylor’s jewelry went for $115,932,000 – the most ever paid for a private jewelry collection. World record prices were also set for pearls, diamonds, rubies and Indian jewels. Recession,...
Rahul Kadakia met Elizabeth Taylor at an auction in Cannes in 1999. “I was a young boy and here was Miss Taylor, Hollywood star and humanitarian, and she was right there beside me, helping me raise funds for the American Foundation for Aids Research,” says Kadakia. “I thought, you know, this is the mark...
In the heady world of Paris between the two world wars, Deco jewelry ruled – which made the bold jewels designed by Juliette Moutard of René Boivin and Suzanne Belperron stand out all the more. Christie’s Paris is offering three spectacular bracelets this month that typify that other style favored by sophisticated Parisians in...
Summer is not peak auction time but Sotheby’s and Christie’s both have sales in London this month. Here are a few baubles you can bid on: For the complete auction line-up through the end of this year, check out our very popular and newly updated jewelry and watch auction calendar. Related product:
Ralph Esmerian, former owner of Fred Leighton, pleaded guilty last week to bankruptcy fraud, a tragic turn in a respected family business that took a century to build. The Esmerians began like many jewelry businesses that relocated to New York in the early twentieth century, bringing their expertise in the old world European jewelry...
Only a few years ago, Ralph Esmerian was riding high, a respected dealer and collector taking over the role of jeweler to the stars as the new owner of Fred Leighton. Charming and well-spoken, Esmerian was frequently photographed with famous actresses. In November, a different kind of photo appeared in major news outlets: a...
Nothing is more captivating than the glow of ancient gold under museum lights, except maybe for ancient gold in an auction showroom – that is, ancient jewels you could, conceivably, own. Or at least hold, however briefly. Gold jewelry from the ancient Mediterranean has a particular thrill that carries through the millenia, capturing the...
