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One of the most important collections of coloured stones formed in the 20th century was that of Luz Mila Patiño, the Countess de Boisruvray. The daughter of a Bolivian Tin magnate, together with her husband she used her inheritance to amass a group of rubies, sapphires and emeralds of extraordinary quality which when sold in 1989, became the 2nd most expensive collection of jewellery to have ever come to auction.Perhaps most notable in the collection was an extraordinary group of emeralds, almost all from Colombia, and with the extraordinary intensity of colour and brightness of crystal known in the trade as ‘old mine’. Christie’s is honoured to be offering the brooch from this suite, in its original elegant Van Cleef and Arpels mount, with the additional gemmological information that it has no clarity enhancement. Since the earliest times, emeralds have been enhanced with oil, to help conceal the flaws that are natural in the stones as well as to stabilise the stones. Only the purest most flawless of stones would not absorb the oil used in this treatment. The fact that this stone has been tested to have no enhancement is a testament to the extraordinary eye of the collector, who was able to perceive perfection long before there was a gemmological test for it!
A CHARMING EMERALD AND DIAMOND BROOCH, BY VAN CLEEF & ARPELS
Details
A CHARMING EMERALD AND DIAMOND BROOCH, BY VAN CLEEF & ARPELS
The rectangular-cut emerald, weighing approximately 10.26 carats, within a scrolling surround of circular, pear and baguette-cut diamonds, mounted in gold, 4.3 cm, 1952, in brown suede Van Cleef & Arpels case
Signed Van Cleef & Arpels, no. NY 18920
Accompanied by report no. 88119 dated 3 October 2016 from the SSEF Swiss Gemmological Institute stating that the emerald is of Colombia origin, with no indications of clarity modification
Report no. CS 53801 dated 25 July 2013 from the AGL American Gemological Laboratories stating that the emerald is of Colombia origin, with no clarity enhancement
Report no. 13075209 dated 24 July 2013 from the Gübelin GemLab stating that the emerald is of Colombia origin, with no indications of clarity enhancement
US$800,000-1,200,000
The rectangular-cut emerald, weighing approximately 10.26 carats, within a scrolling surround of circular, pear and baguette-cut diamonds, mounted in gold, 4.3 cm, 1952, in brown suede Van Cleef & Arpels case
Signed Van Cleef & Arpels, no. NY 18920
Accompanied by report no. 88119 dated 3 October 2016 from the SSEF Swiss Gemmological Institute stating that the emerald is of Colombia origin, with no indications of clarity modification
Report no. CS 53801 dated 25 July 2013 from the AGL American Gemological Laboratories stating that the emerald is of Colombia origin, with no clarity enhancement
Report no. 13075209 dated 24 July 2013 from the Gübelin GemLab stating that the emerald is of Colombia origin, with no indications of clarity enhancement
US$800,000-1,200,000
Provenance
Sotheby’s New York, The Magnificent Jewels of Luz Mila Patiño, 26 October 1989, Lot 61
Literature
Exhibition catalogue 'Legends of Van Cleef & Arpels, The Galliera Exhibition', Paris, 1992, no 85
Brought to you by
Phoebe Wong