The Annenberg diamond, a spectacular D color, flawless diamond of 32.01 carats, will be the highlight at Christies’ Jewels: The New York Sale next month.
Valued between US$3-5 million and boasting the impressive provenance synonymous with the Annenberg name, will be among the most highly-anticipated jewels offered at auction this year.
The square emerald-cut diamond is mounted on a ring and flanked by two pear-shaped diamonds weighing 1.50 and 1.61 carats.
François Curiel, chairman of Christie’s Europe and International head of jewels, said the diamond combines the best of the four Cs – “top colour, perfect clarity, ideal cut, and excellent weight”.
“If you add to this the impeccable provenance of the Annenberg name, you have one of the finest gems to appear on the market for many years.”
The Annenberg Diamond belonged to the late Leonore ‘Lee’ Annenberg, a passionate art collector and philanthropist who, along with her husband, Walter H Annenberg, entrusted billions of dollars to institutions devoted to education and the arts.
Mrs Annenberg was the former US chief of protocol during the Reagan administration, and served as chairwoman and president of the Annenberg Foundation. Her husband was a prominent newspaper publisher, broadcaster, diplomat and philanthropist .
The Jewels: The New York Sale will be held in New York on October 21, 2009
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