Jewellery

These two fine examples of archaeological revival gold jewellery come for sale in the regions in July.

Kashmir sapphires have acquired a near-legendary status, due to their lustrous cornflower colour, soft velvety texture and extreme rarity.

The collection of about 800 engraved gems formed by the nobleman and politician George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough (1739-1817), was the largest and most important of the age.

Halls’ (23% buyer’s premium) Summer auction in Shrewsbury on June 16 included a private collection of nine pieces of Boucheron jewellery.

The Fine Jewellery sale at Woolley & Wallis on July 15 includes this pair of Burmese ruby and diamond earrings with a family provenance to Edith Vane-Tempest-Stewart (née Chaplin), Marchioness of Londonderry (1878-1959).

The timed sale of jewellery and watches running at Hotlotz in Singapore until May 30 features 74 lots consigned from a private family collection.

For the famous English socialite Anne Parsons, Countess of Rosse (1902-92), appearances certainly mattered – and she was known to use eye-catching jewels to accentuate her own beauty.

How a firm of importers brought Jugendstil jewellery to Britain – with the help of a little German efficiency

The Islamic and Indian Art sale at Bonhams (27.5/25% buyer’s premium) in London on March 30 included this diamond and emerald set forehead pendant (chand-tikka) from the collection of Maharani Jindan Kaur (1817-63).

A spectacular parure of sapphires and diamonds, from the collection of Napoleon’s adoptive daughter, Stephanie de Beauharnais, Grand Duchess of Baden (1789-1860), is for sale at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in Geneva on May 12.

Kingham & Orme’s (23% buyer’s premium) first-ever specialist auction of Jewellery & Watches took place on February 19 with just over 200 lots.

The popularity of the tiara, that reached its peak in the decades before the onset of the First World War when diamonds from South Africa were in plentiful supply, has fluctuated across the 20th century in line with prosperity and fashion.

Jewellery by the Anglo-German firm Murrle Bennett, which thrived for two decades before the First World War, appeals today for the reasons it did in the early 20th century.

A recent Fine Jewellery sale at Fellows (23% buyer’s premium) in Birmingham included an unusual Victorian necklace.

Dawsons’ (23% buyer’s premium) dedicated Jewellery, Watches & Silver auction in Maidenhead on March 11 included two unusual signed pieces by flavour-of-the-month Andrew Grima (1921-2007).

Sotheby’s sold the collection of Patricia Knatchbull, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma at the end of last month.

Better late than never, Woolley & Wallis will get to hold its January jewellery sale this month – on April 29.