Sothebys : (English) Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels at Sotheby's Geneva - The "Apollo & Artemis Diamonds" Lead a Stunning Selection of Fine Jewels and Gemstones - 16 May 2017

Geneva | +41 22 908 48 14 | Catherine Allen | Catherine.Allen@Sothebys.com

New York | +1 212 606 7176 | Darrell Rocha | Darrell.Rocha@Sothebys.com | Blair Bruning | blair.bruning@sothebys.com

Hong Kong| +852 2822 8140|Katherine Fung | Katherine.Fung@Sothebys.com | London | +44 (0) 207 293 6000 | Hanae Rebelo | Hanae.Rebelo@Sothebys.com

SOTHEBY'S GENEVA - 16 MAY 2017

SALE TO BE LED BY

THE MOST VALUABLE EARRINGS EVER TO APPEAR AT AUCTION

- AMONG OTHER HIGHLIGHTS NOT TO BE MISSED -

Including a Stunning Pair of Natural Pearl and Diamond Ear Clips by Reza

Signed Jewels Including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Schlumberger and Lacloche

Geneva, 26 April 2017 - Sotheby's is delighted to announce the leading highlights from the upcoming sale of Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels, to be held in Geneva on 16 may 2017. At centre stage will be the exquisite 'Apollo & Artemis Diamonds', two exceptional diamonds in their own right, which together form the most valuable earrings ever to be offered at auction. Offered separately as individual lots, 'The Apollo Blue' will be presented with an estimate of CHF 38,125,000-50,160,000 ($38 - 50 million) and 'The Artemis Pink' is estimated between CHF 12,545,000-18,060,000 ($12.5 -18 million). Along with these leading lights, the auction will also include a very fine selection of coloured diamonds and gemstones, as well as jewels bearing the signature of some of the world's most important and sought-after jewellery houses: Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Bulgari. For the first time, the Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels sale will be held in the Mandarin Oriental, Geneva.

David Bennett, Worldwide Chairman of Sotheby's International Jewellery Division, described the auction: "It has been an honour to present the 'Apollo and Artemis Diamonds' during our pre-sale exhibitions in Hong Kong, London, Dubai and New York: individually, each of the diamonds is absolutely remarkable and together, they are just breath-taking. We have also had a wonderful response to other prominent lots in the sale, including a wide and exciting selection of stunning signed jewels and high quality gemstones. We are greatly looking forward to our inaugural sales in partnership with the Mandarin Oriental, Geneva."

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THE 'APOLLO & ARTEMIS DIAMONDS'

THE APOLLO BLUE

Graded Fancy Vivid Blue by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and weighing an impressive 14.54 carats, the 'Apollo Blue' is the largest Internally Flawless Fancy Vivid Blue diamond ever to be offered at auction. It has been cut and polished into a beautiful unmodified pear-shape which flatters its exquisite and truly outstanding colour. The GIA has also determined that the 'Apollo Blue' is a Type IIb diamond - a group which contains less than one half of one per cent of all diamonds. In recent times, the only mine to produce blue diamonds with any regularity is the Cullinan mine in South Africa. When in full production, less than 0.1% of diamonds sourced showed any evidence of blue colour, according to the GIA. An infinitesimally small percentage of those is graded Fancy Vivid Blue. The 'Apollo Blue' will be offered as a single lot on 16 May with an estimate of CHF 38,125,000

- 50,160,000 / US$ 38 - 50 million.

THE ARTEMIS PINK

The 'Artemis Pink' displays an elegant and delicate Fancy Intense Pink hue. Weighing 16 carats, the stone has been carefully cut into a captivating pear shape, matching the Apollo Blue. The GIA has declared the 'Artemis Pink' to be a 'Type IIa' diamond, 'the most chemically pure type' of diamonds, which 'often have exceptional optical transparency'. Of all diamonds submitted to GIA specialists each year, 'no more than 3% are classified as coloured diamonds; less than 5% of those coloured diamonds are predominantly pink'. The occurrence of pink diamonds remains exceedingly rare: according to the GIA, a Fancy Intense Pink stone of such rich colour and impressive size can only be described as phenomenally rare. The 'Artemis Pink' will be offered as a single lot on 16 May with an estimate of CHF 12,545,000 - 18,060,000 / US$ 12,500,000 - 18,000 000.

The 'Apollo & Artemis Diamonds' will lead a group of finest quality coloured diamonds, which also includes a rich and impressive Fancy Intense Purplish Pink diamond by Piaget weighing 7.04 carats. Of modified rectangular shape, the diamond has been certified of Type IIa by the GIA, placing it in the same rarefied category as the 'Artemis Pink' (Lot 371, below left, Estimate CHF 8,030,000 - 12,040,000 / US$ 8 - 12 million). Meanwhile, showcasing a beautiful Fancy Pink hue and weighing 21.11 carats, this diamond offers an elegant and feminine cushion shape (Lot 364, below right, Estimate CHF 3,010,000 - 5,015,000 / US$ 3 - 5 million).

The exquisite Fancy Vivid Blue diamond pictured above weighs 3.32 carats and displays stunning depth of colour. Its step-cut shape perfectly flatters its Internally Flawless clarity (Lot 363A, Estimate CHF 6,055,000 - 8,070,000 / US$ 6 -8 million).

GEMS AND JEWELS FROM A SUPERB PRIVATE COLLECTION

Offering a glimpse into a beautiful and refined private collection of exceptional jewels, a group of pieces to be offered in May brings together finest diamonds and gemstones, as well as signed jewels from the most desirable and sought-after Jewellery houses.

Two exquisite colourless diamonds lead the way, both bearing the signature of one of the world's most renowned diamantaires: Harry Winston. The first is an impressive 32.42- carat diamond belonging to the same rare category as the 'Apollo Blue': Type IIb diamonds. It is also D Colour - the most sought-after grading for white diamonds - and the GIA has declared that, after minor re-polishing, the stone has the potential to be Internally Flawless (Lot 326, Estimate CHF 1,510,000 - 2,510,000 / US$ 1.5 - 2.5 million).

Also signed Harry Winston, a second D Colour diamond is sure to captivate connoisseurs, thanks to its graceful marquise shape. Weighing 16.92 carats, the diamond is also of extraordinary purity: it also has the potential to be Internally Flawless following minor re- polishing (Lot 325, Estimate CHF 1,110,000 - 1,910,000 / US$ 1.1 - 1.9 million).

Accompanying these two captivating diamonds is a superb emerald and diamond ring, also by Harry Winston, set with a stunning step-cut stone weighing 21.34 carats. According to

the SSEF, this fabulous gemstone is of Colombian origin - the most sought-after of all the world's known sources of emeralds - and shows no indications of treatment to modify the clarity: "The described emerald exhibits a remarkable size and weight of 21.34 carats, combined with an attractive and homogeneous green colour and a fine purity... In addition to these qualities, this emerald shows no indications of clarity modification in fissures, which is a further sign of rarity". (Lot 315, CHF 165,000 - 225,000 / US$ 160,000 - 220,000).

The collection also features an extraordinary sapphire from Burma, weighing 45.74 carats. This captivating stone, set in a ring by Van Cleef & Arpels, is described by the Swiss Gemmological Institute (SSEF) as exhibiting 'an impressive size and weight of 45.74 carats, combined with an exceptional purity and attractive well saturated blue colour… (which) poetically also referred to as 'royal blue', is due to a combination of well-balanced trace elements in the gemstone, which are typical and characteristic for fine sapphires from Mogok, Burma' (Lot 312, Estimate CHF 810,000 - 1,410,000 / US$ 800,000 - 1,400,000).

First patented by Van Cleef & Arpels and a feat of jewellery craftsmanship, the house's technique known as 'serti mystérieux' (or 'mystery setting') is a method of gem-setting where the prongs are invisible. The technique can require as much as 300 hours of work per piece and the stunning effect can be seen in a delightful group of jewels in this extraordinary collection. They include this ruby and diamond brooch of floral design (Lot 318, Estimate CHF 82,000 - 122,000 / US$ 80,000 / 120,000).

The spring auction will offer a very attractive selection of outstanding colourless diamonds, including a superb diamond ring by Van Cleef & Arpels set with a step-cut diamond weighing

21.60 carats. The GIA has certified that the diamond combines two coveted features: it is of Type IIa and D Colour - the most sought-after grading for white diamonds and that the stone has the potential to be Internally Flawless, subject to minor re-polishing (Lot 372, Estimate

CHF 1,610,000-2,010,000 / US$ 1,600,000-2,000,000).

This extraordinary pear-shaped diamond weighs an impressive 34.41 carats and also boasts D Colour (Lot 369, Estimate CHF 940,000 - 1,250,000 / US$ 935,000 - 1,245,000).

Sapphires from Kashmir are widely regarded as the finest in the world, and collectors participating in our May sale will have the opportunity to admire several very fine examples. For example, this superb sapphire weighing 11.64 carats, which the SSEF has described as displaying the sought-after 'royal blue' colour. The institute's experts also praised the stone's 'well-proportioned shape and cut combined with excellent purity' (Lot 340, Estimate CHF 1,310,000 - 1,910,000 / US$ 1.3 - 1.9 million).