Diamond ‘Mystery’ brooch could bring £180,000 at Bonhams

The brooch will feature amongst a selection of fine and historic jewellery on April 25

A collection of rare and historic jewellery should prove a top draw for collectors when it appears at Bonhams later this month.

The sale, which takes place in London on April 25, will offer a fine selection of diamonds along with unique designs and pieces with a distinctly royal connection.

With the jewellery market currently enjoying a successful 2012, the forthcoming Bonhams auction is highky anticipated. It will be headlined by a stunning 'Fuschia' brooch by the renowned makers Van Cleef and Arpels, valued at £120,000 - £150,000, which features mystery-set sapphires and pear-shaped diamonds.

"Van Cleef and Arpels were pioneers of the mystery-setting," said Jean Ghika, Director of the Jewellery Department for the UK and Europe, "and the brooch offered by Bonhams is a fantastic example of the ground-breaking technique in which the setting or claws are concealed beneath the gemstones. Pieces of this calibre are currently in very high demand from collectors."

A diamond and sapphire Fuschia mystery brooch

The brooch will be sold alongside marquise-cut diamond valued at $250,000 - $300,000 and a 3.18 carat marquise-cut pink diamond ring valued at £150,000 - £180,000.

The sale will also feature several items with exceptional royal provenance. These include a Nicolo Morelli cameo brooch formerly owned by Caroline Bonaparte, sister of Napoleon I and wife of the King of Naples, and a Cartier burgauté and coral box originally owned by the Romanian Princess Marthe Bibesco during the 1920s.

"Bonhams is delighted to offer such rare and unusual pieces of craftsmanship and design that have already received much interest from collectors," commented Ghika. "The jewellery offered by Bonhams exemplifies the very reason why jewellery houses such as Van Cleef and Arpels and Cartier were renowned as pioneers in their field".

You can find all the latest news, interviews and reports on the international jewellery market in our watches & jewellery section here.

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Two unique jewellery 'find' lots could bring $12,664 in London auction | 5 March 2012

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Images: Bonhams