Few days ago, in Hong Kong, Cartier showcased world’s most expensive jade necklace. This magnificent necklace was the top lot at Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite Spring Sale where achieved $27,44 million. The precious accessory, which belonged to Barbara Hutton, is back in the home after the French fashion house had managed to win the fierce competition of the contenders.
The beautiful necklace is composed of 27 gigantic, vivid green Qing jadeite beads reputedly from the Imperial Court, all of which are of excellent translucency and extremely fine texture, with diameters ranging from 19.2mm to 15.4mm. The price is nothing more than a litmus test of its merit exclusive. This is the reference data on a global scale for a gem of the genre. She had never touched similar figures before that.
The origin of bright green jade beads used for decorations, with beautiful translucency remains a mystery. It is known that were obtained from the same source, assuming forms extraordinarily perfect, magically sculpted to delight the senses.
Some predict that the cut was done in the 18th century, but it is possible that things have gone differently. The series made its public debut in 1933 at the American heiress Barbara Hutton marriage with Prince Alexis Mdivani, as a wedding gift of the father of the bride, Franklyn Laws Hutton, who was in charge of investment banking, insurance and much more.
However, this unique piece of jewelry was sold for more than double its original estimate of $12.8 million, making it the highest price ever paid for a jadeite jewel.
“Eight bidders in the room and on the phones competed for 20 minutes driving the price to double the estimate and achieving a World Auction Record for any Jadeite Jewellery and a Cartier Jewel of HK$214 million (US$27.44 million), a price which fully lives up to the storied past of this captivating work of art, which had caused enormous excitement among jewelry cognoscenti,” he added.
Sotheby’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite Spring Sale fetched a total of $106.6 million.