Jewels & Jadeite eCatalogue

BEYOND THE SEA

BY BULGARI

TO BE OFFERED FOR SALE

JEWELS

23 MAY 2023 AT 2PM

VIEWING 18–23 MAY

WKCDA TOWER

8 AUSTIN ROAD WEST KOWLOON

‘Phillips is truly honoured to bring this exceptional and impressive sapphire and diamond necklace by Bulgari to auction. Coming from a private collection, this magnificent jewel has been cherished by its owner for almost two decades and we are delighted to offer such an important piece. Weighing an impressive weight of 118.35 carats, this sapphire is amongst the largest to appear at auction. Of Ceylon (Sri Lankan) origin, with no indications of heating, of ‘Royal Blue’ colour, according to the Gubelin Gem Lab, this stone is a wonder of nature beautifully enhanced by the man’s hand and the lovely cushion shape given by the stone cutter, and will speak to every gem lover and collector.

This one-of-a-kind necklace’s clean and sleek lines, elegant geometry, and the unusual horizontal setting of the sapphire are all elements that afford it a timeless modern appeal. Unique in its size, colour and origin, the stone embodies the transparency and luminosity pursued by Bulgari for its High Jewellery creations. This jewel is a holy grail for any collector, with a classic and elegant design typical of Bulgari that emphasizes the beauty and extraordinariness of the gem, and combines an exceptional stone set in a necklace signed by an iconic maison.’

BENOÎT REPELLIN, WORLDWIDE HEAD OF JEWELLERY AT PHILLIPS

PROPERTY OF AN IMPORTANT PRIVATE COLLECTION

Bulgari

Exceptional and Impressive Sapphire and Diamond Necklace, 2004

Estimate

HKD24,000,000–35,000,000

USD3,050,000–4,500,000

Composed of circular links set with tapered baguette diamonds, alternating with pear-shaped diamonds, the centre set with a brilliant-cut stone weighing 2.00 carats, supporting a cushion-shaped sapphire horizontally-set weighing 118.35 carats, circular links and pear-shaped diamonds, mounted in platinum and white gold, signed Bulgari, length approximately 410mm, case stamped Bulgari.

Accompanied by SSEF report no. 126610, stating that the sapphire is of Ceylon origin, with no indications of heating; together with an appendix letter and a dating letter.

Accompanied by Gübelin report no. 23010210, stating that the sapphire is of Ceylon origin, with no indications of thermal enhancement, ‘royal blue’ colour; together with an appendix letter and a gemstone rating card of 98 points and mentioning the exceptionality of the stone.

Accompanied by five GIA reports stating that the diamonds weighing from 2.00 to 2.70 carats range from D to G Colour, Internally Flawless to VS2 Clarity.

Accompanied by a Bulgari Gem Report.

THE ETERNAL ITALIAN SEAS

ONE OF THE LARGEST SAPPHIRES EVER OFFERED

AT INTERNATIONAL AUCTIONS IN THE PAST THREE DECADES

With an extensive coastline surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, Italy is blessed with some of the bluest and the most enchanting waters that were treasured since ancient times. Emperor Augustus from the Roman Empire resided in Capri where he built temples and villas overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. Puglia, on the other hand, has glistening turquoise-colour waters which gradually turns cobalt as it goes deeper into the Ionian Sea. Sardinia boasts crystal-clear water that mirrors the colour of the sky and is a paradise for divers.

It is no wonder that the House of Bulgari, with its founder Sotirios Voulgaris originating from Greek and who opened its first shop in the city of Rome in Italy, draws inspiration from these beautiful hues of blue. The ocean is a symbol of boundlessness, power and most importantly, peace.

At a lecture at Sorbonne University in 1959, Yves Klein famously stated, ‘Blue has no dimensions, it is beyond dimensions…while blue suggests at most the sea and sky, and they, after all, are in actual, visible nature what is most abstract.’

‘ This is a unique stone by carat, color and origin. The cushion shape is an extremely elegant and distinctive cut in Bulgari’s creations, especially fit to glorify the magnificence of the gems. When I first “met” this stone during my scouting in Sri Lanka, I was so impressed and touched that I still remember the emotion I felt. Sri Lankan sapphires possess the transparency and luminosity that Bulgari chooses for its High Jewelry creations: gems that are infused with light and joy. In order to really understand the extraordinary beauty and rarity of this stone, one needs to see it for real.’

LUCIA SILVESTRI, JEWELLERY CREATIVE AND GEMS BUYING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT BULGARI

SRI LANKA ISLAND OF GEMS

Sri Lanka, known as ‘Ceylon’ prior to 1972, remains as one of the most important and historical sources for fine gemstones with one of the earth’s largest concentrations of gem deposits, encompassing more than 40 gem-species, in which blue sapphires account for 85% of the gemstones mined on the island.

Sri Lanka’s gem mining history spans to nearly 2,500 years old, being one of the earliest sources of sapphires in the world producing these beautiful blue jewels that were traded amongst the Greeks, Romans, and Persians and by the 5th Century an active international trade of these gems was established. It is no surprise the impressive array of gemstones has earned Sri Lanka the name of ‘Ratnadeepa’, directly translating to ‘Gem Island’.

SAPPHIRES FROM SRI LANKA

As Lucia Silvestri, Jewellery Creative and Gems Buying Executive Director at Bulgari, pointed out, it is the superb transparency and luminosity that set Sri Lankan sapphires apart. The finest Sri Lankan sapphires possess excellent clarity that gives them a lively brilliance rarely found in specimens from other origins. Though it is impossible for natural sapphires to be completely free from inclusions, typical rutile needles in Sri Lankan specimens help scatter light equally on the stone and give it an even body colour.

Notable Sri Lankan sapphires of significant size include the 486.52-carat Giant of the Orient, the 422.99-carat Logan Blue Sapphire on display at the Smithsonian Institution’s Natural Museum of Natural History, and the 392.52-carat Blue Belle of Asia.

One of the most seen and famous Sri Lankan sapphires in the world is the 12-carat oval gem set on the engagement ring of the late Princess Diana, which was presented to Catherine Middleton by Prince William when they became engaged in 2010.

‘ The natural sapphire of 118.35 ct described in the above mentioned Gübelin Gem Lab Report possesses a richly saturated and homogenous colour, combined with a high degree of transparency. Such a combination of characteristics is rare in natural sapphires of this size.’

EXTRACT FROM THE GÜBELIN GEM LAB APPENDIX LETTER

ROYAL BLUE

This 118.35-carat sapphire’s rich and homogenous colour is the first thing that draws one’s eyes towards it, and it has received the ‘Royal Blue’ colour grading by The Gübelin Gem Lab, which is the most sought-after colour grade awarded to blue sapphires in the trade.

‘Royal Blue’ is a dedicated term used by the gem trade to describe specific colours and qualities of gemstones and are typically assigned to gemstones of superior quality.

According to The Gübelin Gem Lab, the term ‘Royal Blue’ was coined for high-quality blue sapphires from Burma that display a deeply saturated blue colour, possibly complemented by a minute trace of purple.

The Gübelin Gem Lab is known for applying the most rigorous and stringent standards in all its work, which also applies to the use of trade colour terms. For a stone to qualify for such a term, it must fulfill all the respective criteria.

For a sapphire to qualify for the term ‘Royal Blue’, the colour must be an intense, saturated and homogeneous blue. Though it was used historically for Burmese sapphires, specimens from Madagascar and Sri Lanka may also display the properties required to qualify for the ‘Royal Blue’ term.

In terms of quality, ‘Royal Blue’ will only be awarded to sapphires that exhibit fine qualities and are free from treatments. Furthermore, they must be relatively free of eye-visible or dark inclusions, and they must show a homogeneous colour distribution with vivid internal reflections.

PROMISE OF THE FINEST GEMS

The House of Bulgari is known among aficionados for their selection of the best coloured gemstones. The quest to uncover nature’s rarest treasures is nothing short of assiduous efforts and true passion. Such extraordinary finds always leave a lasting impression and evoke deep connection with its beholder.

Bulgari High Jewellery Collection only accepts gemstones of near perfection, like this Sri Lankan sapphire which scored an impossible 98 points in Gübelin Gemstone Rating. This Rating carefully assesses the quality, rarity and salience of a specific gemstone. This very sapphire was awarded 98 out of 100 Gübelin Points, which places it on the highest ‘Exceptional’ grade.

‘ The described sapphire exhibits a highly impressive size and weight of 118.353 ct, combined with an attractive blue colour and a fine purity. . . In addition to these qualities, this sapphire has been spared exposure to heat treatment and its clarity and colour are thus entirely natural. A natural sapphire from Ceylon of this size and quality can be considered rare and exceptional.’

EXTRACT FROM SWISS GEMMOLOGICAL INSTITUTE SSEF APPENDIX LETTER

BIRTH OF A SAPPHIRE

Based on the presence of tiny zircon inclusions present at the surface of this sapphire, Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF experts were able to carry out radiometric age dating for this magnificent sapphire.

The analyses of the inclusions within the sapphire reveal an approximate age of 540 million years. This calculated age is well in agreement with the age of sapphire formation found in Sri Lanka, which further supports the Institute’s opinion of its origin.

A GEMSTONE OF NEAR PERFECTION, SCORING AN IMPOSSIBLE 98 POINTS IN GÜBELIN

GEMSTONE RATING

DESIGN OF A MASTERPIECE

MID CENTURY OPULENCE AND GLAMOUR

Some of the most iconic creations from The House of Bulgari are marked by contrasting colours against the brightness of yellow gold. However, in the 2000s, as the House progressed towards a more two-dimensional design approach, platinum and white gold made a comeback, and jewellery mounted in white metal emanated magnificence that resonated with opulence in the 1950s, especially those from the High Jewellery Collection.

Contrary to more colourful creations that incorporated gemstones of various cutting styles and shapes, this necklace assumes absolute symmetry that reminds us of classic noble and royal jewels. Centring on a single coloured gemstone of impressive size, the diamondset necklace employs stone arrangement that is found in earlier works from the thirties to the fifties. Each circular link is formed by carefully selected tapered baguette diamonds instead of brilliant-cut diamonds, connected by pear-shaped diamonds at their points to afford lightness of an otherwise substantial necklace.

During the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, award-winning American actress Anne Hathaway was adorned by an important sapphire necklace from Bulgari on the red carpet, which bears close resemblance to this magnificent necklace on offer. While the more recent work has an ornamental naturalistic overtone, this necklace evokes unostentatious elegance with a classic approach.

MODULO DESIGN

The repeating circular links are typical of Bulgari’s ‘modulo’ jewellery designs, where a single element is produced in series and then connected to each other. The Parentesi Collection, inspired by details of the Eternal City pavements, is one of the House’s most successful modular designs.

REALIZED IN 2004 AND COMING TO THE AUCTION MARKET FOR THE FIRST TIME FROM AN IMPORTANT PRIVATE COLLECTION

This necklace’s clean and sleek lines, elegant geometry, and the unusual horizontal setting of the superb and impressive Sri Lankan sapphire are all elements that afford this necklace a timeless modern appeal. It is a work of art that embodies a miraculous and singular occurrence in nature, savoir-faire from an illustrious Italian maison, and the utmost caliber of rare gemstone collection.

JEWELS & JADEITE

23 MAY 2023 AT 2PM

PLEASE REFER TO PHILLIPS’ WEBSITE (WWW.PHILLIPS.COM) FOR

SENIOR EXECUTIVES

Edward Dolman

Executive Chairman

+1 212 940 1241 edolman@phillips.com

Cheyenne Westphal Global Chairwoman +44 20 7318 4044 cwestphal@phillips.com

EXECUTIVES

Jonathan Crockett Chairman, Asia, Head of 20th Century & Contemporary Art, Asia +852 2318 2023 jcrockett@phillips.com

Arnold Lehman

Senior Advisor to the CEO +1 212 940 1385 alehman@phillips.com

Jean-Paul Engelen President, Americas, Worldwide Co-Head of 20th Century & Contemporary Art +1 212 940 1390 jpengelen@phillips.com

Jamie Niven

Senior Advisor to the CEO +1 917 880 2532 jniven@phillips.com

DEPUTY CHAIRMEN & CHAIRWOMEN

Svetlana Marich

Worldwide Deputy Chairman +44 20 7318 4010 smarich@phillips.com

Vivian Pfeiffer

Deputy Chairman, Americas, Head of Business Development, Americas +1 212 940 1392 vpfeiffer@phillips.com

Kelly Troester

Deputy Chairwoman, Americas, Worldwide Co-Head of Editions +1 212 940 1221 ktroester@phillips.com

Robert Manley

Deputy Chairman, Worldwide Co-Head of 20th Century & Contemporary Art +1 212 940 1358 rmanley@phillips.com

Marianne Hoet

Deputy Chairwoman, Europe, Senior Specialist, 20th Century & Contemporary Art +32 3257 3026 mhoet@phillips.com

Scott Nussbaum

Deputy Chairman, Americas, Senior International Specialist, 20th Century & Contemporary Art +1 212 940 1354 snussbaum@phillips.com

Stephen Brooks Chief Executive Officer

+44 0 20 7318 4046 sbrooks@phillips.com

Hugues Joffre

Senior Advisor to the CEO +44 207 901 7923 hjoffre@phillips.com

Derek Collins

Senior Consultant to Chairman’s Office, Asia +852 2318 2000 derekcollins@phillips.com

Peter Sumner

Deputy Chairman, Europe, Senior International Specialist, 20th Century & Contemporary Art +44 20 7318 4063 psumner@phillips.com

Elizabeth Goldberg

Deputy Chairwoman, Americas, Senior International Specialist, American Art +1 212 940 1239 egoldberg@phillips.com

Kevie Yang

Deputy Chairwoman, Americas, Senior International Specialist, 20th Century & Contemporary Art +1 212 940 1254 kyang@phillips.com

Miety Heiden

Deputy Chairwoman, Head of Private Sales +44 20 7901 7943 mheiden@phillips.com

Jeremiah Evarts

Deputy Chairman, Americas, Senior International Specialist, 20th Century & Contemporary Art +1 917 304 4329 jevarts@phillips.com

Vanessa Hallett

Deputy Chairwoman, Americas, Worldwide Head of Photographs +1 212 940 1243 vhallett@phillips.com

Cary Leibowitz

Deputy Chairman, Americas, Worldwide Co-Head of Editions +1 212 940 1222

cleibowitz@phillips.com

JEWELS DEPARTMENT

Worldwide Head of Jewellery

Benoît Repellin

+41 79 313 6845 brepellin@phillips.com

Head of Department, Hong Kong

Charlene Lau

+852 2318 2039 clau@phillips.com

Head of Sale, Specialist

Louisa Chan

+886 2 2758 5505 lchan@phillips.com

Cataloguer

Sammie Leung

+852 2318 2040 sleung@phillips.com

Administrator

Michelle Lo

+852 2318 2060 michellelo@phillips.com

Asia Advisory Board

Adrian Cheng

Cindy Chua-Tay

Alain Li

Joyce Liu

TK Mak

Federico ‘Fed’ Tan

Nancy Yang

Geneva

International Business Director

Myriam Christinaz

+41 22 317 81 84 mchristinaz@phillips.com

Specialist

Louisa Eyre-Jackson

+41 79 574 77 13 leyrejackson@phillips.com

Taiwan

General Manager, Taiwan

Cindy Yen

+886 2 2758 5505 cyen@phillips.com

Japan

Specialist

Tomoko Mizutani

+81 3 6273 4818 tmizutani@phillips.com

Singapore

International Specialist, Southeast Asia

Cristel Tan

+65 9155 1016 cristeltan@phillips.com

Regional Representative

Christine Fernando

+65 9128 6277 christinefernando@phillips.com

China

Senior Consultant

Qing Shen

+86 137 0111 9671 qingshen@phillips.com

Thailand

Senior Consultant

Rika Dila

+66 818 186 878 rikadila@phillips.com

Korea

Regional Director

Minhee Suh

+82 2 797 8001 msuh@phillips.com

Associate Regional Representative

Yeonah Lim

+82 2797 8001 ylim@phillips.com

New York

Head of Department, Americas

Eva Violante

+1 917 717 1506 eviolante@phillips.com

London

Specialist, Client Liaison

Lane Mclean

+44 20 7318 4032 lmclean@phillips.com