Introduction

Iconic Jewels: Her Sense of Style

In parallel to the jewellery styles coming from Place Vendôme or Fifth Avenue, centered around precious stones, artist jewellery offered a more conceptual perspective on personal adornment. Pioneered during the interbellum by Jean Dunand and Jean Després, artist jewellery was characterised by strong shapes and various finishes of metal. In the 1960s and 1970s, the Italian artists Arnaldo Pomodoro and Alberto Giorgi created abstract jewels inspired by the machine age. At the same time, avant-garde designers such as Din Vanh and Aldo Cipullo introduced the same purified, industrially inspired lines to established jewellery houses such as Cartier and Tiffany &amp; Co.

Discover jewels created by the group of daring, forward thinking artists and designers of the Art Moderne.

Artist Jewels

Representing the largest collection of jewels by René Boivin to ever appear at auction, this chapter summarises the story behind the French Maison.

René Boivin

Learn more about the evolution of Jewellery styles and fashions from the late 19th century to the 1980s.

Jewellery through the Eras

Director, Head of Sale
Specialist, Jewellery

Marie-Cécile Cisamolo 

Senior Vice President, Head of Jewelry, Americas & EMEA

Quig Bruning

Chairman, Jewellery

Andres White Correal

Senior Vice President, Head of Magnificent Jewels, Geneva

Catharine Becket

Director, Senior Specialist, Jewellery

Jessica Wyndham

Deputy Director, Specialist, Jewellery

Jemima Chamberlain-Adams

Associate Specialist, Jewellery

Sales Director, Jewellery, Switzerland

Meet our Specialists

For assistance with bidding and registration, please contact: +41 (0) 22 908 48 00 enquiries@sothebys.com bids.geneva@sothebys.com

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‘Iconic Jewels: Her Sense of Style’ portrays one of the most incredible female jewellery collections ever to appear at auction. Collected by an inspirational woman with an educated eye who is genuinely passionate about jewellery and design, this collection represents different styles and volumes from the nineteenth century to modern times. Her infinite knowledge led her to build this collection throughout her life.&nbsp; This sale could become a source of inspiration for other young collectors wishing to collect jewellery as part of history.&nbsp; This dedicated single-owner online auction “Iconic Jewels: Her Sense of Style”, open from 2 May with bidding closing on 16 May, presents over 200 jewels sold online. The most outstanding lots from the collection will be part of the Magnificent Jewels live sale on 14 May, during Sotheby’s Luxury Sales in Geneva, in which 46 lots will go under the hammer.