Sapphire and diamond ring, Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co, 1960s

The cushion-shaped sapphire weighing 11.30 carats, embellished with six bees set with brilliant- and single-cut and marquise-shaped diamonds, mounted in platinum and yellow gold, size 53, indistinctly signed Schlumberger.

Stamped Pt 900 for platinum and OR 585 for gold. Sapphire eye-clean, minor nicks to facet junctions. Please refer to AGL report for further information on the sapphire. Diamonds estimated to weigh approximately 1.50 carats, G-H colour, VS-SI clarity. Inner sizing band. Signs of normal wear to the metal, commensurate with age and wear. In good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Please note that colour, clarity and weight of gemstones are statements of opinion only and not statements of fact by Sotheby's. We do not guarantee, and are not responsible for any certificate from a gemological laboratory that may accompany the property. We do not guarantee that watches are in working order. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue, in particular to the Notice regarding the treatment and condition of gemstones and to the Notice regarding import of Burmese jadeite and rubies into the US.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Jean Schlumberger was born in 1907 into a family of prosperous textile manufacturers in Alsace. Discouraged from studying art in the hope that he would enter the family business, Schlumberger, determined to follow his creative inclinations, set out for Paris in his early twenties. Within a short time he was experimenting with jewellery design. Without money for materials, he searched the flea markets and found porcelain flowers that he mounted and set with semiprecious stones and gave them to friends as gifts. Fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli noticed these pieces and hired him immediately to design buttons and jewels for her boutique. Before long, his reputation spread throughout the world of jewellery design and he found himself with an impressive list of international clients including Daisy Fellowes and the Duchess of Windsor, who commissioned him to design jewellery made from gold and precious stones. Fashion legend Diana Vreeland was a close friend and lifelong supporter of Schlumberger's works. One of his earliest masterpieces was a jewelled suit of armour entitled 'Trophy', which was designed especially for her.
After serving in the French Forces under General de Gaulle for seven years, Schlumberger accepted an offer from Tiffany & Co. to open his own department on the mezzanine of their Fifth Avenue store and was made a vice president of the firm. He was allowed total artistic freedom to express his unique vision in precious gems and metals: 'I try to make everything look as if it were growing, uneven, at random, organic, in motion. I observe nature and find verve' (as quoted in an article by Thomas Hoving for the April 1982 issue of Connoisseur magazine).
Upon his retirement, Schlumberger moved to Paris where he lived until his death in 1987. His designs are still used in jewellery-making by Tiffany & Co., where they remain hallmarks of the renowned store.