Bidding for A Piece of History

When elite jewelry collectors paddle up at Christies New York on April 22, 2010 they will be bidding on more than world class gems. They will vie for a piece of history.

An extraordinary hexagonal shape Muso emerald set in a brooch with double rows of rose cut and old mine cut diamonds once belonged to the Mother of Russia, Catherine the Great.

A colossal 39.55 carat diamond belonging to Emperor Maximilian of Austria will find its new home. When the bidding wars are over, these and other historical gems will add another line to their long and fascinating pedigree.

The emerald is estimated to be between 60 to 70 carats in weight. Why don't they state its exact size one wonders? The priceless jewel is deemed too precious to un-mount from its ancient setting, according to Christies head of jewelry, Rahul Kadakia. It's not the exact carat weight of the emerald that's critical in this case. These gems are a tangible connection to world history.

Read the entire interview with Christie's Rahul Kadakia and learn more fascinating bits about this upcoming event on FARLANG. The compelling provenance of these incredible stones is the stuff written about in romantic novels. This time, it's all part of their real paper trail.

Christie's Images Ltd., 2010

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