A rare 24-carat pink diamond ring will take center stage at the upcoming Autumn Luxury Week in Geneva, where Christie’s has estimated it will fetch between CHF 10 million to CHF 15 million ($12 million to $18 million).
The emerald-cut, fancy-intense-pink, type IIa diamond, which Bulgari set in a ring in the 1950s, will feature in the November 10 Magnificent Jewels auction, Christie’s said Friday.
According to family lore from the noble household to which it has belonged since its acquisition, the current owner’s great grandfather brought it back from India in the 1950s, and later handed it over to Roman jeweler Bulgari, who was just emerging as a destination for some of the world’s most discerning collectors, Christie’s explained.
That period coincided with Rome’s rise as the center of post-war glamour. Major Hollywood productions were filming at Cinecittà Studios and international stars gathered in the city, creating what became known as “Hollywood on the Tiber.” Bulgari’s boutique served as a social and cultural meeting point for stars including Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Audrey Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Frank Sinatra and Sophia Loren.
Prior to the auction, from November 5 to 10, Christie’s will display the ring at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva.
Image: The Bulgari pink diamond ring. (Christie’s)
