Auction 1264 on Thursday 15th May 2025 - Jewellery and Watches

The sale opens with a fine collection of French and Hanau gold boxes from the late 18th and early 19th centuries from German-Italian collectors, complemented by two important gold and enamel snuff boxes with portrait miniatures, one of which is a Neoclassical royal gold and enamel tabatière from the estate of Maria-Antonia Archduchess of Austria. The lid is decorated with a gouache on ivory portrait of Leopold of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Prince of Salerno (lot 2, estimate € 10,000 - 15,000).

As always, the auction focuses especially on historical jewellery. An extra section of the catalogue is dedicated to Souvenirs of the Grand Tour; it features some early micromosaic pieces and cameos. Of particular note are two very fine micromosaic tondi, signed and dated on the reverse by Giacomo Raffaelli, which were owned by German princes (lots 37 and 38, estimate € 2,000 - 3,000 each).

The back cover of the catalogue is adorned with a Historicist brooch with a bust of a nereid, elaborately decorated with diamonds, sapphires and polychrome enamel. The unsigned jewel was made by the Viennese Royal and Imperial Court and Chamber Jeweller Köchert, whose archives contain the original design (lot 49, estimate € 12,000 - 15,000).  

A Belle Époque ring with a rare Oriental pearl weighing 23.11 ct (lot 86, € 15,000 - 20,000) and a French Art Deco bracelet with diamonds and sapphires (lot 85, estimate € 8,000 - 10,000) are representative of the extensive range of fine jewellery from the Belle Époque and Art Deco periods.

Designer and artist jewellery is also well represented in this auction, including works by Giampaolo Babetto, Fritz Deutsch, Jean Després, Andrew Grima, Hemmerle, Georg Hornemann, Otto Jakob and Wilhelm Nagel. Among the most remarkable pieces are a beaded necklace and a pair of clip earrings with peridot knit work by Hemmerle from the 1990s (lot 115 necklace, estimate € 20,000 - 30,000; lot 116 earrings, estimate € 8,000 - 10,000).

The modern jewellery section shines with high-carat gemstone jewellery such as a pair of clip earrings with large diamond solitaires of c. 2.97 ct and c. 2.56 ct (lot 71, € 35,000 - 45,000) or a pair of long diamond pendant earrings with large fine white diamond droplets, moderately priced at an estimate of € 20,000 to € 40,000 (lot 143). Following the great success of the yellow diamond in the last auction, two rings with natural fancy yellow diamonds will be offered: A cocktail ring with a light yellow fancy diamond of 5.13 ct in a radiant emerald-cut (lot 175, estimate € 15,000 - 20,000) and a ring with a round transition-cut yellow fancy diamond (lot 176, estimate € 35,000 - 45,000).

A small collection of high-quality wristwatches rounds off the broad offering, with highlights including a Rolex Day Date automatic in Everose gold, ref. 128235 (lot 234, estimate € 30,000 - 35,000) and a Patek Philippe Nautilus in steel, ref. 3800/1 (lot 237, estimate € 30,000 - 35,000). 

Jan Bykowski
Press and Public Relations
info@lempertz.com
Tel. 0221 925729 -57