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Lot Essay
The pinnacle of jewelry design, the ‘Mystery-set’, or ‘Serti Mystérieux’, exemplifies Van Cleef & Arpels’ revolutionary eye for design and the spirit of innovation. This exceptional technique perfected by only a few master jewelers referred to as ‘grandes mains’, or ‘great hands’, transcends technical perfection whilst reflecting the art of the jeweler. So rare is the skill necessary to craft a Mystery-set jewel that the title is exclusively reserved for creations by Van Cleef & Arpels.
The technique was first conceived at 22 Place Vendôme in the early 1930s by Mr. Alfred Van Cleef, an innovative genius and lover of beauty, and Mr. Julien Arpels, a connoisseur of the finest precious gemstones. The ‘Mystery-set’ is simply defined as the setting of precious gemstones in a close pattern without a trace of metal or prongs. The technique was first applied to objects with flat surfaces and overtime was extended to more complex curved or bombé forms.
Rather than the constraints of prongs or metal claws, the ‘Mystery-set’ is composed of a lattice of delicate gold or platinum threads that form a net, only visible from the reverse of the jewel. The jeweler then carefully selects only the best quality gemstones to calibrate and cut to fit precisely within the overall design. Each stone is given four extra facets to create subtle effects of light and shadow and then incised with a special groove cut just beneath the girdle of each stone, allowing it to slide onto the metal threads of the lattice. The final result is an elegant mosaic of color and light.
Taking an average of 1,200 hours to complete just one ‘Mystery-set’ jewel, this elaborate process is a testament to the exceptional craftsmanship, dedication and ambition of the firm’s artistic and technical vision that makes these jewels a true inspiration for jewelry designers and collectors alike.
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George Frederick “Fritz” Jewett, Jr. and his wife, Lucy McIntyre Jewett, were celebrated as passionate collectors and spirited philanthropists—a couple who, across over half a century of marriage, wholeheartedly dedicated themselves to art, family, and helping others.
Born in 1927 in Spokane, Washington, Fritz Jewett was the great-grandson of the pioneering German-American timber magnate Frederick Weyerhaeuser, and would go on to further his family’s long association with forestry and conservation. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Business School, Fritz Jewett began his career at a Washington pulp mill. While working in Tacoma, he reconnected with Lucille McIntyre, a woman whose family had been closely acquainted with the Jewetts and Weyerhaeusers. The couple were married in 1953, and the following year Fritz Jewett joined the Potlatch Corporation, a forestry firm that his father was then Chairman of. Fritz Jewett would go on to spend over forty years at Potlatch, rising to the position of Vice Chairman of the Board before retiring in 1999.
True partners in every sense of the word, Fritz and Lucy Jewett raised two children, George and Betsy, in the San Francisco Bay Area. The couple’s success allowed them to build a life centered on art and philanthropy: the Jewetts were unwavering patrons of causes in California and beyond, giving generously yet discreetly in areas such as science, education, community programming, and the arts. “Fritz gave to causes he believed in a quiet manner,” noted family friend Charlotte Shultz, “and most people probably do not know the scope of his generosity…” In addition to over forty years of service on the board of trustees of the California Pacific Medical Center, Fritz took on leadership positions with the California Academy of Sciences, Mills College in Oakland, his alma mater, Dartmouth College, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., among many others.
The Jewetts held a shared belief in the power of art and culture to elevate communities. Fritz Jewett was instrumental in securing the celebrated Avery Brundage Collection—encompassing over seven thousand important works of Asian art—for the city of San Francisco. In the late 1960s, he was named chairman of the city’s Asian Art Commission, and oversaw the evolution of what would become the world-renowned Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. Lucy Jewett, for her part, was a key player in the survival of the San Francisco Ballet, whose board she joined in 1969. With her husband and several other civic-minded couples, she personally underwrote the salaries of dancers throughout a turbulent period in the 1970s, and organized the Save Our Ballet campaign to raise awareness of the importance of dance to the community. “Lucy was critical in saving the Ballet,” noted the company’s artistic director and choreographer Helgi Tómasson. “It wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for her.” Whether watching performances with fellow patrons or backstage with company dancers, Lucy Jewett has become a beloved presence at the San Francisco Ballet. “It’s a happy relationship I have with the dancers,” she said. “I’m very proud of what the Ballet has become. It’s all a lot of fun.”
Paired with the Jewetts’ generous philanthropic record was their longtime support of sailing and the America’s Cup—the convergence, as Lucy Jewett mused, of “ballet and boating.” “I think it’s the people as much as anything that is wonderful about both ballet and sailing,” she said. “There’s an energy and vitality to both, and we’ve had amazing fun and established lasting friendships.” Fritz Jewett was an avid sailor from a young age, learning the sport at his family’s residence on Cape Cod. Their patronage of the America’s Cup first began in the 1970s, when the couple partnered to purchase the Intrepid, deemed “The People’s Boat” for the many small contributions that supported the campaign. “I got a phone call from Fritz [in 1973],” Lucy Jewett recalled, “… and he said, ‘Guess what I did? I bought Intrepid.’ I said, ‘Great. What will you do with Intrepid?’ He said, ‘I’m going to race her in the America’s Cup.’ And off we went.’”
Across a quarter century, Fritz Jewett spearheaded multiple America’s Cup campaigns with the New York Yacht Club, the San Diego Yacht Club, and the St. Francis Yacht Club, raising funds and building awareness for the sport throughout the United States. Lucy Jewett became a cherished team member in her own right, and was a strong advocate for San Francisco’s hosting of the America’s Cup in 2013. “Fritz and Lucy were a great team, a beautiful team,” declared yachtsman Paul Cayard, who captained the Jewett backed America One. “Fritz was a very understated, kind of soft-spoken and gentle leader. Lucy has this fun-loving personality, and she was great on the boat—and kept her humor in some tense and difficult situations.” Fritz and Lucy Jewett were inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame in 2005 and 2013, respectively, a fitting tribute to their championing of sailing and the Cup. “I’m not much of an athlete,” Fritz Jewett told the San Francisco Chronicle prior to his induction, “but this was a way of participating. For Lucy and me, it was the opportunity to participate in one of the leading sailing events in the world and play a meaningful role…. Win or lose, it was fun.”
The Jewett’s private collection of fine art evinces a connoisseurship honed across decades of collecting and cultural patronage. Their elegant residence in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights neighborhood overlooking the Bay, designed in collaboration with architect John C. “Sandy” Walker and renowned New York interior designer Mark Hampton, was the repository for a vibrant collection of European painting and sculpture, Chinese ceramics and works of art, and English and Continental furniture and decorative art. There, works by figures such as Gustave Caillebotte, Claude Monet, Raoul Dufy, and Edgar Degas were displayed in artistic “conversation” with a striking assemblage of Chinese ceramics, jades, and snuff bottles—the overall impression reflecting the collectors’ global perspective and passion for creativity.
Much like their fine art collection, the Jewetts’ jewelry reflects their personal elegance and style. Classic diamonds and colored gemstones were often purchased from Laykin et Cie, the venerable West Coast jeweler, and set in timeless creations which were meant to enhance, rather than overpower, the fine quality stones at the center of each design. Regular trips to Europe resulted in acquisitions from some of the finest jewelry houses, including Van Cleef & Arpels and Boucheron. The Jewett family also maintained a very close relationship with Nicola Bulgari himself, resulting in many significant purchases over the years.
From the rich jewel tones of sapphires, rubies and emeralds accented by bright diamonds, to bold and covetable pieces by Van Cleef & Arpels and Bulgari, to the two iconic sapphire and ruby “Mystery-Set’ bracelets by Van Cleef and Arpels, the Jewett collection represents a rare opportunity for collectors to acquire beautiful examples of jewelry produced in the second half of the 20th century. A true testament to one couple’s exquisite taste in jewels and gemstones, Christie’s is honored to be selling jewels from the Jewett collection.
Today, the Jewett children continue to grow their family’s legacy in culture and philanthropy—a commitment to beauty and inspiration embodied in the historic art and jewelry collection that bears the Jewett name.
The technique was first conceived at 22 Place Vendôme in the early 1930s by Mr. Alfred Van Cleef, an innovative genius and lover of beauty, and Mr. Julien Arpels, a connoisseur of the finest precious gemstones. The ‘Mystery-set’ is simply defined as the setting of precious gemstones in a close pattern without a trace of metal or prongs. The technique was first applied to objects with flat surfaces and overtime was extended to more complex curved or bombé forms.
Rather than the constraints of prongs or metal claws, the ‘Mystery-set’ is composed of a lattice of delicate gold or platinum threads that form a net, only visible from the reverse of the jewel. The jeweler then carefully selects only the best quality gemstones to calibrate and cut to fit precisely within the overall design. Each stone is given four extra facets to create subtle effects of light and shadow and then incised with a special groove cut just beneath the girdle of each stone, allowing it to slide onto the metal threads of the lattice. The final result is an elegant mosaic of color and light.
Taking an average of 1,200 hours to complete just one ‘Mystery-set’ jewel, this elaborate process is a testament to the exceptional craftsmanship, dedication and ambition of the firm’s artistic and technical vision that makes these jewels a true inspiration for jewelry designers and collectors alike.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
George Frederick “Fritz” Jewett, Jr. and his wife, Lucy McIntyre Jewett, were celebrated as passionate collectors and spirited philanthropists—a couple who, across over half a century of marriage, wholeheartedly dedicated themselves to art, family, and helping others.
Born in 1927 in Spokane, Washington, Fritz Jewett was the great-grandson of the pioneering German-American timber magnate Frederick Weyerhaeuser, and would go on to further his family’s long association with forestry and conservation. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Business School, Fritz Jewett began his career at a Washington pulp mill. While working in Tacoma, he reconnected with Lucille McIntyre, a woman whose family had been closely acquainted with the Jewetts and Weyerhaeusers. The couple were married in 1953, and the following year Fritz Jewett joined the Potlatch Corporation, a forestry firm that his father was then Chairman of. Fritz Jewett would go on to spend over forty years at Potlatch, rising to the position of Vice Chairman of the Board before retiring in 1999.
True partners in every sense of the word, Fritz and Lucy Jewett raised two children, George and Betsy, in the San Francisco Bay Area. The couple’s success allowed them to build a life centered on art and philanthropy: the Jewetts were unwavering patrons of causes in California and beyond, giving generously yet discreetly in areas such as science, education, community programming, and the arts. “Fritz gave to causes he believed in a quiet manner,” noted family friend Charlotte Shultz, “and most people probably do not know the scope of his generosity…” In addition to over forty years of service on the board of trustees of the California Pacific Medical Center, Fritz took on leadership positions with the California Academy of Sciences, Mills College in Oakland, his alma mater, Dartmouth College, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., among many others.
The Jewetts held a shared belief in the power of art and culture to elevate communities. Fritz Jewett was instrumental in securing the celebrated Avery Brundage Collection—encompassing over seven thousand important works of Asian art—for the city of San Francisco. In the late 1960s, he was named chairman of the city’s Asian Art Commission, and oversaw the evolution of what would become the world-renowned Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. Lucy Jewett, for her part, was a key player in the survival of the San Francisco Ballet, whose board she joined in 1969. With her husband and several other civic-minded couples, she personally underwrote the salaries of dancers throughout a turbulent period in the 1970s, and organized the Save Our Ballet campaign to raise awareness of the importance of dance to the community. “Lucy was critical in saving the Ballet,” noted the company’s artistic director and choreographer Helgi Tómasson. “It wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for her.” Whether watching performances with fellow patrons or backstage with company dancers, Lucy Jewett has become a beloved presence at the San Francisco Ballet. “It’s a happy relationship I have with the dancers,” she said. “I’m very proud of what the Ballet has become. It’s all a lot of fun.”
Paired with the Jewetts’ generous philanthropic record was their longtime support of sailing and the America’s Cup—the convergence, as Lucy Jewett mused, of “ballet and boating.” “I think it’s the people as much as anything that is wonderful about both ballet and sailing,” she said. “There’s an energy and vitality to both, and we’ve had amazing fun and established lasting friendships.” Fritz Jewett was an avid sailor from a young age, learning the sport at his family’s residence on Cape Cod. Their patronage of the America’s Cup first began in the 1970s, when the couple partnered to purchase the Intrepid, deemed “The People’s Boat” for the many small contributions that supported the campaign. “I got a phone call from Fritz [in 1973],” Lucy Jewett recalled, “… and he said, ‘Guess what I did? I bought Intrepid.’ I said, ‘Great. What will you do with Intrepid?’ He said, ‘I’m going to race her in the America’s Cup.’ And off we went.’”
Across a quarter century, Fritz Jewett spearheaded multiple America’s Cup campaigns with the New York Yacht Club, the San Diego Yacht Club, and the St. Francis Yacht Club, raising funds and building awareness for the sport throughout the United States. Lucy Jewett became a cherished team member in her own right, and was a strong advocate for San Francisco’s hosting of the America’s Cup in 2013. “Fritz and Lucy were a great team, a beautiful team,” declared yachtsman Paul Cayard, who captained the Jewett backed America One. “Fritz was a very understated, kind of soft-spoken and gentle leader. Lucy has this fun-loving personality, and she was great on the boat—and kept her humor in some tense and difficult situations.” Fritz and Lucy Jewett were inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame in 2005 and 2013, respectively, a fitting tribute to their championing of sailing and the Cup. “I’m not much of an athlete,” Fritz Jewett told the San Francisco Chronicle prior to his induction, “but this was a way of participating. For Lucy and me, it was the opportunity to participate in one of the leading sailing events in the world and play a meaningful role…. Win or lose, it was fun.”
The Jewett’s private collection of fine art evinces a connoisseurship honed across decades of collecting and cultural patronage. Their elegant residence in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights neighborhood overlooking the Bay, designed in collaboration with architect John C. “Sandy” Walker and renowned New York interior designer Mark Hampton, was the repository for a vibrant collection of European painting and sculpture, Chinese ceramics and works of art, and English and Continental furniture and decorative art. There, works by figures such as Gustave Caillebotte, Claude Monet, Raoul Dufy, and Edgar Degas were displayed in artistic “conversation” with a striking assemblage of Chinese ceramics, jades, and snuff bottles—the overall impression reflecting the collectors’ global perspective and passion for creativity.
Much like their fine art collection, the Jewetts’ jewelry reflects their personal elegance and style. Classic diamonds and colored gemstones were often purchased from Laykin et Cie, the venerable West Coast jeweler, and set in timeless creations which were meant to enhance, rather than overpower, the fine quality stones at the center of each design. Regular trips to Europe resulted in acquisitions from some of the finest jewelry houses, including Van Cleef & Arpels and Boucheron. The Jewett family also maintained a very close relationship with Nicola Bulgari himself, resulting in many significant purchases over the years.
From the rich jewel tones of sapphires, rubies and emeralds accented by bright diamonds, to bold and covetable pieces by Van Cleef & Arpels and Bulgari, to the two iconic sapphire and ruby “Mystery-Set’ bracelets by Van Cleef and Arpels, the Jewett collection represents a rare opportunity for collectors to acquire beautiful examples of jewelry produced in the second half of the 20th century. A true testament to one couple’s exquisite taste in jewels and gemstones, Christie’s is honored to be selling jewels from the Jewett collection.
Today, the Jewett children continue to grow their family’s legacy in culture and philanthropy—a commitment to beauty and inspiration embodied in the historic art and jewelry collection that bears the Jewett name.