Collecting brilliance: remarkable women and the jewels they loved

From vintage heirlooms passed down through generations to contemporary creations, jewellery collections often tell deeply personal stories. For many women of influence, the jewels they have acquired are not just adornments but wearable pieces of history. Across generations, women have built collections that speak to intellectual taste and personal identity. Below, we look at important collectors who have redefined modern notions of luxury.

The Whitney Payson Family

One of the premier collecting families in America, the Whitneys have made an indelible impact on the cultural landscape. In 1930, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney founded the Whitney Museum of American Art, establishing the first museum to focus on living American artists. Her sister-in-law, Helen Hay Whitney, was also a prominent arts patron with many works from her personal collection now hanging in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Helen’s enthusiasm for objects of importance was passed down through generations of her family, including both her daughter, Joan Whitney Payson, and granddaughter, Lorinda Payson de Roulet.

The family’s exquisite taste was not limited to art and artefacts, however. They also turned their keen eye to luxury. An arresting example of Mrs. Hay Whitney‘s personal style is an exceptional antique natural pearl and diamond brooch dating to circa 1900. The button-shaped natural pearls flank a brilliant-cut diamond of 18.27 carats. It is a singular statement piece of the utmost rarity and has remained in the family since its acquisition.

Joan Whitney Payson’s selections were also unimpeachable, as evidenced by a superb Tiffany & Co. Art Deco emerald and diamond ring. From the golden era of Tiffany’s emerald designs, the modified step-cut emerald of 6.01 carats is enhanced by old-cut diamonds set into a platinum band.

Mrs. de Roulet made her own mark on this wealth of jewels with an elegant Cartier emerald, sapphire and diamond bracelet. As European interest in Indian aesthetics grew throughout the early twentieth century, Jacques Cartier began sourcing gemstones directly from India to meet growing demand. His designs incorporated distinctly Indian elements, which he blended with Art Deco sensibilities. Dating to circa 1925, this Cartier bracelet is a masterful example of the designer’s expert blending of Eastern inspiration with Art Deco elegance.

Agnes Gund

For many, the name Agnes Gund is synonymous with a distinctive and celebrated collecting philosophy. Across decades, Gund built a singular collection of art and objects while pioneering major philanthropic causes. Her personal style also expressed a commitment to excellence and connoisseurship.

She was often photographed wearing a statement jewel such as this waterfall necklace. It shimmers with five strands of brilliant-cut diamonds and widens dramatically at the front, where the stones increase in size to produce a striking sense of volume and radiance before narrowing elegantly toward the clasp. Bearing the mark of distinguished Swiss jewellery designer François Tavernier, it is a dazzling collar of pure radiance.

Joanna Carson

Joanna Carson was a deeply generous philanthropist, Broadway producer and collector who was also known for her high-profile marriage to famed television host Johnny Carson. When stepping out in Hollywood, Carson wore her astounding collection of jewels like a second skin.

These items represent some of the greatest designers of all time, from David Webb to Van Cleef & Arpels. One of her signature pieces, a sensational David Webb ruby and diamond necklace, speaks to her refined sensibility. The show stopping necklace dates to circa 1965 and features an assembly of diamonds and rubies with a cascading tassel. Designed in reference to the Duchess of Windsor’s iconic ‘Entrelac de Rubans’ necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels, it was previously owned by Merle Oberon, a Hollywood icon and passionate jewellery aesthete.

Another highlight from Mrs. Carson’s collection is a stylish set of diamond rings. A ring with a pear-shaped brilliant-cut diamond of 15.92 carats is paired with an eternity band of round diamonds. Dating to circa 1975, Carson frequently wore the two together throughout her life.

Irene Roosevelt Aitken

Irene Roosevelt Aitken was a leading figure within New York society. After the death of her first husband, John Aspinwall Roosevelt, the youngest son of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Mrs. Aitken met and married the artist Russell Barnett Aitken. Together, they stewarded an incomparable collection of objects that included porcelain, paintings, drawings, furniture and jewellery.

These treasures reflected their commitment to quality, beauty, scholarship and provenance. This is epitomised in Mrs. Aitken’s Van Cleef & Arpels retro diamond and gold bracelet, initially owned by Lily Pons, one of the most celebrated coloratura sopranos of the twentieth century. Pons was a household name in the United States and her taste and sophistication extended well beyond the stage. The sculptural bracelet, which dates to circa 1940, is crafted in the domed bombé style and features a design of gold links and diamonds arranged in a lattice-like pattern.

Along with proceeds from the February 2026 auction of Mrs. Aitken’s collection, the sale of her jewellery will benefit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Frick Collection and the Morgan Library and Museum.

Matilda Geddings Gray and Matilda Gray Stream

The Gray Stream family has produced generations of individuals whose commitment to the arts and dedication to their heritage sets them apart as cultural custodians and connoisseurs. Central to this legacy are two remarkable women: Matilda Geddings Gray and her niece, Matilda Gray Stream. Their shared vision cultivated one of the most extraordinary private collections of the twentieth century. Curated over decades and preserved within one family until now, this assemblage includes museum-quality Fabergé alongside exceptional jewels.

The jewellery spans antique through mid-century, with a strong emphasis on Art Deco as evidenced by an exquisite Tiffany & Co. emerald and diamond bracelet. Emerald cabochons alternate with marquise-cut diamonds in a geometric pattern characteristic of the era.

Another standout from the collection is a monumental diamond ring with an extraordinary 49.91 carat diamond. The exceptional centre stone is framed by marquise and round diamonds and mounted to emphasise the sculptural quality of the ring.

While comprising many stately jewels, the Stream collection also includes touches of whimsy. This Cartier brooch, circa 1950, is designed as a parrot head and is masterfully rendered in rich textured yellow gold with a curved coral beak and a vivid cabochon emerald eye. Balancing artistry and craftsmanship, the brooch exemplifies Cartier’s ability to transform exotic fauna into haute joaillerie.

Bridget Rooney Koch

The Rooney legacy is one of American greatness. The granddaughter of Art Rooney, legendary founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team, Bridget Rooney Koch has brought the same passion and learned expertise to her collection of jewellery.

With a focus on lasting value and refined elegance, these works are as notable for the selection of their gemstones as they are for their beauty. The three lots on offer are dramatic compositions using sumptuous red rubies and spinels accented with glittering diamonds. One highlight is a superb pair of Graff pendant earrings rendered in a dramatic chandelier design. The quality of spinels used are almost nonexistent on the market today, and these are especially desirable due to their high clarity and vivid colour.

Two other items of note, a David Morris ruby and diamond necklace and a pair of David Morris ruby and diamond earrings, are both built around exquisite Burmese rubies including those achieving the coveted ‘pigeon blood’ color. These masterworks underscore the exquisite rarity of Mrs. Rooney Koch’s collection.