A stellar jewellery collection showing ‘a deep appreciation of style, rarity and craftsmanship’

Assembled by a discerning family of collectors over the course of four decades, Exceptional Jewels & Objects of Elegance: A Connoisseur’s Collection consists of nearly 300 jewels, gems and precious objects spanning more than 200 years. It features one-of-a-kind vintage pieces and contemporary creations from renowned makers such as Van Cleef & Arpels, Graff, David Morris and Cartier. It also includes an important group of Art Deco Cartier vanity cases and intricately crafted 18th- and 19th-century gold boxes.

‘This is one of the most important jewellery collections to appear at auction in recent years,’ says Angela Berden, head of sale and senior Jewellery specialist at Christie’s in Geneva. ‘It reflects the family’s unwavering commitment to excellence, guided by a deep appreciation of style, rarity and craftsmanship.’

The collection is being offered for sale in Exceptional Jewels & Objects of Elegance: A Connoisseur’s Collection — part I on 10 November 2026 at Christie’s in Geneva, with an accompanying online auction (5-17 November).

Leading the collection is a group of exceptional diamonds and coloured gemstones, among them a 14.63-carat fancy orangy pink diamond ring by David Morris and an important pair of cushion-shaped emerald and diamond earrings by Graff, each emerald weighing just over 17 carats. A Bulgari ‘Trombino’ ring mounted with a 14.38-carat Burmese ruby, and a pair of oval sapphire and diamond earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels are also offered. ‘The family pursued only the finest gemstones and the most exceptional creations, so everything in this collection is of the highest quality,’ says Berden.

Other Van Cleef & Arpels highlights include an outstanding group of mystery-set jewels, among the maker’s most innovative and technically accomplished creations. Van Cleef & Arpels patented its Mystery Set — a technique that allows gemstones to be mounted without visible prongs, creating uninterrupted fields of colour — in 1933. Since then, it has become one of the brand’s most recognisable and enduring designs.

The centrepiece is a ruby and diamond ‘Oiseau Mystérieux’ brooch from 2006. It features the celebrated Van Cleef & Arpels Bird of Paradise motif, which embodies the house’s interest in nature, colour and movement. ‘The vibrant mystery-set ruby plumage enhances the dynamism, grace and elegance of the bird,’ says Berden. Other mystery-set jewels in the sale include a pair of ruby and diamond ‘Cadix’ earrings, a ruby and diamond ‘Fuchsia’ brooch and a sapphire and diamond ‘Pivoine’ brooch.

The sale also includes a transformable ‘Louvre’ necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels, with a central flower brooch that can be interchanged with other brooches from the collection — such as the ‘Fuchsia’ and ‘Pivoine’ examples mentioned above. The word ‘transformable’ first appears in the Van Cleef & Arpels archive in 1928 to describe a diamond and emerald sautoir that could also be worn as a bracelet. ‘This innovative design enables the owner to alter the jewel’s colour, character and visual rhythm,’ says Berden. ‘It offers a variety of styling possibilities to create different looks.’

Among the other notable jewels offered for sale is a Graff necklace featuring a heart-shaped pendant diamond of 12.49 carats; a Cartier diamond, onyx and emerald ‘Tigre’ clip-brooch; and a Mauboussin set of ‘Papillon’ earrings with a matching ring.

The sale features an impressive collection of Art Deco vanity cases, many by Cartier. ‘In the 1920s, Cartier was synonymous with exquisite craftsmanship, technical mastery and innovative design,’ says Berden, who explains that many of the vanity cases feature complex mechanisms and beautifully conceived interiors. ‘During this intensely creative period, Cartier’s designers drew inspiration from a wide variety of artistic traditions, from Chinese and Japanese lacquer to gemstone marquetry, resulting in bold and inventive pieces that combined Eastern and Western influences.’

By way of example, Berden highlights an Art Deco laque burgauté cigarette case decorated with chinoiserie-inspired landscapes. ‘Laque burgauté was one of the most distinctive decorative techniques used by Cartier in the 1920s and 1930s,’ she says. The complex technique, which originated in east Asia, involves embedding thin fragments of mother-of-pearl or shell into layers of lacquer. ‘The dark, glossy lacquer, the iridescent shell and geometric form of the case typify Cartier’s fusion of East and West during the Art Deco period.’ Today, such vanity cases are highly sought-after by collectors. ‘Their appeal lies not only in their rarity and technical complexity,’ says the specialist, ‘but also in their ability to capture the decadence, elegance and cosmopolitan spirit of Art Deco.’

Among the other notable Cartier lots is a magnificent Art Deco multi-gem and lacquer case from 1927. The case, which is made from nephrite and rock crystal, is embellished with a mother-of-pearl plaque featuring a beautifully inlaid marquetry dragon, likely by Vladimir Makovsky. ‘The exceptional quality of the dragon panel demonstrates a remarkable level of craftsmanship, artistry and attention to detail,’ says Berden. ‘Examples of this calibre are rarely seen at auction.’

There is also a 1930s car dashboard plaque, which opens to reveal a figurine of Saint Christopher, patron saint of travellers. According to Berden, the rapid expansion of private motoring in the early 20th century made Saint Christopher charms increasingly popular among motorists. ‘They were often presented as gifts to mark the purchase of a new car or the beginning of a journey,’ she says. This particularly fine example is embellished with sugarloaf sapphires and lapis lazuli buttons. ‘I have never seen another Cartier example like it,’ she adds. ‘It is a beautiful interpretation of a centuries-old travel talisman for the glamour and adventure of the motor age.’

Berden is also drawn to a Marchak vanity case with a central motif by Vladimir Makovsky, a Russian craftsman known for combining lacquerwork, mother-of-pearl and hardstones to painterly effect. Following the Russian Revolution, Makovsky moved to Paris, where his talent and distinctive approach caught the attention of the leading jewellery houses of the period, including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Lacloche Frères. His work remains highly prized by Art Deco collectors for its technical virtuosity and artistic refinement.

Among the sale’s gold boxes, snuff boxes and pill boxes, highlights include a German gold and mother-of-pearl snuff box from around 1750, decorated with chased-gold figures and animals amid landscapes and rococo architectural motifs. In the 18th century, mother-of-pearl was particularly favoured at the German courts, where artisans combined it with other precious materials to create objects of exceptional richness and visual complexity. Although this box was likely made in Berlin or Dresden, it is stamped with French marks. ‘This is probably because Parisian snuff boxes were considered the most desirable and fashionable of all,’ says the specialist.

Of the Parisian examples coming to Christie’s, Berden highlights an exceptionally rare Japanese lacquer snuff box by the goldsmith François-Thomas Germain. The box, decorated with birds, ducks and flowers on the lid, sides and base, dates from 1755 and is thought to be the only surviving snuff box by Germain. Equally remarkable is the fact that it is made entirely from Japanese lacquer, a material that was highly sought-after in 17th- and 18th-century Europe. Vernis Martin, a French imitation lacquer developed in the early 18th century, was widely used as a substitute.

‘As a jewellery specialist, I am naturally drawn to exceptional gemstones and highly intricate objects,’ says Berden. ‘Yet the Germain snuff box captivated me for its refinement and restraint. Its quiet confidence sets it apart from the others in the collection.’

Among other exceptional gold boxes is a Louis XV table snuff box by Charles-Barnabé Sageret, from 1767, which features two pastoral scenes, one on the cover and the other on the base, after two well-known paintings by François Boucher: The Agreeable Lesson and Shepherd Playing the Bagpipes (both 1748). There is also a German pill box from around 1760 and a Louis XV enamelled gold snuff box by Charles Le Bastier, one of the most celebrated gold-box makers during the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI. The spare use of ornament, Neoclassical design and contrasting enamel colours are typical of Le Bastier’s stye.

Exceptional Jewels & Objects of Elegance: A Connoisseur’s Collection — part I is offered on 10 November 2026, and on view 5-10 November at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva. Also on view is part II of the collection (live for bidding 5-17 November), Jewels & Handbags Online (5-18 November) and Magnificent Jewels Including the Bulgari Pink (10 November)