Chantecler, Bulgari, Cartier or Van Cleef & Arpels: the Dorotheum Exquisite Jewellery auction on 23 May 2024 offers prestigious jewel art, from renown jewellers with significant provenance. Equally prestigious is the line-up of watchmakers represented at the Wrist and Pocket Watches auction on 28 May 2024: Rolex, Patek Philippe, Jaeger-LeCoultre or A. Lange & Söhne.

Rare Blue
For centuries the island of Capri has fascinated travellers, as well as artists and creatives. Since the 1950s, the jewellery creations from Chantecler, which originated on the Mediterranean island, have also enchanted people. One of the brand’s trademarks became the bell pendant. The auction of 23 May offers a very special piece by the jeweller, whose clientele includes international stars, actresses and princesses. A diamond necklace with a total of 35 ct sapphires was estimated by Dorotheum specialists to be worth between 100,000–150,000 Euro. These are the rare Pailin-Sapphires, found in Cambodia on the boarder to Thailand, that stand out for their remarkable purity and colour intensity.

Naturally elegant
The auction offers numerous high-quality diamonds, crafted into rings and earrings. Top pieces include a Natural Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond ring weighing 12.34 ct and matching earrings (together 26.72 ct, €450,000–700,000, €500,000–800,000), a diamond ring with 7.85 ct (€75,000–120,000) or diamond stud earrings, together 16.42 ct (€90,000–180,000).

Luxury brands 
20 jewellery pieces by Cartier are up for auction, including items from the series Panthère, Himalia, Pasha, Bamboo, Love or Trinity. Van Cleef & Arpels is represented with a necklace, a bracelet as well as a brooch from the Alhambra series. Jewellery by Bulgari (Allegra series) as well as Moroni or Pomellato convey an Italian attitude to life.

From old European aristocratic ownership
Italian gold smithery of the 19th century is represented by an antique-inspired bandeau tiara from the house of Castellani. The jewellery piece, made of fine gold and originating from old European aristocratic ownership, features delicate leaves forming a subtle headdress in the shape of a laurel wreath (€7,000–10,000). A floral-designed old-cut diamond tiara (approximately 15 carats, €20,000–30,000) or a necklace with 17 ct. of diamonds also indicate aristocratic origin (€40,000–60,000).

Sisi-brooch
Deep red rubies and sparkling old-cut diamonds decorate a brooch from the house of Habsburg. It once belonged to the empress Elisabeth of Austria. She gifted this jewellery piece to her favourite daughter Marie Valerie on the occasion of her engagement with EH Franz Salvator of Austria-Tuscany. The execution is attributed to the Imperial and Court Jeweler Köchert (€10,000–15,000).

Masterpieces of watchmaking 
The Dorotheum auction on 28 May 2024 offers around 200 exclusive watches – including models by Patek Philippe, A. Lange & Söhne, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Audemars Piguet, Glashütte, IWC Schaffhausen, Tag Heuer, Hublot, Omega, Chopard, Cartier and many more. With around 37 models, Rolex forms a focal point of the auction.

The A. Lange & Söhne Datograph from around 2005 embodies the most sophisticated technology. Thanks to the flyback mechanism, the chronograph can be reset by pressing a single button, allowing for an immediate restart without restarting the ongoing timing, enabling pilots to quickly respond to successive flight segments (€30,000–50,000).

Ulysse Nardin offers an exceptional example of modern watchmaking. The specialty of this wristwatch of the Freak-collection: the winding is done through the rotating glass bottom and the time is set using the rotating bezel (€20,000–40,000).

Since almost 100 years Rolex has been the watchmaker for adventurers serving as a reliable companion also under extreme conditions. The Oyster model was also the first watch on the highest mountain in the word during the first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953. The Dorotheum auction offers a rare Oyster Perpetual Daytona with a stopwatch function from around 1989. Die “Floating Dial” dial variant is particularly popular among collectors. The sporty-elegant Cosmograph is estimated to be worth between 16,000–24,000 Euro.

Elegance with Diamonds 
A Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date wristwatch adorned with diamonds in rose gold (€30,000–50,000) as well as a De Grisogono Instrumentino No. Uno GMT, also in rose gold (€16,000–24,000), or a Jaeger-LeCoultre Master UltraThin Tourbillon with a screw-down glass back (€20,000–40,000).

A rare chronograph by Patek Philippe transports one back to 1951 (Ref. 1579, estimate €30,000–50,000). The model is also referred to as “Spider lugs” among collectors, due to the unique shape of the lug ends.