22.09-Carat Kimberley Sunshine Diamond Ring Headlines Heritage Fine Jewelry Auction
A 22.09-carat fancy yellow diamond with documented ties to South Africa’s historic Kimberley Mine will take center stage in Heritage Auctions’ Fall Fine Jewelry Signature Auction on September 28. Known as the Pragnell Kimberley Sunshine Diamond, the Internally Flawless stone is mounted in a ring created by British jeweler Pragnell. Hand-forged 18k yellow gold talon claws surround the diamond, while the platinum band features tapered shoulders set with three graduating rows of French- and carré-cut diamonds.
The ring comes with a GIA Natural Colored Diamond Report, Pragnell boxes, a Certificate of Origin and the original hand-drawn design rendering. “At more than 22 carats, this diamond’s size alone is extraordinary,” says Jill Burgum, Heritage’s Executive Director of Fine Jewelry, “but combine that with its beautiful fancy yellow color, Internally Flawless clarity, documented Kimberley origin and exceptional Pragnell craftsmanship, and you have a jewel that is remarkable on every level. Its name, Kimberley Sunshine, couldn’t be more appropriate.”
The Kimberley Sunshine leads an auction filled with significant diamonds and colored gemstones. Another necklace is centered by a 22.06-carat round brilliant-cut diamond, while an Oscar Heyman ring features a 14.11-carat fancy yellow diamond flanked by triangular diamonds totaling 4.33 carats. Other diamond highlights range from an 8.17-carat emerald cut to a 1.28-carat fancy pink diamond.
Sapphires also make up a substantial part of the sale. Among them are drop earrings containing approximately 36.75 carats of unheated Ceylon yellow sapphires, an 18.81-carat unheated Ceylon yellow sapphire ring and a 1.99-carat Padparadscha sapphire with its distinctive orangy-pink coloration. A circa 1960 ring with an approximately 7.75-carat Colombian emerald and a 3.84-carat Burma ruby ring add more color to the lineup.
Heritage is also offering some less traditional pieces, including a Boris LeBeau jeweled ship brooch that converts into a tabletop sculpture and a de Grisogono brooch depicting an upside-down monkey swinging from a branch. Antique jewelry includes a circa 1870 Vatican City Workshop micromosaic necklace, a Victorian coral suite and a Cartier Art Deco clip.
Designers represented throughout the auction include Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Bvlgari, Van Cleef & Arpels, David Webb, Buccellati, Jean Schlumberger and Verdura.