A Fine Pair of Natural Pearl and Diamond Ear Pendants

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The jewelry item characterized as a fine pair of natural pearl and diamond ear-pendants, appeared as Lot No. 148 at the Christie's Contemporary Jewelry and Watches Sale, No. 7664, held at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, on April 29, 2008. The use of the term "fine pair" appears to be more than justified as the item registered a sale price of $157,000 which was almost double the upper pre-sale estimate of $80,000. This was not surprising considering the extraordinary characteristics of the drop-shaped pearls used in the ear-pendants, as will be seen in the following account.

A fine pair of natural pearl and diamond ear pendants

©Christie's

Characteristics of the fine pair of natural pearl and diamond ear pendants

The two drop-shaped pearls in the ear-pendants are perfectly matched for their shape and size

The pair of ear pendants, each 4.2 cm long is a combination of a drop-shaped pearl and a marquise-cut diamond, with a pave-set diamond half hoop top. The two drop-shaped pearls are perfectly matched in terms of size, shape, color, luster and other properties. The most striking feature of these drop-shaped pearls are their perfect drop-shape, an extremely rare occurrence for natural pearls. One of the drop-shaped pearls have dimensions of 15 mm and 9.38 mm, the greatest length and width of the pearl. The other drop-shaped pearl have dimensions of 14 mm and 9.23 mm. Thus one pearl is just 1 mm shorter than the other pearl, but the difference between the width of the pearls is only 0.15 mm, which is not so significant. Given the fact that these pearls are natural pearls, we can still say that the two pearls are perfectly matched for their size.

The color, overtone, luster and orient of the drop-shaped pearls

The color of the drop-shaped pearls is silvery-white, in which white color is the body color of the pearl and silver, the overtone color. While body color is associated with the presence or absence of pigments in the conchiolin part of nacre, overtone colors are caused by a optical effect as light passes through successive layers of aragonite. Absence of pigments in conchiolin makes it transparent, allowing the white color of aragonite to show through, making the pearl white. The luster and orient of the pearls are also exceptional in keeping with the saltwater origins of the pearls.

Characteristics of the marquise-cut diamonds

Each drop-shaped pearl is drilled at the top and mounted with a circular disc with a loop, to which is attached the setting carrying the marquise-cut diamond. The pave-set diamond half hoop top, is attached to upper end of the marquise-cut diamond setting. The metal used in the diamond setting appears to be silver or platinum. The two marquise-cut diamonds are almost perfectly matched for size, shape, and color. While one marquise-cut diamond weighs 1.25 carats, the other diamond weighs 1.21 carats. The lab reports accompanying the pair of pearl and diamond ear-pendants, reveal that both marquise-cut diamonds are G-color with a clarity of VS2.

Exceptional features in the pair of pearl and diamond ear-pendants that justifies the qualification "fine"

Among the exceptional features in the pair of pearl and diamond ear-pendants, that justifies the usage of the term "fine" to describe them are :

1) The perfect drop-shape of the two pearls used in the ear-pendants.

2) The two drop-shaped pearls matching perfectly for size and shape.

3) The two pearls matching perfectly for color, overtones, luster, orients and surface qualities.

4) The two marquise-cut diamonds, matching for shape, size, color and clarity.

5) The overall beauty of the two ear-pendants.

History of the fine pair of natural pearl and diamond ear-pendants

The possible source of the pearls

The historical provenance of this unique pair of natural pearl and diamond ear-pendants is not known. Event the identity of the previous owner of this piece has not been revealed. The features of the pearl such as the silvery-white color, appears to indicate the origin of the pearls as the saltwater pearl oyster Pinctada radiata, the main oyster species around which the international pearl industry was based since very ancient times. Accordingly, the possible sources of these pearls are the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea or the Gulf of Mannar, the hub of the international pearl trade since time immemorial, or Venezuela, where pearls from the Atlantic pearl oyster Pinctada imbricata (now believed to be the same species as Pinctada radiata) was exploited in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Laboratory reports issued in respect of the pearls and the marquise-cut diamonds

Three laboratory reports accompanied Lot No. 148, the pair of natural pearl and diamond ear-pendants. One of the reports bearing No.012793 dated February 21, 2008, was issued by the Gem Testing Laboratory of Great Britain, and authenticated the natural provenance of the two drop-shaped pearls. A second report bearing No.13176081 dated March 17, 2004, was issued by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), indicating that the marquise-cut diamond weighing 1.25 carats is a G-color diamond, with a clarity grade of VS2. The third report bearing No. 13390531 dated June 1, 2004, also issued by GIA, indicated that the marquise-cut diamond weighing 1.21 carats, is also a G-color diamond, with a clarity grade of VS2.

Sale of the fine pair of natural pearl and diamond ear-pendants

The fine pair of natural pearl and diamond ear-pendants was Lot. No. 148, at the Christie's Contemporary Jewelry and Watches Sale, held in Dubai, on April 29, 2008. A pre-sale estimate of $60,000-$80,000 was placed on the Lot. However, after a keenly contested bid, the pair of natural pearl and diamond ear-pendants, was sold for a record $157,000, which was almost double the upper pre-sale estimate of $80,000. Overall out of the 15 lots of pearl jewelry on offer, seven lots sold for prices much above the upper pre-sale estimate. This included the famous Umm Kulthum's Nine-Row Pearl Necklace, that registered a price of $1,385,000, almost 12 times higher than the upper pre-sale estimate of $120,000.

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2) Umm Kulthum's Nine-Row Pearl Necklace

External Links :-

1) A Fine Pair of Natural Pearl And Diamond Ear Pendants - Christie's Contemporary Jewelry and Watches Sale No, 7664, Auction Catalogue -www.christies.com

References :-

1) A Fine Pair of Natural Pearl And Diamond Ear Pendants - Christie's Contemporary Jewelry and Watches Sale No, 7664, Auction Catalogue -www.christies.com