SOTHEBY’S
GENEVA IS DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE A NEW
DATE IN THE AUCTION CALENDAR: FINE JEWELS | 1 JUNE
Led by
JEWELLERY CREATIONS BY
MICHELE
DELLA VALLE
SOTHEBY’S
GENEVA Rue François Diday
Sotheby’s Geneva is delighted to announce a brand new additional date to their Geneva sales calendar: an auction of Fine Jewels on 1 June 2017 to be held in Sotheby’s gallery at 2, rue François-Diday. The auction will be
the first in a new series of regular Jewellery sales.
The sale will be led
by a captivating selection of jewellery creations by one of the most
original and creative Jewellery designers of our time: Michele della Valle. Comprising 82 lots, the group of creations is
a joyful and vibrant reflection of the Geneva-based Italian designer’s unique
and exuberant style. His unabashed celebration of colour and form provides the
perfect accessories for the season ahead.
“His pieces
celebrate the wonder of colour; gemstones are juxtaposed against each other in
a mosaicked kaleidoscope of dazzling brilliance...” - Amber Michelle, Michele della Valle, Jewels and Myths
Describing the collection, David Bennett, Worldwide Chairman
of Sotheby’s International Jewellery
Division, said, “One
of the most original and creative contemporary jewellery designers, Michele
della Valle transforms stories, daydreams and fairytales into bold, imaginative
creations. It is a great pleasure to be presenting a selection of his
wonderfully evocative pieces in June, at the launch of Sotheby’s Geneva’s brand
new auction series, Fine Jewels.”
The sale of Fine Jewels
on 1 June is the first of a new series of regular sales, to be held by
Sotheby’s in its location at 2, rue François-Diday in Geneva. Alongside the
huge success of Sotheby’s existing sales of Magnificent
Jewels and Noble Jewels, our Fine
Jewels sales will offer collectors new and exciting opportunities to acquire
beautiful and rare pieces across a broad price range.
MICHELE DELLA VALLE: DISCREET CREATOR OF FABULOUS JEWELS
Italian-born Michele della Valle has been designing Jewellery
since the age of 14 and began his formal career in Rome, with Fürst Jewellers –
then representative of Harry Winston. He went on to open his own workshop 1978,
collaborating, among others, with Bulgari on special commissions, cementing a
reputation among the country’s film stars and opera singers. In 1987, della
Valle moved to Geneva and launched the line of Jewellery which now bears his
name. Favouring discretion over personal notoriety, he lets his creations speak
for themselves, saying “My designs are cheerful, never dramatic. I never forget
that they are meant to bring joy, to beautify the wearer.”
VIBRANT COLOUR
Arguably the defining characteristic of Michele della Valle’s
signature pieces is their rich and abundant colour. Daring to experiment, he
combines precious stones with more unassuming yet visually arresting gems. His
creations are renowned for their bold and bright hues, sometimes in unusual
juxtaposition but always crisp and well-defined.
Gem set and diamond necklace, ‘Palette’
Set with tourmaline, amethyst, aquamarine, heliodor
and peridot
Estimate:
CHF 25,500 – 35,500 / USD 25,000 – 35,000
“Perhaps the
most important part of della Valle’s design vocabulary – and where his creative
genius is immediately recognisable – is his use of colour”.
- Amber Michelle, Michele della Valle, Jewels and Myths
Emerald,
ruby and diamond bracelet
Featuring a drop-shaped carved emerald and pavé-set
with
cabochon rubies within a frame of brilliant-cut
diamonds
Estimate:
CHF 8,500 – 12,500 / USD 8,000-12,000
INSPIRED BY NATURE: FLORA AND FAUNA
Michele della Valle’s distinctive style takes its inspiration
from nature, and this is evident in many of his most delightful pieces. From
the intricate detail of a brooch in the form of a saffron flower to the strong
yet delicate petals of a floral-design necklace, his Jewellery captures the
exuberance of nature.
Emerald, tsavorite and diamond necklace, ‘Ivy’ Of
foliate design, pavé-set with circular-cut tsavorites, alternating with gold
motifs set with oval emeralds
Estimate: CHF 31,000 – 51,000 / USD 30,000 – 50,000
Purple sapphire, enamel and diamond brooch, ‘Saffron’ Pavé-set with
purple sapphires, the pistils applied with red enamel and embellished with
brilliant-cut diamonds of yellow tint
Estimate:
CHF 15,500 – 25,500 / USD 15,500 – 25,500
Gem-set, enamel and diamond necklace, ‘Anemoni’ Set
with sapphires, pink sapphires and rubies, along with black diamonds
Estimate:
CHF 25,500 – 35,500 / USD 25,000 – 35,000
Coral, emerald, enamel and diamond bangle, ‘Fragole’
Of strawberry design, the fruits carved in coral, the leaves pavé-set with
emeralds, the flowers and stems set with diamonds
Estimate: CHF 15,500 –
20,500 / USD 15,000 – 20,000
The beauty of nature and Michele della Valle’s ability to
bring it to life is also evidenced by his pieces featuring animals, which often
feature movement built into their intricate shapes. Bejewelled snakes, exotic
birds and other bright, vivacious creatures reveal the playful side of this
lover of opera who, having had early training as a dramatic tenor, has always
had a keen eye for the theatrical.
“The delicate
wing of a butterfly, the exotic shape of a saltwater fish and the sinewy snake
all come alive from the play of light and colour brought forward by the gems.”
- Amber Michelle, Michele della Valle, Jewels and Myths
Sapphire, ruby and diamond brooch, ‘Blue Marlin’
The head and fins pavé-set with sapphires and diamonds, the tongue
embellished with a cabochon ruby
Estimate:
CHF 3,500 – 5,500 / USD 3,000 – 5,500
Gem set and diamond bracelet, ‘Perroquet’
Designed as a line of parrots, their wings and tails
set with cabochon sapphires, rubies and emeralds
Estimate:
CHF 5,500 – 8,500 / USD 5,000 – 8,000
AUCTION
FINE JEWELS
1 June 2017
To be held
at
SOTHEBY’S GENEVA
2, rue François-Diday
1204 Geneva