Jewelry News

Christie's Auctions Two Huge Gems

March 26, 2010

It's auction time again. See the two stunning stones that are causing a stir this time around.

Jewelry lovers may not be able to afford the gems and jewels offered for sale at big auction houses like Christie's and Sotheby's, but we can certainly gawk at the incredible display from afar. To that end, we give you two stunning pieces on the block for the upcoming Christie's New York sale on April 22^nd: The Catherine the Great Emerald and The Emperor Maximilian Diamond.

The first stone comes in the guise of a large emerald and diamond brooch once worn by one of the world's most powerful and ruthless female leaders, Catherine II of Russia. The hexagonal-cut stone weighs between 60 and 70 carats and is surrounded by rose and old mine-cut diamonds. The estimated price for this little beauty clocks in at around $1 to $1.5 million.

And, of course, no jewelry auction is complete without a jaw-dropping diamond offering. This time, it's a cushion-cut gem weighing approximately 39.55 carats displayed in a platinum setting. The stone was once owned by the infamous Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, who was wearing the rock around his neck when he was put to death by firing squad at the hands of Napoleon. Imelda Marcos is listed as another dubious owner. If you'd like to join their ranks, the Christie's estimated sale price is also a cool $1 to $1.5 million.

Or you might just want to just stick with a more realistic price tag. Jewelry.com has hundreds of cushion-cut diamond styles that will make you feel like the queen of the world - without the royal bank account.

Shop Cushion-Cut Jewelry on Jewelry.com

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