Gina Lollobrigida in 1954 wearing the jewelry that was auctioned in Geneva.

(IDEX Online News) – Auctioneer Sotheby's said the sale of more than 600 lots of gems and jewelry at its Magnificent Jewels and Nobel Jewels auction in Geneva raised $78.2 million. The items were put on display in London, New York and Rome ahead of the sale.

 

Among the outstanding items were pieces of diamond jewelry belonging to Italian screen actress Gina Lollobrigida which raised a total of $4.9 million.

 

A pair of diamond and natural pearl earrings sold for $2.37 million, an auction record, the auction house reported.

 

The record was previously held by the $1.98 million sale in 2011 of natural pearl and diamond earrings by Bulgari, owned by late actress Elizabeth Taylor.

 

The Lollobrigida collection also included a Bulgari necklace and bracelet set, and a Bulgari ring set with a 19.03-carat cushion-shaped diamond. Each item sold for just over $775,000.

 

Lollobrigida sold the jewelry to raise money for stem cell research.

 

Other exceptional items included a late 19th-century 74.53-carat fancy yellow diamond owned by the Imperial Majesty Sultan Ahmad Shah Qajar, the last ruler of the Qajar dynasty in Persia.

 

The gem was bought for $2.95 million, an auction record for a fancy yellow diamond.

 

Meanwhile, a ring featuring a 27.9-carat brilliant-cut white diamond sold for $4.45 million.