Christie's to Sell Record $150m Jewelry Collection
March 30, 23
(IDEX Online) - A vast array of over 700 jewelry items owned by the late Austrian art collector and philanthropist Heidi Horten is to be sold by Christie's Geneva in a record $150m sale.
It represents the most valuable jewelry collection ever to be auctioned, surpassing those of Elizabeth Taylor and Qatar royal family member Sheikh Hamad Bin Abdullah Al Thani, said the auction house.
The collection includes a 90-carat Briolette of India diamond necklace by Harry Winston (estimate $10m), and the 25-carat Cartier Sunrise Ruby and diamond ring (estimate $15-20m) and and a three strand natural pearl necklace with a cushion-shaped, 11-carat pink diamond clasp, also by Harry Winston (estimate $7m to $10m).
Mrs Horten (nee Jelinek) was 19 when she met her first husband Helmut Horten, founder of the the eponymous German department store chain, who was more than 30 years her senior.
He died in 1987, and in 2020 Forbes estimated her personal fortune at $3bn. She died last June, aged 81.
In 2008 she sold the 35.56-carat Wittelsbach Diamond, a wedding gift from her husband and formerly part of the Crown Jewels of Bavaria, for $24m.
Her collection will be offered at two sales, The World of Heidi Horten: Magnificent Jewels Part I on 10 May, followed by a Part II auction on 12 May and an online sale, open for bidding from 3 to 15 May.
"From showstopping diamonds, rubies and jade to outstanding pieces from masters of a generation, including Bulgari, Cartier, Tiffany, Harry Winston and Van Cleef & Arpels, the sales are poised to become the largest and most valuable jewellery auctions to date," said Christie's.
"The glorious assemblage comprises over 700 jewels, a true embodiment of Mrs Horten's timeless elegance, glamour and taste for collecting. The collection is of impeccable quality and breadth, showcasing the art of jewellery in all its splendour."
Pic courtesy Christie's shows a 90-carat Briolette of India diamond necklace by Harry Winston