Heidi Horten, wife of department store tycoon Helmut Horten, collected jewellery from Bulgari, Cartier, Harry Winston and Van Cleef & Arpels.
Christie's will auction jewellery belonging to the late Heidi Horten. The sale is expected to be a record-breaker, as they estimate it will bring in a total of $150 million.
The collection of the late Austrian billionaire Heidi Horten contains 700 objects. According to Christie's, it is the largest and most valuable private jewellery collection ever to be auctioned.
The auction house estimates that the sale of “The World of Heidi Horten” will fetch $150 million. This will surpass the record set by the sale of Elizabeth Taylor's private jewelry collection in 2011 (total: $137.2 million).
Christie's auction of Taylor's collection and the 2019 “Maharajas & Mughal Magnificence” auction (total: $109.3 million) were the only two jewelry collection sales to raise more than $100 million, it noted.
Before Taylor, Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, wife of former King Edward VIII, held the record for auctioning jewellery collections. When her jewellery sales topped $50 million at Sotheby's in Geneva in April 1987.
Originally from Vienna, Austria, Horten was a noted collector of jewellery and modern and contemporary art. She was also an advocate for various causes, including social welfare and sports and medical research.
Her appreciation for art and jewellery began in her childhood, as she was the daughter of an engraver.
This appreciation increased when she married her first husband, German billionaire Helmut Horten. The businessman behind Horten's, a now defunct department store chain in Germany.
The couple collected art and jewellery together until Helmut's death in 1987.
For their wedding, Helmut presented her with “Wittelsbach Blue”, a natural greyish blue diamond of 35.56 carats. Formerly this was part of the jewellery of the crown of Austria and Bavaria.
Christie's sold the diamond at auction in 2008 to another billionaire, diamond manufacturer Laurence Graff. Graff re-cut it at 31.06 carats and renamed it “Wittelsbach-Graff”.
“Heidi was a sensitive and passionate collector with a deep appreciation for jewellery. She had a discerning eye and curated a sophisticated collection of some of the finest jewellery ever put on the market.” That's according to Max Fawcett, head of jewellery at Christie's in Geneva.
“What makes this collection particularly remarkable is the range and quality of its gemstones,” he added. He noted that collectors will find everything from luxury jewelry to unique pieces of fine jewelry and historical jewelry.
Among her treasures are several auction items, including a selection of Harry Winston jewellery. Also a selection of Bulgari jewellery, an overview of the Italian jewellery house's work from the 1970s to the present day.
The star of the show, however, is a Cartier ruby ring that was last seen at auction in 2015.
The “Sunrise Ruby” diamond ring features a 25.59-carat pigeon's blood ruby with “exceptional clarity,” Christie's said.
It is expected to sell for $15 to $20 million. A seemingly low estimate, considering it sold for $30.3 million, a record amount, eight years ago.
The “Sunrise” ruby and diamond ring, with a 25.59-carat pigeon's blood ruby
“Of course rubies of this quality and size are extremely rare,” said Fawcett. “Its depth of color, high clarity and brilliance make it one of the most sought-after rubies on Earth.”.
Another stunning piece of jewellery is the 90-carat diamond “Briolette of India” necklace, which has an interesting history.
Jewellery historian Hans Nadelhoffer informed Christie's that the stone was first cut in Paris. It was subsequently purchased by Cartier in the early 20th century. Cartier sold it in 1911, mounted on a brooch, to financier George Blumenthal.
Harry Winston acquired the piece in 1950, Nadelhoffer said. He placed the diamond in the center of a marquise and pear-shaped diamond necklace. Horten bought it in 1971.
Christie's did not respond to a request for an appraisal prior to the sale of the necklace.
Another Harry Winston creation, a necklace of three rows of natural pearls with an 11.15-carat pink diamond clasp shaped like a pillow, is expected to sell for $7 million to $10 million.
“The pearls are incredibly large and have a lovely pink color and amazing luster,” Fawcett said. He called it “one of the best pearl necklaces we have ever offered at Christie's.”.
A Harry Winston diamond bracelet is expected to sell for $5 million to $7 million.
The “Great Mughal Emerald” pendant necklace, also by Harry Winston, with a 362.5-carat carved emerald, could sell for $500,000 to $700,000.
Horten's Bulgari collection is particularly noteworthy, Fawcett said. He ranks it as one of the top five Bulgari collections ever assembled. He also notes that Bulgari pieces of this caliber command high prices at auction.
“They embody the glamour and hedonism of “la dolce vita”. Collectors are looking for vintage pieces in pristine condition that embody the style of the era and these are the best of the best,” he said.
One of Bulgari's top pieces, seen in the image below, is a diamond, sapphire and emerald necklace, featuring a 46.56-carat round brilliant-cut diamond.
The piece was first sold by Cartier in 1975 when it was in a ring. It was later acquired by Harry Winston, redesigned as a necklace and bought by Horten in 1994.
“The burst of colour makes it a real “wow” piece,” said Fawcett. “The geometric design, with baguette-cut diamonds and sapphire and emerald-cut cabochon diamonds, is instantly recognisable as Bulgari.”.
Christie's had not responded by press time to a request for pre-sale appraisals of Bulgari jewelry.
“Heidi Horten's world is the collection of a lifetime,” said Rahul Kadakia, Christie's international head of jewelry.
“From Bulgari to Van Cleef & Arpels, from a small personal keepsake to the “Briolette of India”, it's a collector's dream. Building on exceptional early pieces acquired in the 1970s and 1980s, Ms. Horten has continued to grow and curate her refined collection. Aptly combining vintage and modern designs from the world's leading jewelry houses that today represent some of the finest examples ever to come to market.”.
The auction will also include a jade necklace with a jade and diamond clasp. Fawcett called it “one of the most important jade necklaces ever offered at auction” because of the size, color and clarity of the 25 jade beads.
“To find a collection in Europe with such an important jade is extremely rare,” he said. He noted that it is popular mainly with Asian collectors because of its cultural association with good luck.
Fawcett anapest in a sautoir with diamonds, rubies, emeralds and onyx Van Cleef & Arpels Egyptian Revival, circa 1924. Horten acquired it from Christie's in Geneva in 2018.
While it may not be the most valuable, he predicts that its rarity and condition will make it a favorite among collectors.
“It is so rare to find jewels of the Egyptian revival. This depicts a winged scarab with, below, the goddess Maat, representing truth and harmony. It is of museum quality,” he said. Only two necklaces of this design are known to have been made and the location of the other necklace is unknown.
They did not give pre-sale estimates for the jade necklace or the sautoir.
Christie's will present 400 of the 700 jewels through two live auctions at The Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva during Luxury Week this spring.
A screening will take place in Geneva from 7-12 May, with the first part of the auction scheduled for 10 May and the second part for 12 May.
Two online sales will also take place. The first online sale will take place May 3-15, followed by November dates for the remaining jewelry.
The collection will tour throughout April, with stops in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Vienna, New York, Taichung, Taipei, Dubai, London and Singapore, before heading to Geneva in May.
The sale of Horton's jewelry will benefit the Heidi Horton Foundation, which supports her museum and other causes. Her important art collection has a permanent home in the Heidi Horten Collection, an art museum in Vienna.
“It is a historic moment for Christie's to have the privilege of offering one of the world's finest and most important collections of jewellery originating from Europe,” said Anthea Peers, President of Christie's EMEA. “Moreover, to witness a charitable effort of this scale is both rare and remarkable.”.
Source: nationaljeweler.com
