FINE JEWELS

Lot 198:

AN IMPORTANT PAIR OF NATURAL PEARL AND DIAMOND EAR PENDANTS

The auction will start in __ days and __ hours

Start price: HK$2,800,000

Estimated price: HK$2,800,000 - HK$3,800,000

Buyer's premium: 21%

Each suspending a slightly cream natural saltwater pearl drop, joined to a diamond set cap, to a diamond collet spacer, surmounted by the cushion-brilliant-cut diamond in diamond surrounds, mounted in platinum, natural pearls measuring 10.41 x 10.56 x 18.73mm and 10.30 x 10.50 x 17.84mm, length 4.00 cm (2)

Accompanied by two reports from the Gemological Institute of America, stating that the 1.10 carat and 1.01 carat diamonds are respectively: H color and VS1 clarity, and H color and VS2 clarity, report nos. 13185762 and 13151580 dated 5th of March 2004 and 11th February 2004

Accompanied by a SSEF report, stating that the pearls are natural saltwater pearls, report no. 59236, dated 12 April 2011

The charms of natural pearls are not only in their beauty, but also in their uniqueness which formed in a wild oyster (Mussel), living in its habitat without human intervention. Saltwater pearls usually grow in oceanic protected lagoons or volcanic atolls. In differentiating between cultured and natural pearls, natural pearls grow in a series of distinctive concentric growth rings to the center. The pearl itself has many layers of conchiolin and calcium carbonate, to protect itself from the irritant the oyster produces nacre, secreted over and over in layers enveloping the irritant to make it smoother.

The cultured pearl also lives in healthy environmental conditions, and its cultivation process is not limited to using implanted beads to grow and also includes beadless ones. Natural pearls are a rare natural coincidence and drop shapes are even rarer, only a few are made in to earrings. It is not surprising that we have such beautiful earrings, with pearl drops placed so lovingly by the skilled jeweler in a fine and elegant setting. These earrings are the epitome of exotic elegance and rarity.