According to UK-based auction and valuation business John Pye Auctions, the David Jerome Collection comprises “some of the world’s rarest and purest rubies, emeralds, tanzanites, sapphires and other prized gems”, and is estimated to have a combined retail value of more than £8 million (AU$16.7 m).
The offering was said to have had been created and collated over the course of 40 years after the initial acquisition of a 133-carat tanzanite sparked the anonymous owner’s passion for gemstone collection.
While sourced in loose form from various mine locations like Burma, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Zambia, each gemstone has since been set as jewellery – some amongst diamonds.
John Pye Auctions gemstone valuer Ian Hall said each gemstone had been independently certified for authenticity and quality, adding, “We believe the collection to be certainly the largest in the UK, if not Europe.”
Increasing demand
John Pye Auctions director Sheldon Miller said the gemstones – which would not be sold as a complete set – provided significant investment potential, given the record-breaking sales that had been occurring worldwide.
As previously reported by Jeweller, a number of world record-breaking coloured gemstones auction sales took place over the past year. Some of these included: the 392.52-carat Blue Belle of Asia Ceylon sapphire, which sold for US$17.3 million (AU$23.2 m); the 8.62-carat Graff Ruby for US$8.6 million (AU$11.5 m); a 27.54-carat Kashmir sapphire for US$6 million (AU$8 m); and a 25.59-carat Burmese ruby for US$30.3 million (AU$40.7 m).
The David Jerome Collection was said to feature jewellery ranging in value from an estimated £600 (AU$1,249) for an 8.96-carat pink topaz ring to more than £500,000 (AU$1 million) for a pair of 35-carat Zambian emerald earrings.
The collection will be sold through a series of online auctions beginning with a sale in September that will offer 345 gemstones.
PIECES FROM THE COLLECTION
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