SWITZERLAND/FRANCE: EMERALD AND DIAMOND NECKLACE ONCE WORN BY MERLE OBERON FEATURES IN CARTIER AUCTION

Record ID: 639772

  • Title: SWITZERLAND/FRANCE: EMERALD AND DIAMOND NECKLACE ONCE WORN BY MERLE OBERON FEATURES IN CARTIER AUCTION
  • Date: 19th November 1996
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE/ GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (NOVEMBER 19, 1996/ RECENT) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (NOVEMBER 19, 1996) 1. GV EXT OF HOTEL HOUSING AUCTION 0.05 2. GV AUCTION IN PROGRESS 0.12 3. GV AUCTION TAKING PLACE 0.14 4. SLV MODEL WEARING EMERALD NECKLACE (3 SHOTS ) 0.25 5. GV BIDDING BOARD 0.36 6. SLV NECKLACE SOLD FOR TWO MILLION DOLLARS 0.45 7. GV BIDDING BOARD 0.47 8. SLV CLOCK 0.57 9. GV OF CLOCK BEING SOLD (3 SHOTS ) 1.09 10. GV BIDDING BOARD 1.11 11. SCU MODEL WEARING BRACELET 1.20 12. SV BRACELET BEING SOLD 1.21 13. GV BIDDING BOARD 1.24 PARIS, FRANCE (RECENT) 14. SCU ANTIQUORUM CHAIRMAN OSWALDO PATRIZZI SAYING THE COLLECTION SHOWS OVER 150 YEARS OF CARTIER DESIGN (ENGLISH) 1.47 15. CU CARTIER WATCHES (4 SHOTS) 2.01 16. CU AUTHENTICATION CERTIFICATES ISSUED BY CARTIER 2.07 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 4th December 1996 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND/ PARIS, FRANCE
  • City:
  • Country: EUROPE France Switzerland
  • Reuters ID: LVAV8P6QMBERML5Y66440LOSKZ8
  • Story Text: INTRO: A magnificent emerald and diamond necklace became the centrepiece of a Cartier auction in Switzerland.

    The necklace, worn by the late British film star Merle Oberon, fetched 2.6 million Swiss francs (two million U.S. dollars) on Tuesday (November 19).

    The Indian-style necklace, a masterpiece of the French jeweller Cartier, was among nearly 600 of his works sold jointly by Geneva's Antiquorum Auctioneers and the Parisian Etude Tajan.

    The necklace made for Oberon in 1938 and set with 29 baroque emerald drops, had been expected to go for 1.5 million dollars. The identity of the buyer was not immediately disclosed.

    Oberon was a Eurasian of Irish descent who lived in Australia and India before settling in England, where she initially struggled as a dance-hall hostess and bit-part movie actress. She was famous for her exotic beauty and dazzling collection of jewels.

    Married to director Alexander Korda, who 'discovered' her, she starred opposite actors including Maurice Chevalier and Laurence Olivier in films of the 1930s.

    An Oriental-style gold 'mystery clock', resembling a temple gate and set with jade and mother-of pearl in a shining example of Cartier's Art Deco period, went for 1.8 million Swiss francs (1.4 million dollars). The piece had been owned by Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton.

    Antiquorum chairman Oswaldo Patrizzi said they had tried to gather a collection which reflected 150 years of Cartier designs.

    The one-day sale was billed as a world premiere, with Cartier offering certificates of authenticity to the new owners as part of its 'Fight Against Forgeries' campaign.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register