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Celebrate International Women’s Day With This Pearl Jewelry Auction
“Powerful & Pretty: Pearls Online” will run from March 8-12 and feature 60 jewels from the 20th and 21st centuries.
Mabe white pearl, blue diamond and colorless diamond pavé, and 18-karat yellow gold earrings ($1,800-$2,200)
New York—Pearls have long been used as a symbol of power and grace, donned by some of history’s most iconic women.
Think Vermeer’s famous “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” the classic three-strand necklace on Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” or England’s many royals choosing pearls for special occasions.
Pearls have also seen a resurgence of late, spurred along by Vice President Kamala Harris’s jewelry selection for Inauguration Day.
Now, Bonhams is honoring the connection between women and their pearls with an online-only auction of pearl jewelry to celebrate International Women’s Day.
“Powerful & Pretty: Pearls Online” will run from March 8-12, with the first day of the auction lining up with the holiday.
The jewelry auction comprises 60 classic and contemporary pearl jewels from the 20th and 21st centuries, from earrings, necklaces, and rings to brooches and bangles.
“Pearls have been valued for millennia for their beauty and luster, but also for the fantastic stories associated with the gem. They are symbols of Aphrodite, Eve, and Cleopatra,” said Emily Waterfall, head of jewelry for Bonhams Los Angeles.
“Historically, they were dangerous to acquire, needing to be brought up by hand from the depth of the sea. Both rare and costly, only the wealthiest royalty had access to pearls until the 20th century. Bonhams is pleased to be able to offer this unusual and timely sale of exquisite and affordable pearls.”
Click through the slideshow below to see highlights from the upcoming jewelry auction.
South Sea white pearl and multi-colored pavé necklace in 18-karat white gold ($18,000-$22,000)
White pearl and diamond marquise platinum ring ($5,500-$6,500)
18-karat white gold, South Sea pearl and diamond ear clips ($1,000-$1,500)
A white pearl, red tourmaline cabochon, and diamond triple strand necklace in 18-karat yellow gold ($1,800-$2,200)
A platinum and 14-karat white gold bracelet with six strands of cultured pearls and diamond spacers and clasp ($8,000-$10,000)
18-karat gold, cultured pearl ring with a gem-set and diamond halo ($700-$900)
Mabe pearl and diamond earrings in white gold ($600-$800)
An 18-karat white gold, cultured pearl, and diamond necklace ($1,500-$2,000)
Cultured South Sea pearl and diamond platinum ring ($1,200 -$1,500)
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