Exquisite Jewelry to be Offered at Auction!

The Property of a Lady of Title, Jewelry from the Collection of Baroness d'Huart

DALLAS, TEXAS: From mankind's earliest days, fine gemstones have been a sign of wealth and opulence. Even societies that treated gold as a commonplace metal revered fine diamonds, rubies and emeralds. Today, exquisite gemstones are valued as signs of devotion, love and commitment. One need look no further than the custom of the diamond engagement ring to see that.

While jewelry is a part of most people's daily lives, truly exquisite jewelry, however, jewelry that has the ability to take ones breath away, is still an awe-inspiring sight. Such is the jewelry in the collection of Baroness Elizabeth d'Huart.

"My fondness for jewelry can be summed up in a quote from Apolline-Eleonere, the Baronne August-Henri d'Huart, circa 1798," said the current Baroness d'Huart. "She said, 'A woman's jewels are medals of honor and badges of distinction... I received just such a decoration from my beloved August-Henri on the occasion of our anniversary, a parure of Indian sapphires and diamonds which bestow such fire and luminosity to my complexion and such vitality to my person that, were I not afraid of losing or damaging it, I should wear it to bed, and were I not afraid of appearing ridiculous, wear it everyday!'"

"The pieces in the Baroness's collection come from basically two sources," said Jill Burgum, Director of Fine Jewelry and Timepieces auctions for Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries. "Some were given to her by her husband, the Baron d'Huart, and some were passed down to her by her mother-in-law, and represent pieces that have been in the d'Huart family for years."

"Perhaps the most outstanding piece in the collection is the Art Deco diamond and platinum bracelet," said Burgum. "This piece is a superb example of the jeweler's art. The bracelet features European and baguette-cut diamonds, set in platinum, and the total diamond weight is nearly 20.00 carats! Truly a stunning work of art."

"Another fabulous piece is the Ceylon sapphire, diamond and platinum ring that the Baroness references in the quote from Apolline-Eleonere," said Burgum. "The treasures of Sri Lanka, often called Ratna-Dweepa, which means Gem Island, have been legendary for centuries. Marco Polo said in 1292, 'I want you to understand that the island of Ceylon is, for its size, the finest island in the world, and from its streams comes rubies, sapphires, topazes, amethyst and garnet.' That legendary quality shines through in this lovely piece, which centers a cushion-shaped sapphire framed by European-cut diamonds, set in platinum, complete with French hallmarks."

"We're honored that the Baroness has chosen us to offer her collection to the world," said Burgum. "Our inaugural auction of Fine Jewelry in December will feature not only the collection of the Baroness d'Huart, but also rare and desirable pieces from other collections as well. I'd encourage everyone who appreciates beauty and elegance to inspect the auction for themselves at www.HA.com, where they can view full-color, enlargeable images of each lot, read our complete catalog descriptions, and even place bids online."

Heritage Auction Galleries will hold its inaugural auction of Fine Jewelry and Timepieces on December 4, 2006, at their world headquarters in Dallas, Texas. For more information, please visit www.HA.com.

Highlights of the collection include:

Art Deco Diamond, Platinum Bracelet, circa 1930:
ESTIMATE: $30,000 - $40,000

Ceylon Sapphire, Diamond, Platinum Ring, French hallmarks:
ESTIMATE: $15,000 - $20,000

Black South Sea Pearl Necklace:
ESTIMATE: $10,000 - $15,000

Edwardian Diamond, Platinum Ring:
ESTIMATE: $10,000 - $15,000

Art Deco Diamond, Platinum Brooch, circa 1930:
ESTIMATE: $6,000 - $8,000

South Sea Cultured Pearl, Diamond, White Gold Pendant-Enhancer:
ESTIMATE: $3,500 - $4,500

For more information about the December auction, or to discuss consigning material to a future auction, please visit www.HA.com, or simply call Jill Burgum at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 697, or email JillB@HA.com.

For more information about Heritage's auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HA.com.

To reserve your copy of any Heritage auction catalog, please contact Nicole Jewell at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 272, or visit www.HA.com to order by email.