Sotheby's Geneva to offer Suzanne Belperron's Jewellery Collection

8/2/2019 Sotheby's Geneva to offer Suzanne Belperron's Jewellery Collection

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For Immediate ReleasePRESS RELEASE GENEVA

Geneva | +41 22 908 48 14 | Marie ‐Beatrice Morin | marie ‐[email protected] London | +44 (0)20 7293 6000 | Matthew Weigman | [email protected]

Simon Warren | [email protected] | Kelly Signorelli ‐Chaplin | [email protected]

Suzanne Belperron © Archives Olivier Baroin

SOTHEBY’S GENEVA TO OFFER

THE PERSONAL JEWELLERY COLLECTION OF ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT JEWELLERS OF THE 20 th CENTURY:

fâétÇÇx UxÄÑxÜ Geneva, 5 March 2012 ‐ SOTHEBY’S GENEVA is

pleased to announce that it will offer – in its sale of

Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels on 14 May

2012 – the jewellery collection of one of the most

important jewellery designers of the 20th

century: Suzanne Belperron (1900 ‐1983). Comprising over

60 lots, this unprecedented sale features the most

significant collection of jewels by Suzanne

Belperron in private hands. The jeweller’s personal

collection includes some of her most celebrated

designs and very intimate items which illustrate her

unique style and creative virtuosity, while also

shedding light on her life.

Speaking of the sale, David Bennett, Chairman of

Sotheby’s Jewellery Department in Europe and the

Middle East and Co‐Chairman of Sotheby’s

Switzerland , said: “Suzanne Belperron is arguably

the most talented and influential female jeweller of the 20 th century and it is a huge honour to conduct this

historic sale. We are certain that this important auction will contribute to further highlight the immense talent

of this great artist and her important contribution to jewellery” .



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One of the few female jewellery designers and makers of her time,

Suzanne Belperron dedicated her life to the art of jewellery, starting her

career at René Boivin in 1919. After having contributed to the success

of the “Maison Boivin”, in 1932 through her association with Bernard

Herz, she found the perfect framework within which to develop her

unique style. Her daring creations remain today of an extraordinary modernity and continue to influence contemporary jewellers.

From the 1930s to the mid ‐1970s, Suzanne Belperron never stopped

creating jewels. Her creations appeared in the most influential fashion

magazines of the time, including Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, and were

featured by major photographers such

as Cecil Beaton, George Hoyningen ‐

Huene and Horst P. Horst. Her prestigious cosmopolitan clientele consisted of

royal families, aristocrats, industrial tycoons, financial magnates, Hollywood

stars, as well as members of the intellectual and artistic elite. It was not rare

to see in Suzanne Belperron’s Parisian private salons at 59, rue Chateaudun,

the Duke and the Duchess of Windsor, Colette, Jean Cocteau, Nina Ricci,

Jeanne Lanvin, Elsa Schiaparelli or Gary Cooper.

“My style is my signature ”

Suzanne Belperron never signed her jewels, considering that their originality

made them immediately identifiable. Similarly, she never opened a boutique,

relying on the word ‐of ‐mouth of her prestigious clients and receiving them

exclusively on appointment.

The pieces that Suzanne Belperron designed for herself are emblematic of her oeuvre . They reflect her many sources of inspiration and innovative approach

to jewellery, which constitute the essence of her work. One of the most

intimate jewels of her personal collection is perhaps her engagement ring . Created in 1923 , this Yin and

Yang ring in hammered 22 ‐carat gold is set with an old ‐mine diamond offered for the occasion by her

future husband, Jean Belperron. Testament to the artist’s early fascination for the African civilisation and

craftsmanship, this ring in 22 carat yellow gold ‐ a warm and intense gold that she called “or vierge”

(“virgin gold”) – was made through the technique of “martelage” (“hammering”). The design of this ring has inspired many other signature pieces in virgin gold by Suzanne Belperron during her career (est.

$12,000 ‐18,000, illustrated above).



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Suzanne Belperron introduced

unprecedented combinations of stones

and minerals in her designs, creating

pieces with exceptional contrasts.

Her creations often combine diamonds and hardstones, as seen in a carved rock crystal ring

inset with a large navette diamond (est. $50,000 ‐

80,000, illustrated right and above) and an iconic

brooch in similar materials and design of

descending scrolls that she was often photographed

wearing (est. $50,000 ‐80,000, illustrated p.2 and

right).

Suzanne Belperron was very fond of pearls, which she used in some of her

finest pieces. In circa 1935, she designed a ring mounted in platinum and

white gold, composed of multi ‐coloured natural pearls, as well as old ‐mine

and baguette diamonds (est. $30,000 ‐40,000, illustrated left).

Other examples of Suzanne Belperron’s innovative aesthetic are to be

found in a white agate Nuage (cloud) ring, set with two triangular

diamonds (est. $20,000 ‐30,000, illustrated left) and a bracelet mounted in

palladium and platinum set with old ‐mine

diamonds (est. $40,000 ‐60,000, illustrated

right).



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A Fleur brooch in yellow gold, set with a cushion ‐shaped

yellow sapphire surrounded by yellow diamonds of different

shapes and colours shows her unique ability to play with the

colours and shades of stones, while drawing inspiration from nature (est. $40,000 ‐50,000, illustrated left).

Some of her floral designs became extremely stylised, as

exemplified by another Fleur brooch, mounted in gold and

platinum and composed of a cut ‐cornered sapphire and two oval

cabochon sapphires, enhanced with diamonds (est. $50,000 ‐

80,000, illustrated below). A photograph of the artist shows her

wearing this brooch at the end of the 1960s.

Suzanne Belperron not only created jewels and accessories for the most elegant women of her time, she also designed pieces of jewellery for gentlemen. Her personal collection contains a selection of cufflinks in precious

or semi ‐precious cabochon stones most probably created for her husband, Jean Belperron. Examples include a

pair made of square chrysoprase plaques studded with a small diamond in the middle and another featuring

square cornelian plaques adorned with cabochon emeralds (est. $8,000 ‐12,000, illustrated below).



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An Artist’s Life

Suzanne Belperron’s private collection also includes jewels

by other prestigious makers (including Fabergé and

Cartier) and pieces of an intimate nature, giving a unique

insight into her private life. Starting her career in the Paris

of the “Golden Twenties”, Suzanne Belperron evolved

among key figures of the avant ‐garde movement and the

intellectual elite of the time. Testament to her friendship to Jean Cocteau is an exquisite yellow gold

document clip offered to Suzanne Belperron by the poet and reading in his facsimile handwriting “ne pleurez

pas” (“don’t cry”) on one side and “je reviendrai” (“I will return”) on the other (est. $1,500 ‐2,000, illustrated

above).

All the jewels in this collection are featured in the monograph Suzanne Belperron by Sylvie Raulet and Olivier Baroin (Antique Collectors' Club, 2011, 352 pages).

SALE

SOTHEBY’S GENEVA Hôtel Beau ‐Rivage, 13 quai du Mont Blanc, 1201 Geneva Jewels From the Personal Collection of Suzanne Belperron

Monday 14 May 2012, 10am Magnificent Jewels & Noble Jewels, 14 & 15 May 2012

Information: +41 22 908 48 00

PUBLIC EXHIBITION

SOTHEBY’S GENEVA Hôtel Beau ‐Rivage, 11 ‐15 May 2012

11 ‐13 May (10am ‐6pm) 14 May – Selection of jewels (10am ‐6pm) 15 May – Selection of jewels (10am ‐4pm)

ALL PRESS RELEASES ARE PUBLISHED ON WWW.SOTHEBYS.COM IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

** Pre ‐sale estimates do not include buyer’s premium Vente dirigée par le Ministère de Maîtres Claude Naville et Marco Breitenmoser, Huissiers Judiciaires.

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Sotheby's Geneva to offer Suzanne Belperron's Jewellery Collection