A ruby and dia­mond Camel­lia flower brooch, by JAR, 2003 Esti­mate: $1,200,000–1,500,000 Photo: Denis Hay­oun — Diode SA, image cour­tesy of Christies Geneva

Please click on the image above for a larger, more breath­tak­ing view.

It began in Decem­ber 2011 with the Eliz­a­beth Tay­lor auc­tion at Christies. Shortly fol­low­ing will be The Hughette Clark sale, tak­ing place at Christies New York on April 17^th. Ms. Clark lived reclu­sively and long, to the ripe old age of 104. Her jew­elry was said to be tucked away in a bank vault for more than sixty years. Under the ham­mer goes the col­lec­tion of bil­lion­aire Lily Safra at Christies Geneva on May 14^th. Later this year, Sep­tem­ber, the remark­able col­lec­tion of New York soci­ety matron Brooke Astor, who passed on at 105 years young, will be sold at Sothe­bys. For jew­elry lovers of all stripes, this is the year of the auc­tion pre­view. For col­lec­tors, every one of these sales is a field day.

Next week I will have my review of Dior Joaillerie…!