Calvin and Kelly Klein Put The Duchess of Windsor's Necklace on the Block

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Sep 22nd 2007 at 2:03PM

The Magnificent Jewels auction at Sotheby's on December 4 offers the chance to bid on three lots of natural pearl and diamond jewels from the collection of Kelly and Calvin Klein. The pieces are a necklace, pendant and ear clips that were purchased by Calvin for Kelly at Sotheby's 1987 auction of "The Jewels of the Duchess of Windsor" in Geneva. The single-strand natural pearl and diamond necklace by Cartier once belonged to Queen Mary who gave it to the Duke of Windsor. It consists of 28 natural pearls, bulbous and luminous, with a diamond clasp. The natural pearl and diamond pendant contains a 190.6-grain pearl topped by diamonds. The Kleins are also selling a pair of natural black and white pearl and diamond ear clips by Van Cleef and Arpels. The three lots have an estimated value of $2.2 million-$3.1 million. In the press release, Kelly Klein is quoted as saying that she hopes the pearls will be "given again, as they have been in the past, as a gesture of love and worn often and proudly.

Tags: clavin klein, duchess of windsor, jewelry, kelly klein, natural pearls, necklace, pearls, sotheby's