Bonhams Tri-City - Diamonds dominated the winter sale of Fine Jewelry at Bonhams & Butterfields, international fine arts auctioneers, on December 17, 2007. Highly competitive bidding was seen, both on the telephones and in salerooms across the US. The firm’s final jewelry sale of the 2007 auction season was comprised of nearly 200-lots featuring exquisite diamonds, fine works in platinum, desirable period jewelry and signed works -- totaling nearly $2.6-million.

According to Michael Larsen, G.G., jewelry specialist in Bonhams & Butterfields’ Los Angeles gallery, “The luxury jewelry market continues to be impressively strong particularly for notable diamond and platinum signed works and for period pieces.”

Offered from the collection of Douce Isabelle François-Freitas, the sale’s top lot was a highly desirable French diamond and platinum rivière necklace, which sold for $678,400 after highly competitive bidding. The rivière necklace is considered a timeless design, with an elegant arrangement of stones that creates the aesthetic of a ring of floating diamonds around the wearer’s neck. The piece featured 40 round brilliant-cut diamonds with the central diamonds weighing as much as 5.51-carats. The remainder of the diamonds taper in size and weight to an estimated 0.75-carats. The necklace boasted an estimated total diamond weight 53.50-carats with French assay marks. “Due to the important nature of the diamonds and unique character of the piece, the French diamond and platinum rivière necklace drew international attention. Bonhams & Butterfields is pleased with the $678,400 result for this rare fresh-to-market work,” said Larsen.

In addition to the diamond necklace, the December sale of Fine Jewelry also featured multiple lots with dazzling stones, including: a graduated two row diamond and platinum necklace with alternating round brilliant and marquise-cut diamonds (sold for: $81,000); a diamond and platinum ring centering a round brilliant-cut diamond weighing 5.42-carats, with tapered baguette-cut shoulders, sold above the $50,000 estimate for $84,000; a 6.40ct round brilliant-cut diamond ring set in an elegant four-prong mount (sold for: $72,000); a champagne colored round brilliant-cut diamond ring, with a double surround of round brilliant-cut diamonds set in platinum brought $39,000 and a 7.55ct round brilliant-cut diamond and platinum Tiffany style solitaire ring (sold for: $60,000).

On offer within the rare and remarkable period pieces were a rare cabochon sapphire and diamond bracelet by Chaumet, Paris which sold for $45,000 and a stunning late art deco diamond and platinum bracelet of openwork design, circa 1935, which brought $33,600.

About the François-Freitas Family

The late Douce Isabelle François-Freitas led a cosmopolitan life. Of Chilean and Argentinean descent, she had an intense interest in the arts, artists and life in general, moving in exclusive yet ever-expanding social circles from Paris to London, to New York, Santiago and Buenos Aires.

She had met her husband Joseph Freitas in the 1970s through her good friend Rudolph Nureyev, and after two decades together they were married in Paris in 1993. According to press reports, the wedding was attended by “art world luminaries, pillars of society and dignitaries from across the globe.” She died in 2005.

About Bonhams

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America and in August 2003, Goodmans, a leading Australian fine art and antiques auctioneer with salerooms in Sydney, joined the Bonhams Group of Companies. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge, and a further seven throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Boston in the USA; and Switzerland, France, Monaco, Australia, Hong Kong and Dubai. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 50 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, go to www.bonhams.com .