Usually when we talk about big stones for sale at Christie’s we are talking about expensive diamonds but the upcoming sale at Christie’s New York on April 22 will feature one amazing emerald. The large emerald and diamond brooch adorned once adorned one of the world’s most powerful and ruthless female leaders ever to live, Catherine II of Russia.

She ascended to the throne in 1762 and her long reign marked a time of Russian expansion and success. She was also a noted jewelry collector with the resources to acquire the world’s best gems. This brooch was given to Sophie Dorothea, princess of Württemberg, as a wedding gift on the occasion of her marriage to Catherine’s son and successor Tsar Paul I in 1776.

It has a hexagonal cut Colombian emerald estimated at between 60 and 70 carats. The stone is surrounded by rose and old mine-cut diamonds set in silver-topped gold. It is estimated to sell for $1 million to $1.5 million.

Of course no Christie’s sale would be complete without a huge diamond and this sale has a historic beauty. The Emperor Maximilian Diamond is one of two large diamonds that the the Archduke Maximilian acquired in Brazil in 1860 before he was named Emperor of Mexico at Napoleon’s urging.

Later Napoleon dropped support of Maximillian and the young emperor found himself facing the firing squad. Legend has it that he was wearing this stone in a small pouch around his neck when he was killed. The stone was given to his wife, Princess Charlotte of Belgium, who later sold the jewel. The cushion-shaped diamond has been owned by famed diamantaire Laurence Graff and by Imelda Marcos. It is also estimated to sell for 1 million to $1.5 million.

Posted by Shayne Heffernan on Mar 21st, 2010and filed underArt & Collectibles, Connoisseur's Club, Fashion, Jewelry.You can follow any responses to this entry through theRSS 2.0You can leave a response by filling following comment form or trackback to this entry from your site