Eva Peron's Brooch a Highlight of Christie's "Magnificent Jewels" Auction

I don't have an extra $300,000 to $500,000 lying around waiting to be spent, but if I did, I'd give some serious thought to bidding on a piece of history: Eva's Van Cleef & Arpels diamond-and-sapphire brooch, up for auction at Christie's in New York on October 15.

The woman nicknamed "Evita" by her worshipful public wore this brooch, its white and yellow diamonds and sapphires forming the shape of an undulating Argentine flag, to express her love for her country (not to mention fancy jewelry).

This exquisite brooch is just one of 400 exquisite lots of jewelry soon to be auctioned off at Christie's. During a recent auction preview for media at Christie's in Beverly Hills, I was fortunate enough to speak to Leslie Roskind, Senior Specialist, Jewelry Department and Senior Vice President Christie's Americas, to find out which piece in the collection she finds the most remarkable. "The pink diamond ring is the most unusual and rare piece of all the jewels we're auctioning in October. At 8.77 carats, and with such an intense pink shade, it's a truly unique piece."

Some exquisite and rare Art Deco pieces are also among the items to be auctioned on October 15. Amongst them are a swoon-worthy Art Deco chloromelanite jade and white gold bracelet dating back to 1925 and signed by Jean Fouquet, and a 1927 Cartier brooch set with diamonds, aquamarines, and tourmaline. It's easy to imagine Daisy Buchanan or a prominent star of the era, such as Gloria Swanson or Louise Brooks, in either of these rare, unusual pieces.

"Magnificent Jewels" also features a number of extraordinary colored diamonds and classic 1960s and 1970s David Webb pieces owned by the Honorable Noreen Stonor Drexel of Newport, Rhode Island. The auction takes place on October 15 in New York at Christie's in Rockefeller Center, but non-New Yorkers can bid online at christies.com.

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