Christie's latest auction to support Indian NGO Salaam Bombay

New York: A dazzling array of magnificent jewels, from flawless diamonds to rare gemstones, natural pearls and signed jewels from the finest makers including Indian designer Viren Bhagat will go under the hammer at a sale here that will benefit the Salaam Bombay Children’s Fund. Among the scores of top-quality gems on offer at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale of October 16 is a trio of stunning diamond jewels weighing more than 50 carats each, and an exceedingly rare double strand of large natural pearls. The two-session sale comprises 372 lots and is expected to achieve in excess of $35 million. [caption id=“attachment_479009” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Pic used for representational purposes only.[/caption] One-of-a-kind creations by Bhagat are among the most coveted of contemporary jewelry designs on the auction market today. As a special fund-raising item within the sale, Christie’s will offer a pair of exquisite ‘flower blossom’ pearl and diamond ear clips by Bhagat with an estimate of $30,000-50,000. The sale will benefit the Salaam Bombay Children’s Fund, which works with disadvantaged children across India to empower them with opportunities and skills that enable them to make the right choices for their health, education and livelihood. “… Our team of jewelry specialists has spent the summer months gathering the finest gems to match current collecting tastes, including top-quality diamonds, natural pearls, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, rare vintage jewels, and highly- coveted contemporary creations from the best designers,” says Rahul Kadakia, head of jewelry for Christie’s Americas and Switzerland. PTI