The ‘Emerald for Elephants’ exhibition, part of the ‘London Elephant Parade’ public art exhibition to raise funds for World Land Trust and Wildlife Trust of India’s initiative to save critically endangered Asian elephants, concluded with the sale of the most valuable elephant of the parade. The piece, called the ‘Emerald Queen’ elephant featuring 678ct emerald by Gemfields is a life size fiberglass elephant by Sabine Roemer and was auctioned for £150,000, along with eight unique emerald jewellery pieces sold for £517,000.
Numerous VIP’s and celebrities from the UK and India attended the occasion including Indian cricket star Yuvraj Singh, Mark Shand, Jack Penate, Andrea and Alice Dellal and the owners of Selfridges, Hılary and Galen Weston.
Gemfields supplied Zambian emeralds to eight of the world’s leading designers to create the ‘Emeralds for Elephants’ collection, inspired by the elephants and abundant biodiversity of fauna and flora. The jewellers chosen for the initiative include Gem Palace from India, Shaun Leane, Theo Fennell, new talented designer Dominic Jones, all from the UK. The unique Sevan Bicakci from Turkey, Autore by Alessio Boschi, the innovative south sea pearl company from Australia, titanium jeweller Francis Mertens from Belgium, and J.W. Currens who has an award-winning workshop in the US.
Altogether 250 fibreglass elephants, each 1.4 metre high, are being decorated as part of the London Parade and will be displayed across the capital from May to July, with most elephants being auctioned on the 28th June and 3rd July. The Emerald Queen was the first elephant to be auctioned in the Wonder Room at Selfridges. Funds raised will go to the participating charities.