Christie’s has offered a preview of two extraordinary jewellery collections slated for its upcoming Magnificent Jewels auction in New York on June 17—each rich in historical weight, artistic brilliance, and global intrigue.

Though the official details for the full June sale drops on May 19, the house has offered a sneak peek of two of its crown jewels: The Jewelry Collection of Anne H. Bass, and Magnificent Mughal Jewels: Property from a Royal Collection. While vastly different in origin and aesthetic, both represent the apex of private collecting and cultural storytelling—one shaped by a 20th-century American patron of the arts, the other by centuries of South Asian imperial legacy.

The Bass Collection: Personal Taste, Public Legacy

Offered for the first time, the jewels of Anne Hendricks Bass—philanthropist, arts patron, and ballet champion—reflect a lifetime of curatorial precision and quiet elegance. Comprising 26 pieces, the collection features museum-worthy examples from Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Bulgari, and JAR, many of which have never appeared at auction.

Among the standout lots are a Van Cleef & Arpels diamond pendant earring set (est. $1.2 million–$1.8 million) and a JAR sapphire, emerald, and diamond necklace (est. $200,000–$300,000). The collection includes eleven JAR creations, several of which are featured in the landmark 2002 JAR Volume I, marking this sale as a rare opportunity for collectors to acquire signed, storied, and deeply personal works.

The Mughal Collection: Empire in Every Facet

If Bass’s jewellery captures the essence of 20th-century American taste, the Magnificent Mughal Jewels transport us to a world of dynastic power and ceremonial opulence. On offer are three extraordinary pieces of Mughal royal provenance, led by a carved Colombian emerald necklace (est. $2 million–$3 million) centred on a staggering 470-carat emerald inscribed with the name of Ahmad Shah Durrani, the founder of the Durrani Empire, who is widely regarded as the father of modern Afghanistan.

The stone’s lineage is shared with two of history’s most fabled gems—the Koh-i-Noor and Timur Ruby—which also bear Durrani’s mark. Together, these shared inscriptions trace a migratory tale of conquest, exchange, and aesthetic evolution across Asia.

Two pieces include:

• A three-strand spinel and natural pearl necklace (est. $1–2 million) with 2,000+ carats of spinels, each inscribed with the names of rulers like Babur, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan.

• A multi-gem and emerald necklace comprising nearly 800 carats of Colombian emeralds—gems once traded from New Granada to the courts of Agra and Isfahan.

The three jewels are being sold from a royal collection, with proceeds pledged to charitable causes.

Two Worlds, One Stage

With both announcements coinciding with the GemGenève trade fair, Christie’s underscores the continued global appetite for storied jewels with strong provenance and aesthetic clarity. Where Bass’s collection reflects modern patronage and Western collecting values, the Mughal treasures offer a reminder of jewellery as political language, spiritual artefact, and imperial iconography.

Together, they offer a rare dual window—into the private world of 20th-century refinement, and the pageantry of empire.

Collectors and trade watchers attending the auction this week may only glimpse the headlines, but come June 17, the full story will unfold at Christie’s Rockefeller Center, stone by extraordinary stone.