Baroda Pearls to crown Christie�s jewellery sale

The Baroda Pearls will lead the Magnificent Jewels sale of the Christie�s in New York next month, making up the most important natural pearl necklace ever presented by the auction house. It is expected to realise in the region of $7-$9 million at the April 25 auction. The extraordinary two-strand natural pearl necklace is strung with sixty-eight of the largest pearls from the famed seven-strand natural pearl necklace that formed the cornerstone of the treasury of the erstwhile maharaja of Baroda.

This exceedingly rare and historically important necklace presents an unrivalled opportunity for collectors through its combination of royal provenance, quality and exceptional rarity. �Having amassed huge quantities of pearls from all over the Gulf region, the Indian royal families were famed for the superlative natural pearls in their treasuries. The seven-strand Baroda Pearl necklace was the masterpiece of all these collections,� said Rahul Kadakia, head of jewellery for Christie�s Americas.

The two-row necklace now comprising sixty-eight of the finest and largest pearls of this superb necklace encapsulates everything the modern collector could expect from the most important pearl necklace in the world.

Considered to be one of the most notable jewellery collectors of the 19th century, the erstwhile maharaja of Baroda Khande Rao Gawkwar possessed an unparalleled collection of state jewels.

Most remarkable in his collection was the famous �Star of the South� diamond, a Brazilian diamond of 129 carats, and the �English Dresden�, a drop-shaped diamond of 78.53 carats, both of which were set together in a triple-tiered diamond necklace worn by the maharaja.

In addition to diamonds, Khande Rao came to possess an extraordinary necklace composed of seven strands of perfectly matched and graduated natural pearls. This necklace was among the most expensive items in the Baroda treasury and it remained among its most prized jewels.In 1943, Maharaja Pratapsingh Gaekwar made headlines by marrying Sita Devi, his second wife. Referred to as �The Indian Wallace Simpson� by the Western media, she became one of the most flamboyant maharanis of all time, known for her passion for jewels and strong personality.

Upon marrying the maharaja, Sita Devi received the jewels from the Baroda treasury, as well as the renowned seven-strand pearl necklace and the three-row diamond necklace suspending the Star of the South and the English Dresden.