PREVIEW: JEWELLERY 14 MARCH

From stunning diamonds and coloured gemstones to historic and ancient rarities, Noonans’ 14 March Jewellery sale is packed with highlights.

Topping the stand-out lots is a large fancy light yellow brilliant-cut solitaire diamond ring, with a stone of 10.13 carats. The estimate is £40,000-50,000.

Two further single stone diamond rings carry leading estimates. The first is a brilliant-cut diamond, weighing 3.10 carats, with a clarity grade of Flawless, set within in a platinum mount, and expected to fetch £13,000-15,000, whilst the second is an old cushion-shaped diamond, weighing 3.34 carats, in a claw setting between slightly tapered shoulders, estimated at £5,000-7,000.

An untreated Sri Lankan cushion-cut sapphire ring, the sapphire of 14.80 carats, set between baguette-cut diamond shoulders, is expected to fetch £6,000-8,000.

The coloured gemstone rings also include a late 19th century untreated Burmese ruby five stone ring, an untreated Sri Lankan purple sapphire and diamond ring, and two Colombian emerald rings.


Further highlights include a stylish Art Deco diamond bracelet, estimated at £6,000-8,000, and a jadeite jade bead necklace, comprising 77 graduated jadeite jade beads with an Art Deco diamond domed clasp, with a guide of £10,000-12,000.

Two historic pieces add further interest to the auction: the first, a highly decorative c.1820 two colour gold fine fob seal created for Rowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill of Hawkestone and of Hardwicke (1772-1842), a British general who was one of Wellington’s chief military lieutenants during the Peninsular War, including at the Battle of Waterloo. He replaced Wellington as general commander in chief when the Duke became prime minister in 1828.
The seal is inset with a carnelian intaglio engraved with an achievement of arms beneath a baron’s coronet, incorporating the collar chains of the Orders of the Bath and the Portuguese Tower and Sword. The estimate is £600-800.

An unusual Assyrian Revival gold hinged bangle, circa 1870, is expected to gain considerable interest - it is decorated throughout with raised Assyrian figures, the ‘Protective Spirits’, including the human headed winged lion and guardians – the ‘ugallu’ and the ‘urmahlilu’. The bangle is finely chased and applied to a textured ground, between beaded borders and estimated at £2,000-3,000.


The sale includes a good selection of early rings, mostly detectorist finds; firstly a 17th century seal ring, engraved with an elaborate family coast of arms depicting a square-topped shield containing a bend charged with three leopards’ heads between three fleur-de-lys, the ring inscribed verso with the initials ‘H.C.’ between pellets. It is possible the ring was the property of Humphrey Cockeram, who owned the Manor of Hillersdon in Cullompton, Devon, circa 1620, the find spot being 42 miles from the manor. The ring is estimated to fetch £8,000-12,000.
Also being offered is the Fontwell Ring: a rare late 12th century gold ring, inset with a rectangular domed amber coloured glass. It was discovered in Eartham, near Fontwell in West Sussex, in November 2019. The nearby 12th century church of St Margaret is first mentioned in 1157 when Bishop Hilary gave it to Richard, the chaplain of Chichester.

The shank is inscribed in Lombardic script to the exterior with what is thought to be a French motto: ‘si estre i pvis partir non avis valete’, which may translate as ‘thus to be and then to part is not worthy of [good] opinion’. An alternative, and perhaps more logical translation, is: ‘If we are parted, this has no value/is worthless.’ The estimate is £5,000-6,000.