Perhaps the most valuable private collection of emeralds is set to go on the auction block and it just got better with a rare pair of "cat's eye" emeralds.
The sale of the Marcial de Gomar Collection of rare emeralds will be held at the Americas Society at 680 Park Ave. with online bidding at www.liveauctioneers.com. Guernsey’s auction house of New York will host the sale, which will be held April 25 at 7 p.m.
The Marcial de Gomar Collection includes more than 20 loose cut and rough emeralds, 13 pieces of emerald jewelry, and a selection of rare gold and silver coins. The collection belongs to Manuel Marcial de Gomar, who has more than 50 years in the emerald business, spanning from the legendary Muzo mines of Colombia to the U.S. retail market. His knowledge of rare emeralds has placed him in demand as an author, lecturer and consultant. While his family continues their involvement with these gems through the Marcial de Gomar Emeralds International retail and wholesale business in Key West, Fla., it is Mr. Marcial's lifelong personal collection that is being sold.
Featured lots include the following:
The 887-carat “La Gloria,” the fourth largest known rough Colombian emerald from the Muzo mine. Its estimate is $3 million - $5 million.
The newest addition to the auction is a matched pair of emeralds featuring the extremely rare cat’s eye emeralds, with a total weight of 74.52 carats. They were cut from a single 370-carat trapiche emerald (an emerald with rare six point radial pattern) and are believed to be the largest matched pair of Colombian cat’s eye emeralds in the world. Their combined estimate is nearly $2 million.
Perhaps the most important piece in the collection is the Marcial de Gomar Star, the largest of only 11 star emeralds known to exist and perhaps the first of its kind as a double-sided star emerald, according to the auction house. Its estimate is $2 million - $3 million.
With a combined weight of 95.51 carats, the Tears of Fura is an extremely large and well-matched pair of fine teardrop shaped Colombian emeralds from Muzo mines. They have a combined estimate of $3 million - $4 million.
The Corona de Muzo necklace, centered with a 24.34-carat emerald from the famed shipwreck, the Nuestra Senora de Atocha. The gem is set in a 22k and 18k gold with crown details, featuring additional baguette and round cut diamonds and round cut emeralds. Its estimate is $5 million - $6 million.
Treasure hunter Mel Fisher selected Mr. Marcial to be the independent appraiser of all emeralds recovered from the Atocha. As payment he received a selection of emeralds from the world-famous wreck. A number of gold coins from the 1715 Fleet shipwreck are also part of the sale.
The entire collection will be presented to the public for the first time at the auction.
Viewings will be held April 23, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.; April 24, Noon – 7 p.m.; and April 25, Noon – 7 p.m.
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