Sotheby’s sales of Jewelry brought a successful two-day total of $25,306,100. The sale included property from three charitable foundations, which totaled $8,341,680 Property from the Herbert and Nell Singer Foundation ($4,955,720); Property Sold to Benefit a Charitable Foundation ($1,882,000); and Property from the Erich and Della Koenig Foundation ($1,503,960). All three collections sold well above their high estimates, and the Magnificent Jewels from the Singer collection were 100% sold.Four lots in the sale soared above the $1 million mark, including an important Emerald and Diamond Ring, Van Cleef & Arpels, 18.54 carats (lot 351; est. $700,000-$900,000), from the Singer Foundation collection, one of the finest emeralds ever to be offered at auction. It doubled its high estimate when it sold for $1,888,000 ($101,833 paid per carat). The extraordinary stone came close to setting a record price per carat for an emerald at auction, second only to the Emerald and Diamond Ring, 19.77 carats, in Sotheby’s sale of the Jewels of the Duchess of Windsor 20 years ago, which sold for $2,126,646 ($107,570 per carat), a record for an emerald at auction. The sale of the Jewels of the Duchess of Windsor is the most successful jewelry auction in history, and it totaled $50 million, which benefited the Pasteur Institute.“This was a classic American sale,” said Lisa Hubbard, Chairman of Sotheby’s Jewelry Department, “We had a spectacular offering of traditional jewelry from private American collections, which was highly sought after by both private collectors and the trade internationally. We were especially thrilled to see more than $8.3 million achieved for the three collections being sold to benefit charitable foundations, and to see these collections sell well above their high estimates.” Diamonds, including several fancy colored, fared very well throughout the sale. The top lot was a Fancy Intense Yellow Diamond Pendant Necklace, 74.95 carats (lot 352; est. $1.6–$2 million), which sold above estimate for $2,056,000. An Important Diamond Pendant Necklace, Reza, Paris (lot 363; est. $700,000-$1 million) sold to benefit a charitable foundation, fetched $1,552,000; and an important Diamond Ring, Van Cleef & Arpels, New York, 16.98 carats (lot 348; est. $900,000–$1 million) from the Singer collection also sold for $1,552,000. Two diamond rings from the collection of Mrs. Wendell Cherry also garnered spirited bidding: a Fancy Yellow Diamond Cocktail Ring, Verdura (lot 126; est. $180,000- $220,000), which nearly doubled its high estimate when it sold for $432,000; and a Diamond Ring, Verdura (lot 125; est. $175,000-$225,000), which fetched $336,000.Traditional gemstone jewelry also brought strong prices throughout the sale. A spectacular group of Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry, the Property of a Lady, included a pair of Ruby and Diamond Pendant-Earclips, Van Cleef & Arpels, Paris, circa 1960 (lot 250; est. $75,000-$100,000) which doubled their high estimate selling for $204,000. The rare pigeon-blood red Burmese rubies in these earclips are so desirable to collectors because of their rarity, depth of color and ability be worn with vintage jewelry featuring rubies of this color. A Pair of Emerald and Diamond Earclips, Van Cleef & Arpels, New York, 1971 (lot 349; est. $150,000-$200,000) also sold very well for $348,000.Complimenting this classic American jewelry sale, Sotheby’s will hold a sale of Noble Jewels in Geneva on May 17th, 2007, including jewels from noble families and of quintessential European style and taste. Highlighting the sale will be the Donnersmarck Diamonds, exceptional yellow diamonds weighing 82.48 and 102.54 carats, set in the traditional European style and each estimated at $ 1.5-2 million. The diamonds come from a European Princely Family.