New York – Just weeks after its record-breaking sale of The Annenberg Diamond for $240,000 per carat, or $7.7 million, Christie's New York is poised to present another rare find for collectors: the Evening Star Diamond, a pear-shaped 39 carat, D color diamond from a private collection. This exceptional gem comes from India's ancient Golconda mines, the source of many of the world's finest diamonds, including the celebrated Hope Diamond, and the historic Wittelsbach Diamond, which sold for $24.3 million at Christie’s London in 2008 – the highest price achieved for any jewel sold at auction. Estimated at $3,600,000-5,500,000, the Evening Star Diamond is the highlight of Magnificent Jewels from a Distinguished Private Collector, a single-owner sale of ten exceptional jewels. This special auction will immediately follow the larger New York Jewels Sale on December 10, and is expected to realize in excess of $10 million.

The name of the Evening Star Diamond derives from the owner's custom of wearing this sparkling gem to her most important evening events and galas. The diamond was often worn as a pendant suspended from a diamond necklace of 68 graduated pear-shaped diamonds (pictured below right). Offered as a separate item in the sale, this elegant diamond necklace mounted in platinum is estimated at $400,000-600,000. A matching pair of diamond ear pendants completes the set, with two pear- shaped D color diamonds of 10.21 and 10.51 carats, respectively (estimate: $1,700,000-2,500,000).

Both the Evening Star Diamond and the matching ear pendants are Type IIa diamonds - the most chemically pure type of diamond - and possess the exceptional optical clarity associated with Golconda diamonds. Located in eastern India, the Golconda diamond fields were an ancient source that traces its roots back to 400 B.C. Up until about 1725, when diamonds were discovered in Brazil, Golconda and a small mine in Borneo were the world's only sources of these precious gems. Universally esteemed as the world's finest diamonds, Golconda diamonds have a special whiteness often described as soft, watery, and pure, so that light appears to pass through the stone completely unimpeded.

Rahul Kadakia, Head of Jewelry for Christie’s New York, comments, “Amongst jewelers, Golconda gems are said to be ‘diamonds of the first water’, a reference to the water-clear transparency and soft luminescent quality that is their trademark. The Evening Star Diamond bears all of the traits that collectors value so highly in these superb diamonds. With its charming old-mine pear shape and exceptional color, clarity, and size, we have no doubt that collectors will revel in the opportunity to acquire this prized gem."

In addition to the Evening Star Diamond, this exceptional private collection includes a treasure trove of diamonds and color gemstones presented in a variety of unique designs. A classic Art Deco bracelet by Van Cleef & Arpels is set with five old-European-cut diamonds on a diamond foliate band (pictured at left; estimate: $100,000-150,000). An impressive diamond ring mounted in platinum features a 36.78 carat, rectangular-cut, D color, internally flawless diamond (estimate: $2,750,000-3,500,000). An important set of ruby and diamond jewels includes a ring set with an oval-cut ruby of 11.22 carats and a matched pair of ear clips, each set with an oval-cut ruby of 8.59 and 8.23 carats, respectively (estimate: $350,000-550,000).

Rounding out the collection is an array of uniquely-designed rings, including an unusual sculpted rose- gold and pavé-set diamond ring set with a heart-shaped fancy orange-brown diamond weighing 11.41 carats (estimate: $250,000-350,000). A second sculpted gold ring is designed with twin rectangular-cut yellow diamonds flanked by four trillion-cut diamonds (estimate: $150,000-250,000). A fine Burmese ruby diamond and gold ring of bombé design features a 3.39 carat ruby (estimate: $80,000-120,000), and a rare alexandrite and diamond ring features an oval-cut stone of approximately 3.6 carats that adopts a rich burgundy hue under incandescent light (estimate: $20,000-40,000).