A FINE PAIR OF DIAMOND PENDENT EARCLIPS, BY HARRY WINSTON

Each surmount set with a cluster of pear and marquise-shaped diamonds, suspending a pear-shaped diamond drop weighing approximately...

A FINE PAIR OF DIAMOND PENDENT EARCLIPS, BY HARRY WINSTON

Each surmount set with a cluster of pear and marquise-shaped diamonds, suspending a pear-shaped diamond drop weighing approximately 0.80ct, mounted in platinum, remaining diamonds approximately 4.00cts total, with maker's marks 'HW', numbered, with maker's case, length 2.7cm

 

Born to Ukrainian parents who had immigrated to New York, Harry Winston worked as a young boy in his fathers jewellery shop. He had a keen eye even then and apparently recognised a two-carat emerald in a pawn shop. He bought the stone for 25 cents and sold it on a couple of days later for $800!

He began to build his business during the 1920s, eventually founding the House of Harry Winston in New York City in 1932. He acquired a number of prestigious collections, re-designing old fashioned pieces into more contemporary pieces which he then sold to wealthy society ladies who helped to promote his reputation. Known as The King of Diamonds, Winston was not only a clever business man with a good eye but also a very accomplished gemmologist. His early career was littered with the highly publicised purchase of important large uncut rough diamonds, namely the Jonker, a 726-carat uncut rough diamond which Winston had delivered via registered post and the Vargas, which he personally tracked down on a trip which took him first to Brazil and then to Antwerp. These stones were then cut down into wearable jewels by Winston and his designers.

By the 1940s, they had come to pioneer the technique of clustering diamonds and gemstones in such a way that the individual stone could dictate the design of the piece. Unrestricted by the confines of the setting, the stones could be displayed at their most brilliant. Since then, this iconic Winston Cluster design has been maintained throughout the Houses history and appears even today in the present lot.

Also known as The Jeweller to the Stars, Harry Winston set a trend in 1944 when he dressed Jennifer Jones with diamonds for the Oscars. She went on to win the Oscar for Best Actress in the movie The Song of Bernadette. His jewels also featured in the 1967 film The Graduate and in the more modern-day How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days (2003).

Harry Winston died in 1978 and today the company is run by his son Ronald. The glittering image continues to sparkle however and red carpet appearances are plentiful with big names such as Madonna, Helen Mirren, Jessica Alba, Amal Clooney, Jennifer Lopez and Natalie Portman.

 

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