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CURATED LUXURY LIFESTYLE FASHION ART and WELLNESS magazine NYC curating good vibes by BRIGITTE SEGURA

SHIRLEY TEMPLE blue diamond

History in blue:  Sotheby’s auction of Magnificent Jewels is coming up on April 19, and the auction will be led by by a 9.54-carat Fancy Deep Blue diamond ring owned by Shirley Temple throughout her life. The diamond ring was purchased by Temple’s father in early 1940, around the time of her 12th birthday as well as the premier of her film The Blue Bird.

Sotheby's Diamond Ring 2

The child star who lifted America’s spirits out of the Great Depression dedicated decades of service as an American diplomat (then Shirley Temple Black).  The film  in itself may have served as inspiration for purchasing a blue stone specifically, as colored diamonds were not as coveted at the time. The traditional cushion-cut stone remained in Shirley Temple’s collection until her passing in 2014, and it is offered this spring in its original Art Deco-inspired setting.

Shirley Temple - Everett Collection Photo

Temple’s father paid $7,210 for the ring in 1940. The 9.54-carat Fancy Deep Blue, Potentially Internally Flawless, VVS2 clarity diamond ring now comes to auction at Sotheby’s this April with an estimate of $25–35 million.

THE BLUE BIRD, US poster, bottom left from left: Johnny Russell, Shirley Temple, bottom right from l

Gary Schuler, Co-Chairman of Sotheby’s Jewelry, Americas, said: “It’s remarkable to have one stone illustrate the dramatic shift in attitude towards colored diamonds over the course of the last century. Today we recognize these stones as the definition of rarity, and they are eagerly sought-after in our current market for that very reason. The Shirley Temple Blue in particular has a traditional cushion cut that gives it a certain softness, charm and personality, and its saturated, Fancy Deep Blue color imbues it with a mesmerizing oceanic quality.”

Sotheby's Diamond Ring 4 fashiondailymag

Frank Everett, Sales Director of Sotheby’s Jewelry Department in New York, commented: “It’s a privileged occasion when we are entrusted with a stone of such exceptional quality and rarity. It’s rarer still that a stone would tell as compelling a story as The Shirley Temple Blue. Shirley Temple helped to lift America’s spirits out of the Great Depression, and served her country in many capacities throughout the remainder of her life. Her ring and its original Art Deco setting recall a time when she was nothing short of the biggest movie star in the world.”

Shirley Temple Black Sworn In 1969

Sotheby’s New York
Magnificent Jewels
Auction 19 April 2016
Exhibition in New York opens 15 April
Credit: Donald Bowers/Getty Images for Sotheby’s

The Shirley Temple Blue Diamond
A 9.54-carat Fancy Deep Blue, Potentially Internally Flawless, VVS2 clarity diamond ring
Estimate $25–35 million

photo credits:
Donald Bowers | Getty Images | Sotheby’s
Associated Press
©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection

(by courtesy)

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