At AC Silver, we’re always keeping an eye on luxury auctions around the world and are thrilled to see one particularly famous gem return to auction this year. The Aga Khan Emerald is considered ‘one of the rarest treasures on Earth’ so let’s find out why…
Who was Nina Dyer?
Nina Dyer was an esteemed socialite and owner of this influential gemstone. Born in Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka) in 1930, she grew up with her Indian mother and wealthy British tea plantation owner, Stanley Dyer, before travelling to England as a teen with dreams of becoming an actress.
She quickly found work as a fashion model in London before becoming the favourite of Pierre Balmain, founder of leading fashion house Balmain. Her time spent in France enabled her to mingle with high society, eventually beginning an affair with billionaire Baron Hans Heinrich von Thyssen-Bornemisza (Heini), heir to the Thyssen industrial empire, in 1954.
Luxury Jewels and Exotic Pets
Nina Dyer accumulated a taste for the finer things in life during her affair and eventual marriage to Heini. Though the marriage was short lived, she received lavish gifts including the famous Blue Heart Diamond, a 30.62ct heart shaped blue diamond. She was also gifted not one but two real black panthers, rumoured to do considerable damage to many of the hotel rooms she occupied during her lifetime.
It’s largely reported that she travelled with these ‘pets’ everywhere she went, and were very much her pride and joy. Much of her free time were spent caring for them or adding to her vast panther jewellery collection.
The Aga Khan Emerald
The couple divorced two years later, and within a year the socialite had met Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, son of Aga Khan III (Sultan Mahomed Shah), the hereditary Imam of the Ismaili sect of Shi’ism. Nina firmly denied gold digger allegations and took the name Princess Nina Aga Khan.
Throughout their marriage the prince lavished her with luxurious gifts, including sports cars and renowned gemstone jewellery by the likes of Cartier, Mappin & Webb and Harry Winston. Her jewellery collection was widely remarked, though the Aga Khan Emerald brooch was the real showstopper. The vintage brooch was commissioned by the Prince from Cartier shortly after their marriage and featured a stunning 37 carat square cut emerald surrounded by just over 12 carats of marquise cut diamonds.
The combination of such a large emerald with such even a colour and high level of clarity makes this piece of vintage emerald jewellery exceptionally rare. With the original Cartier setting, the brooch is a jewel to be admired and a famous piece of vintage emerald jewellery.
Christie’s Magnificent Jewels
Following Nina’s death in 1965, her jewellery collection was sold at Christie’s inaugural Magnificent Jewels sale in Geneva, 1969, having just opened their doors 6 months earlier. Many newspapers from the time detail how the ‘world’s richest people’ packed themselves into the ballroom of the Geneva Hotel Richmond for the sale.
Her collection of various panther themed jewels, largely crafted by Cartier and stand out pieces commanded the room. Another noticeable piece was a three-strand black pearl necklace. To this day, Christie’s states ‘no black pearl necklace of equal importance has come under the hammer’ prior to the sale nor after.
The Aga Khan brooch sold to jewellery house Van Cleef & Arpels for $75,000 which today would be worth more like $600,000. It has since the passed through the hands of both Van Cleef & Arpels and Harry Winston and is now set to return once again to Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction! We are sure the next custodian will be overjoyed with their purchase! If Nina Dyer’s collection inspires you, explore our 1950s jewellery collection to find your own touch of glamour.
