Gina Lollobrigida’s Natural Pearl Ear Pendants Breaks Elizabeth Taylor’s Auction Record, Sells for $2.4 Million

Gina Lollobrigida wearing the diamond necklace/bracelet combination, Bulgari, 1954, as a tiara and the record-breaking natural pearl and diamond pendant earrings.

Jewels belonging to movie legend Gina Lollobrigida sold at Sotheby’s Geneva Tuesday for more than $4.9 million (including buyers’ premium), smashing the high estimate of $3.2 million.

The star of evening was a pair of natural pearl and diamond pendant earrings, believed to have been owned by the House of Habsburg, which sold for nearly $2.4 million—an an auction record for a pair of natural pearl ear pendants, beating the figure set by Elizabeth Taylor’s pearl earrings in 2011. Lollobrigida wore those earrings on numerous landmark occasions in her career.

Buyers from around the world also clamored for seminal pieces from the 1950s and 1960s by Bulgari, the auction house said. Lollobrigida is donating her proceeds from the sale to benefit stem cell research. Among the highlights:

* A diamond necklace/bracelet combination, Bulgari, 1954, which realized $783,851, well above the $500,000 high estimate. The necklace was identified by Daniela Mascetti as one of Bulgari’s most important creations in her book Bulgari. Lollobrigida was seen wearing this jewel on key moments in her professional and personal life, including when she received her 1961 Golden Globe for World Film Favorite – Female.

* A diamond ring set with a cushion-shaped diamond weighing 19.03 carats, Bulgari, 1962, which brought $783,851.

* A pair of emerald and diamond earclips, Bulgari, 1964, which sold for $306,633.

* An emerald and diamond ring, Bulgari, 1964, set with a step-cut emerald weighing 16.62 carats which fetched $181,050.

View Gina Lollobrigida’s jewels in the Sotheby’s Geneva auction.

Speaking after the sale, Lollobrigida said: “Jewels are meant to give pleasure and for many years I had enormous pleasure wearing mine. Many people tried to persuade me to sell them, but for a very long time I was unwilling. What changed was seeing a little girl called Sofia suffering from a disorder, which could only be helped by stem cell treatment—treatment which she is unable to receive in Italy. Selling my jewels to help raise awareness of stem cell therapy, which can cure so many illnesses, seems to me a wonderful use to which to put them. It is my hope that the Italian parliament will approve this ground-breaking treatment, so that children and adults in Italy should have free access to it without having to travel abroad at great expense. It now gives me great pleasure to see that these jewels will create a legacy which will live on after me and continue to do good.”

Lollobrigida’s collection was the centerpiece of Sotheby’s Magnificent and Noble Jewels sale Tuesday, which saw nearly 650 lots selling for a combined total of $78.2 million. 

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A Look at Gina Lollobrigida’s Bulgari Jewels

Natural pearl and diamond pendants, Bulgari, 1964, worn by Lollobrigida when she met Princess Margaret at The Taming of the Shrew premiere in London in 1967. Estimate: $600,000 - $1 million

Throughout her long and varied career as an actress, artist and humanitarian, one thing remained a constant in Gina Lollobrigida’s life: Her relationship with Italian luxury jewelry house, Bulgari.

19.03-ct. diamond ring, Bulgari, 1962; Estimate: $400,000 - $800,000

As previously reported, Lollobrigida is selling 23 pieces of jewelry from her Bulgari collection at Sotheby’s Geneva on May 14. Those who have followed the 85-year-old actress’ career, particularly during her height of international popularity in the 1950s and ‘60s, will recognize the items as they were all worn by her during special moments in her life.

Diamond necklace/bracelet combination, Bulgari, 1954, worn by the actress as a tiara during her 1961 Golden Globe for World Film Favorite – Female. Estimate: $300,000 - $500,000

The pictures that accompany this article are some of the highlights of the upcoming sale. Proceeds from the sale will benefit stem cell research, which she describes as a “very close cause to my heart.”

27.57-ct. emerald and diamond brooch, Bulgari, 1964; Estimate: $150,000 - $250,000.

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Emerald and diamond pendent ear clips, Bulgari, 1964. Surmounts are detachable and may be worn with the natural pearl and diamond pendants. Estimate: $150,000 - $250,000

Emerald and diamond ring, Bulgari, 1964. Set with a step-cut emerald weighing 16.62 carats and framed by two rows of brilliant-cut diamonds. Estimate: $120,000 - $180,000

Film Star Gina Lollobrigida To Auction Her Bulgari Jewels For Charity

Gina Lollobrigida wearing the Bulgari diamond necklace and bracelet combination as a tiara & the pair of emerald and diamond earclips. The items are included in the auction at Sotheby's Geneva.

Actress and sex symbol, Gina Lollobrigida, will sell 23 jewels from her Bulgari collection at Sotheby’s Geneva Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels Sale on May 14. The auction will feature important Bulgari jewels from the 1950s and 1960s, worn by Lollobrigida at landmark moments in her career. Proceeds from the sale will benefit stem cell research.

Key pieces from the collection will travel to Hong Kong, London, New York and Rome before returning for exhibition in Geneva in advance of the sale.

“I have been lucky enough to be given many roles in life – as an actor, a mother, a photojournalist, an ambassador for FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), and as an artist,” Lollobrigida said. “I began collecting jewels from Bulgari in the 1950s and 1960s, drawn by the wonderful craftsmanship and distinctive style of these pieces. They accompanied me on many journeys—both professional and personal—and are redolent of those times and the extraordinary people I met along the way.”

She continued, “I have decided the time is right to share them with other collectors. In so doing, I can also help a cause very close to my heart, that of stem cell research – treatment, which I believe should be freely available to every child. It is my wish that part of the proceeds from the sale will contribute to help fund an international hospital for stem cell research.”

David Bennett, Sotheby’s Switzerland and jewelry, Europe and Middle East chairman, added: “These exceptional jewels are evocative of both a woman, and an era. Not only do they reflect Gina Lollobrigida’s brilliance, but they are among the finest designs created by Bulgari in the “dolce vita” years of the 1950s and 1960s.”

Highlights from the sale include:

* Diamond necklace and bracelet combination, Bulgari, 1954, (also worn by Miss Lollobrigida as a tiara) a favorite of Lollobrigida on landmark occasions, including receiving her 1961 Golden Globe for World Film Favorite – Female (estimate, $300,000 - $500,000).

* Pair of natural pearl and diamond pendants, Bulgari, 1964, worn by Lollobrigida on numerous public occasions, including to meet Princess Margaret at The Taming of the Shrew premiere in London in 1967 (estimate, $600,000 - $1 million).

* Diamond ring set with a cushion-shaped diamond weighing 19.03 carats, Bulgari, 1962 (estimate, $400,000-800,000).

* Emerald and diamond earclips, Bulgari, 1964. Each earclip suspends a detachable pendant set to the center with a pear-shaped emerald (estimate $150,000 - $250,000).

* Emerald and diamond brooch set to the center with a step-cut emerald weighing 27.57 carats (estimate, $150,000 - $250,000).

* Emerald and diamond ring, Bulgari, 1964, set with a step-cut emerald weighing 16.62 carats, framed by two rows of brilliant-cut diamonds (estimate $120,000 - $180,000).

For her commitment to various humanitarian organizations, she was nominated first Ambassadress for the FAO in 1999 and has worked closely with UNICEF, UNESCO, Médecins Sans Frontières, Mother Theresa of Calcutta and children in Romania.

In 2007, she received the honor from the Republic of San Marino of becoming the only woman to be featured in a special edition of four postal stamps bearing her portrait – each depicting a different facet of her career – as actor, photographer, sculptor and humanitarian. In 2008, in Washington, the Italian-American Foundation NIAF awarded her the “Lifetime Achievement Award” in recognition of her artistic life.

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