‘The Dubai Sale’, the most significant offering of natural pearls to appear on the market for decades highlights Christie’s third sale of jewels and watches at 6.30 PM on 29 April 2008. The sale features a selection of 178 rare and important gemstones, jewellery and watches as well as examples of contemporary design and is expected to realize in excess of USD $ 20.0 million.
Among the precious items on offer is an antique nine-row pearl necklace with multi-coloured enamel and white stoned details created in 1880 and consisting of 1,888 pearls and expected to sell for as much as USD $ 120,000. The necklace was a gift to legendary Arab singer Umm Kulthum by HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahayan, the late President of the UAE.