Sotheby’s & Adler Joailliers Unveil ‘The Blue Lagoon’

The Largest Top-Quality Paraiba Tourmaline
Ever to Come to Auction

The 93.94-carat Treasure of Nature is at the Heart of a Bespoke Necklace
estimated at 1.3 – 2.5 million CHF ($1.4-2.7 million)

One of the Star Highlights of Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels Sale in Geneva on November 8

Geneva, October 16 – This November, Sotheby’s will offer a unique masterpiece of high jewelry: a stunning necklace by Adler Joailliers, conceived and created expressly for The Blue Lagoon, the largest, top-quality Paraiba tourmaline ever to be offered at auction. At an outstanding 93.94 cts, this treasure of nature dazzles at the heart of the bespoke necklace to be offered as a star lot in the Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels sale in Geneva on 8 November (estimate 1.3 – 2.5 million CHF / 1.3-2.5 million USD). The auction sits within Sotheby’s Luxury Week, a twice-yearly seasonal series staged in Hong Kong, New York, and Geneva, offering the most extraordinary lots across jewelry, watches, handbags, accessories, and more.

First discovered in Brazil in the 1980s, Paraiba tourmalines have become one of the most highly sought-after gemstones in the world, frequently commanding prices that far surpass those paid for fine sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. Top-quality Paraiba tourmalines are distinguished by an extraordinary electric blue hue, but specimens possessing this distinctive color are typically small and possess a significant degree of internal imperfections. Here, the Blue Lagoon stands alone. Its impressive size, superlative clarity, and enchanting turquoise color — all achieved without the aid of heat treatment — recall the crystalline waters of a tropical paradise. To amplify the stones’ evocative nature, Adler has meticulously crafted a waterfall of shimmering round, marquise- and pear-shaped diamonds weighing over 76 carats. It is a design that is sophisticated in its simplicity, or what the family-owned firm calls “classic with a twist”. The Blue Lagoon necklace epitomizes Adler’s signature high jewelry, a mix of exquisite craftsmanship and purity of style. The Paraiba tourmaline is accompanied by a Bellerophon report brochure and an SSEF report, the latter with an appendix attesting to its exceptional size and quality. The necklace is additionally offered with the original sketch by Adler for its design and GIA reports for a selection of the diamonds.

A Mozambican Treasure

A natural tourmaline of such size and quality is exceedingly rare. This magnificent tourmaline, hailing from Mozambique, exhibits natural clarity and color, without heat modification. Cuprian (copper-bearing) tourmalines were first sourced in Brazil; the term “Paraiba” comes from the name of the area where the vividly colored tourmalines were first mined. More recently, Mozambique has emerged as the world’s most productive country for Cuprian tourmalines, including the “Paraiba” varieties, a term now applied to exclusively to the greenish-blue specimens of vivid to deep saturation, regardless of where they are mined. Over the past two decades, Mozambique has emerged as one of the leading sources of top[1]quality colored stones. On June 8, 2023, Sotheby’s New York sold the Estrela de FURA ruby for an astonishing USD 34.8 million. Weighing 55.22 carats, the stone presently holds the world record price for any ruby sold at auction.

About Adler

The Adler family is a tale of many cities. It began with the young Jacques Adler, who after finishing his goldsmithing apprenticeship in Vienna created a jewellery company in 1886 in Istanbul.

Jacques’ son Edouard joined the business in 1937 and from an early age, Jacques’ two grandsons, Franklin and Carlo were introduced to the exquisite intricacies of the goldsmith’s workshop.

In 1972, the third generation, Franklin and Carlo took a major step in the history of the business and moved to open a boutique in the jewelry capital of the world, Geneva.

Franklin’s wife, Leylâ, joined the business in 1980 to head the design team in Rome and Geneva and develop new markets. In 2015, Franklin, Carlo, and Leylâ transferred the reins of the family business to the next generation, Allen & Daisy.

Allen, who is the CEO, oversees business vision and strategy; Daisy, his wife, is the COO and is responsible for creation and operations. They share the family’s core values and seek to continue expanding the brand’s recognition.

About Sotheby’s

Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s premier destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s promotes access to and ownership of exceptional art and luxury objects through auctions and buy-now channels including private sales, e-commerce, and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by an industry-leading technology platform and a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 70 categories which include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits, and Design, as well as collectible cars and real estate. Sotheby’s believes in the transformative power of art and culture and is committed to making our industries more inclusive, sustainable, and collaborative.

*Estimates do not include the buyer’s premium or overhead premium. Prices achieved include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium and overhead premium and are net of any fees paid to the purchaser where the purchaser provided an irrevocable bid.