Rare emerald jewel gifted to British model Nina Dyer by wealthy Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan goes up for auction

The rare piece, formerly owned by the French-born statesman and activist Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan who gifted it to his beautiful wife, will be sold 55 years after its debut at auction on 12th November. Adorned with a 37-carat emerald and framed by a row of diamonds, the brooch was commissioned by Prince Sadruddin at Cartier Paris in 1960.

Shortly after he gifted it to his esteemed socialite wife Nina Dyer. Dyer was born in Ceylon in February 1930 to an Indian mother, and her father was the wealthy British tea plantation owner, Stanley Dyer.

Having spent much of her childhood in Ceylon, she travelled to England as a teenager, where she dreamed of becoming an actress. She married Prince Sadruddin in 1957, and converted to Islam, taking the name Shirin, meaning 'sweetness'.

The couple separated after only three years of marriage. Afterwards, Nina reportedly suffered from depression and died in 1965 after overdosing on sleeping pills.

After her death, the piece was auctioned off at Christie's for USD 75,000 (GBP 57,791), at the house's inaugural Magnificent Jewellery sale at Hotel Richemond in Geneva, on 1st May 1969. The current sale will highlight Christie's 55-year-long jewellery auction track record in Switzerland, the auction house said.

The pendant will be offered for sale with an estimated price of up to USD 8 million (GBP 6.1 million). Christie's Head of Jewellery Europe Max Fawcett said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: "The emerald brooch is not just a piece of jewellery; it carries with it the stories and charm of a bygone era.

"We are thrilled to present it once again, not only because of its history but also due to the increased interest in coloured stones the market has witnessed in recent years. This 37-carat Colombian emerald shows no indications of clarity modification and is accompanied by an SSEF report stating the exceptional quality and rarity of the stone. We believe it will attract a high level of interest from clients globally."

Chairman Christie's EMEA Francois Curiel said: "Seeing Nina Dyer's emerald for the first time as a young man ignited a passion for perfection within me that has guided my 50-plus year career with Christie's. The exquisite craftsmanship by two of the most famous jewellery houses, Cartier and Harry Winston, combined with the beauty of an impressive natural stone, shows the enduring inspiration such objects have."

Story: NewsX