The present lot comes from the esteemed collection of Richard and Ellen Levine. Ellen Levine made her way to the top of the magazine publishing industry, becoming the first female editor in chief for Good Housekeeping and helping to found O, The Oprah Magazine, before taking a role as the editorial director of Hearst Magazines. Levine recognized her audience and was an outspoken advocate for women’s health. Further, Levine evoked positive change when she was appointed to the President’s commission on pornography in 1985 and in 1999, she was honored for a special report she wrote on colon cancer.
Her husband, Richard Levine was a top OBGYN in New York and renowned in his field for innovative and minimally invasive surgical techniques. He was a mentor and professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University teaching generations of doctors to provide thoughtful and caring treatments. Together, the two were a New York City power couple.
The jewelry offered here reflects Ellen’s fabulous sense of style and her no-nonsense attitude. Her collection features fine jewelry suited for everyday wear including earrings by Schlumberger, Cartier, Bulgari and Tiffany & Co. and brooches which she would pin to the center of her shirts or to the lapel of her jackets. A few evening pieces such as the pair of Buccellati diamond and silver earrings accent her collection and compliment her often admired hair.
Gübelin’s humble beginnings trace back to 1854. Since then, their use of high-quality gemstones, diamonds, and fastidiousness has gained them a loyal following. It started when Mauritz Breitschmid opened a little watchmaker’s shop on the Pfistergasse in Lucerne, Switzerland. Eduard Jakob Gübelin (born in 1861) later apprenticed under Breitschmid, and in 1886 he married Breitschmid’s daughter, Bertha Sophia. That same year Gübelin and Breitschmid became business partners. As their fine work was appreciated, they moved to various locations throughout the city, until they settled on the Lucerne, Swiss boutique that is still used today.
Beyond their superb knowledge regarding horology, the House of Gübelin also developed a name for themselves in the jewelry industry. In the 1920s the firm founded a jewelry specific atelier and a gemological laboratory ensuring their jewelers only used authentic diamonds and gemstones. Their reputation soon spread across the globe.
Today, Gübelin is run by sixth generation Raphael Gübelin and his wife Wilvy Sy Gübelin. The business has expanded exponentially in 165 years with seven locations in Switzerland, a boutique and extension of their gem lab in Hong Kong, a gem lab in New York City, and e-boutiques accessible worldwide.
Absolute authenticity remains at the core of Gübelin’s identity; they want every customer to know that their expert and highly trained gemologists have meticulously analyzed all gemstones, providing them with only the most luxurious pieces.
Auction Results Gübelin
