Not everyone knows, but Joan Rivers was not only a famous actress of the comedic genre but also a glitzy fashionista and fashion critic. Rivers’s personal jewelry collection was full of eye-catching and even ostentatious pieces. It became a true representation of who she was.
Christie’s auctioned the famous comedian’s collection two years after her death, which fetched an astounding $2,495,000 and drew international attention. Only 13 of the total 295 pieces that were offered didn’t get sold.
Joan Rivers’s daughter Melissa described the occasion as a tribute to her mom’s legacy. “I’m so thrilled that the numerous pieces from her collection have found new homes.” The heartwarming support of Joan’s fans lives on, and the actress would surely appreciate it if she had been around long enough to see this occasion.
Photo courtesy of Christie’s
The jewelry ranged from black diamonds to antique brooches and served as a testament to her love for striking statements. In particular, one of the main attractions was a stunning black diamond ring with an oval rose-cut stone encircled by a triple halo of black and white gems. Over 169 round white diamonds weighing 1-1.5 carats and 28 black ones totaling roughly one-fourth of a carat complemented the center gem, which weighed from two to two and a half carats. The ring went up for $11,000, even though its estimated value was about two times lower.
Photo courtesy of Christie’s
Another unique item was a multi-gem “Prince of Wales” brooch that featured elements of the 14th-century heraldry. A red enamel banner, which read “ICH DIEN” in tiny diamonds, and three cabochon turquoise and pearl feathers were featured beneath a diamond crown. The piece was embellished with fifty-eight old-cut diamonds. Remarkably, the brooch fetched $10,600, which outperformed the predictions by over $3,000.
Photo courtesy of Christie’s
Another sophisticated piece was a choker necklace made of gold beads and seven citrine teardrops. Originally estimated at two thousand dollars, the piece earned almost five times as much, outperforming any expectations.
Other noteworthy pieces were two branded evening bags. One sold for $6,000 when the estimate was seven times lower, and the other sold for just as much when the estimate was only half a thousand dollars. Furthermore, an aquamarine necklace and earring set fetched $8,800 (compare that to an estimate of $3,550).
Photo courtesy of Christie’s
Finally, the most luxurious item in the sale was a jeweled, gold-mounted nephrite picture frame. Astonishingly, it went up for $245,000, more than four times its predicted value.
Interestingly, Rivers worked as a coordinator in fashion industry before she got famous as a comedian. The actress’s career took off after several notable performances in the middle of the 1960s. A couple of decades later, she was still interested in the field of fashion and made it as a commentator and a jewelry line manufacturer.
NBC’s Joan Rivers special will air on May 20, at 10 p.m. ET. It’s a touching tribute to a woman whose sparkling humor lit up the stage hundreds of times.
