Perfection in a necklace

The historically important Hutton-Mdi-vani jadeite necklace fashioned out of 27 beads reputedly from the Qing Dynasty's (1644-1911) imperial court sold at Sotheby's this week for HK$214 million ($27.44 million), over double the estimate of HK$100 million.

The draw of this piece, last owned by a private Asian collector, is not only its illustrious provenance that marries Western old-money and imperial China but also the involvement of Cartier, one of the greatest jewelers in the world. Also to consider is the rarity and magnificent size of the beads (19.2 to 15.4 mm) of a consistent, even luminous, green.

"This jadeite bead necklace with a storied past is the epitome of the mysterious and captivating beauty of jadeite, the most revered Oriental gemstone, and evokes the glamor of distinguished style icons of both China and the West at the turn of the last century. It stands as the most important piece of jadeite jewelry known to the world," says Quek Chin Yeow, deputy chairman and head of the jewelry department at Sotheby's Asia.