Auction an "outer space" experience

Two large diamond rings – one 5.5 carats and the other 5.09 carats – are major highlights of Mossgreen’s forthcoming Fine Jewels & Watches sale from 6pm Tuesday August 30 at 926-930 High Street, Armadale.

Both are accompanied by GIA Diamond Grading Reports denoting their colour and clarity and carry respective catalogue estimates of $80,000-$120,000 and $80,000-$90,000.

The auction is notable for several fine pieces including a 1970s diamond bracelet (estimate $32,000-$38,000) and a collection of mid-Victorian 18-carat gold, diamond and emerald jewellery.

Among this set is an 1860s emerald and diamond bracelet, a gold and topaz collar, a pair of gold earrings and an 1850s aquamarine (90 carats) brooch.

There are plenty of affordable jewellery items on offer carrying estimates in the hundreds and low thousands of dollars range.

Typical of the affordable offerings is a multi-coloured sapphire necklace and a pair of tourmaline and diamond drop earrings each set with oval rubelites weighing 3.0 carats.

A gentleman’s Omega stainless steel MIR Space Station Speedmaster wristwatch with an intriguing history is among watches bound to interest collectors.

The watch is part of a very limited edition release an one of 35 that spent 12 months aboard Space Station MIR between July 1993 and July 1994.

Each watch was transported aboard the Soyuz-TM launch rocket, with each certificate witnessed by the mission’s crew.

Twenty-eight of the original 35 watches were offered for sale in 1995 and this one purchased in May 2007 from Christies Hong Kong.

Another of the watches on offer is a gentleman’s early 1970s diamond Piaget with a catalogue estimate of $16,000-$20,000.