Following the historic sale in Dubai last year of Umm Kulthum’s pearl necklace for Dh5.1 million ($1.4 million), Christie’s will auction some of her personal jewels at its Jewels and Watches sale on April 28.

The sale will also include rare coloured gemstones and exquisite natural pearls alongside watches by Patek Philippe, Breguet, Cartier and Rolex.

It will be followed by Christie’s auction of International Modern and Contemporary Art to be held on April 29.

Both sales are sponsored by Credit Suisse, one of the leading global providers of financial products and services in Private Banking, Investment Banking, and Asset Management.

Umm Kulthum, the greatest Arab singer of the 20th century, was known as ‘The Shining Star of the Middle East’ (Kawab El Sharq).

The sale will include four items from her jewellery collection, the highlight of which is an emerald, diamond and pearl set comprising a brooch, a bracelet and a pair of ear pendants, estimated at $40,000– 60,000.

Also included is an impressive Indian multi-strand pearl and turquoise necklace, the front designed as a stylised peacock, which is estimated at $15,000–25,000, a cultured pearl and paste ‘festoon’ brooch which was a gift from the late Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi (1919-1980) to Umm Kulthum on the occasion of his wedding to Princess Fawzia, the sister of King Farouk, the late King of Egypt (estimate: $3,000-5,000) and a lady’s cultured pearl and diamond wristwatch (estimate: $4,000–6,000).

“We are delighted to have been entrusted with this rare group of jewels from Umm Kulthum and, as always in our Dubai sales, we have sought to offer some exquisite pieces of jewellery and fine watches,” said David Warren, director of Jewellery, Middle East.-TradeArabia News Service