Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was, without question, one of the great
icons of the twentieth century. Wed to both an American president
and a Greek shipping magnate, she was also a mother, a book editor,
and a patron of the arts who spearheaded the fight to save New York
City’s Grand Central Station. A notoriously private person, she
inspired a veritable industry of gossip partly, I suspect, because
she handled whatever life threw at her with such incredible grace.
Whether or not it was deliberate on her part, the more she
concealed, the more of a hold she seemed to have over the public
imagination. So in April of 1996, when Sotheby’s held a three-day
auction of her estate, the response was phenomenal. It was estimated
that 40,000 people came to the presale viewings and between 74,000
and 100,000 copies of the auction catalog were sold. (The proceeds
from the catalog went to charity.) Everyone wanted a bit of Jackie,
and this was their chance to actually buy it.
I recently found one
of these catalogs in my local second-hand bookstore. Being an
admitted “gem freak,” I went straight for the jewelry section, which
takes up 329 of the catalog’s 584 pages. Actually, there are two
jewelry sections, one for her fine jewels and one for what Sotheby’s
terms her “fashion jewelry.” What is undeniable about Jacqueline
Kennedy Onassis is that she had an impeccable sense of style that
seemed both effortless and elegant. Every outfit looked exactly
right and each one was accented by the perfect piece of jewelry. She
never wore too much or too little, and nearly everything she wore
seemed to become an instant classic. Catalogs for estate sales are a
voyeur’s delight, a way of defining someone’s character by their
possessions. Of course, this is an unreliable way to try to
understand anyone, and yet the clues that fill the Sotheby’s catalog
are tantalizing: photographs of Jackie wearing these pieces, often
with someone famous in the shot; captions noting the designer or the
person who gave her the piece. But mostly, the notes on the jewelry
just describe the piece and let the reader fill in the history
behind it. And you can’t help wondering: Did she choose this piece
herself or was it given to her? Did she actually love that necklace
or did she wear it because the ambassador of some country gave it to
her and she was having dinner with him that night? It’s not only her
own taste reflected in these pieces but a lifetime of international
travel and celebrity.
On another level, the catalog is a fascinating reflection of the way
we give things value. Auction houses traditionally low-ball their
estimated prices to encourage bidding, and Sotheby’s was no
exception. Most of Mrs. Onassis’ jewelry was assigned rather modest
prices. (Keep in mind that the price of gold was far lower in 1996,
just over $400 an ounce.) Still, pieces with an estimated worth of a
few thousand dollars routinely sold for ten or even twenty times
that amount. One item not even pictured in the catalog was a strand
of 33 amber worry beads, its gold link engraved “Jackie.” Estimated
at $200-$300, it sold for $21,850. Another seemingly affordable item
was a pair of “reverse-tinted crystal intaglio fox cufflinks.” These
round cufflinks, each featuring the image of a little fox, were
estimated at $300-$400. They sold for $17,250, probably because it
was easy to imagine Jackie using them to fasten her cuffs before
setting off on a hunt. The introduction to the catalog, penned by
Caroline and John Kennedy, describes the pieces in the auction as
things that Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis “cared about,” which is the
key to what made these pieces so valuable. They represented a chance
to own a piece of history. Or perhaps the auction was simply an
extension of the ancient belief that jewelry somehow retains the
spirit of its owner: Wear a piece of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’
jewelry, and you have a chance to share in some of her glamour,
beauty, and endless mystique.
In our next part you’ll find a small sampling of the jewels that
were sold at the auction. All prices—both estimated and the actual
sale price—come from the Sotheby’s catalog,
The Estate of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: April 23-26, 1996. All
prices are in U.S. dollars.
The Fine Jewels.
As you might expect, Mrs. Onassis owned pieces designed by the
pre-eminent jewelers of the twentieth century. Van Cleef & Arpels of
France seems to have been one of her favorites. Among the many Van
Cleef & Arpels pieces are a pair of gold earclips designed to look
like tiny Chinese masks. With an estimated worth of $600-$800, they
sold for $23,000. Van Cleef & Arpels also designed the whimsical
18-karat gold scarecrow brooch. The tiny figure, whose head is a
dyed green chalcedony cabochon, wears a top hat and scarf and is
decorated with rubies, sapphires, and diamonds. Estimated at
$1,200-$1,500, the scarecrow sold for $101,500.
An unusual pair of
hammered gold cuff bangle bracelets also came from Van Cleef &
Arpels. There’s a fabulous photo of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
wearing them as she clasps hands with Muhammad Ali. With an
estimated worth of $1,500-$2,000, the gold bracelets sold for
$167,500. There are also several pieces by the American jewelry
designer David Webb whose bold designs were collected by socialites
and celebrities, including Elizabeth Taylor, Doris Duke, Gloria
Vanderbilt, the Duchess of Windsor, Diana Vreeland, Nan Kempner, and
Jackie’s sister, Lee Radziwell. Jackie not only had a long 18-karat
gold Webb chain necklace, but 18-karat gold and green enamel
earclips signed by Webb, which were estimated at $2,000-$3000 and
sold for $23,000. Wearing charm bracelets is a custom that may go as
far back as the ancient Egyptians who wore amulets for protection
and luck. Queen Victoria is credited with making charm bracelets
popular in the Europe, and after World War II, there was revival of
interest in them when soldiers brought home handmade trinkets for
their wives and girl friends. The idea was that each charm was
connected with a memory or an event. The catalog gives no hint of
whether Jackie’s charms were connected with events in her life, but
the bracelet had so many charms--25 in all—that they hung from both
top and bottom of the connecting gold links. Sotheby’s describes
them as being made of gold, enamels, glass, and hardstones. Among
them are a watering can, a golden fish with a turquoise eye, a
heart-shaped padlock, a slipper, a number of fruits, a tiny cowrie
shell framed in gold scrollwork, a scimitar, and a hand with a fist
(which I believe is a Figa, a Brazillian good luck charm).
Sotheby’s appraised
the bracelet as being worth $1,500 to $2,000. It sold for $68,500.
One style from the Classical and Hellenistic periods that has
remained popular is animal head” jewelry--bracelets and rings where
one or both ends are in the shape of an animal head. Mrs. Onassis
had quite a few pieces in the Classical Revival style, including a
gorgeous pair of gold “antelope head” bangles, set with tiny rubies
and sapphires. With an estimated value of $2,000-$3,000, they sold
for $28,750. One of the more spectacular pieces—and there are
many—is an emerald and diamond pendant-brooch and chain necklace.
(This means the pendant could also be worn as a brooch, and there’s
a 1992 photo of Jacqueline Onassis wearing it as a brooch as she
stood beside Rudolph Nureyev at a benefit for the American Ballet
Theater.) The brooch itself is described as lozenge-shaped with a
dark green emerald-cut emerald (approximately 18.00 karats) in the
center, surrounded by approximately 9.00 karats of diamonds. Even
the
chain for the pendant is gorgeous—each delicate rectangular gold
link is connected by two emeralds and a diamond. Appraised at
$10,000-$12,000, this piece sold for $74,000.
No one can ever really know what goes on inside another person’s
marriage. However, one thing that can be said about Jackie’s second
marriage is that Aristotle Onassis gave her the equivalent of a
royal dowry in jewels. There was a bracelet that he gave her for
Easter, tiny 18-karat gold eggs set with diamonds, emeralds, rubies,
and sapphires. The diamonds alone weighed approximately 15.00
karats, with another 13.00 karats in colored stones. Sotheby’s
estimated the bracelet’s value at $15,000-$20,000; it was sold for
$96,000.
As one of her engagement presents, Mr. Onassis gave her another
jaw-dropping trinket from Van Cleef & Arpels, an emerald and diamond
necklace, which probably has to be seen to be believed. Each of the
five pear-shaped emerald drops (totaling approximately 132.00
karats) are capped by gold and diamonds, and then each of these
drops is attached to a gold-flower set with diamonds. Valued at
$100,000-$125,000, it sold for $277,500. Presumably to go with this
necklace, he also gave her (as a Christmas present) a Van Cleef &
Arpels ring, featuring a huge cabochon emerald, weighing 61.17
karats, surround by diamonds. With an estimated worth of
$10,000-$15,000, it sold for $85,000. Jackie’s actual engagement
ring from Mr. Onassis was the Lesotho III Diamond from Harry
Winston. A marquis-shaped “potentially flawless” diamond (40.42
karats) with an estimated worth of $500,000-$600,000, it sold for
$2,587,500. Aristotle Onassis also gave her many lavish wedding
presents, including a Van Cleef & Arpels ruby and diamond ring. The
oval faceted ruby weighed 17.68 carats and was surrounded by round
diamonds. Estimated at $20,000-$30,000, it sold for $288,500.
Another extravagant wedding present from Onassis consisted of a pair
of Van Cleef & Arpels ruby and diamond earclips. The diamonds were
set in gold flowers, and hanging from each flower, edged by
diamonds, was a gorgeous pear-shaped ruby cabochon. Valued at
$25,000-$35,000, the earrings sold for $360,000. One of her most
spectacular wedding gifts, also from Van Cleef & Arpels—did the man
buy out the store?—was what Sotheby’s describes as a “cabochon
colored stone and diamond-pendant necklace.” The pendant features a
heart-shaped ruby cabochon with a border of emerald cabs and
diamonds, topped by a cabochon sapphire. The necklace itself is
every bit as stunning as its pendant. Each link features a cabochon
ruby, sapphire, or emerald surrounded by diamonds, so that each link
of the necklace looks like a jeweled flower. Valued at
$75,000-$100,000, it sold for $288,500. I imagine many people go
through auction catalogs and think, “If I could just buy one thing .
. . ” For me, the unspoken rule in this game of Jewelry Lust is that
the item has to be something I would actually wear. Truthfully, I
couldn’t picture myself in some of the more extravagant pieces, but
there was one pair of earrings I couldn’t help coveting. Given to
Jackie by Artemis Garofalides, Aristotle Onassis’ sister, they were
deep-red faceted tourmaline briolettes hanging from amethysts set in
matte 18-karat gold. Estimated at a modest $800-$1,000, they sold
for $34,500.
Another piece whose beauty and simplicity fascinated me was a ring
that dating from the 19th century—a heart-shaped garnet carbuncle
surrounded by old-mine diamonds. (Carbuncle was term popular in
Victorian times to describe a cabochon-cut almandine
garnet.) The
ring’s estimated worth was $1,200-$1,500. It sold for $33,350. And
if, like me, you love the luscious deep red and purple stones, there
was stunning necklace of graduated, smooth pear-shaped amethyst
drops, spaced with gold beads and gold roundelles, the sort of thing
I imagine a goddess might wear. Estimated at $1,500-$2,000, it sold
for $57,500. One of the loveliest pieces in the catalog—and one that
stands quite alone in its poignancy-- is a kunzite and diamond ring,
which President Kennedy bought for his wife but never gave her. The
pink faceted kunzite is a cushion-shaped stone, with a weight of
approximately 47.00 karats, surrounded by twenty round diamonds and
set in 18-karat gold. Clear, sparkling, and extraordinary, it seems
to be a reflection of the woman herself. The ring’s estimated worth
was $6,000-$8,000. It sold for $415,000.
The Fashion Jewelry
Not everyone realizes that while Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis owned
and wore some of the finest gems in the world, she was also a great
fan of costume jewelry. Many of the classic photographs of her show
her wearing what were then relatively inexpensive costume pieces.
It’s The Fashion Jewelry section of the catalog that features many
of the strands of faux pearls that she made so famous.
The first “fashion jewel” in the catalog is the triple strand of
faux pearls with an Art Deco style clasp that Mrs. Kennedy wore in
the White House. The photograph of the necklace is accompanied by a
1962 shot of Jackie holding her then two-year-old son. He’s playing
with a strand of the necklace as she tilts her head back, laughing.
It’s a tender photograph, an almost idyllic glimpse of motherhood.
This famous necklace was estimated at $500-$700, a low-ball price
even if the pearls were made of paste. It sold for $211,500.
Though Jackie wore costume jewelry, a good deal of it was designer
costume jewelry. There’s a signed Valentino brooch in the shape of a
large crab with a faux topaz body and faux pavé diamond legs; a gilt
metal cross by Christian Lacroix; simple “silvered metal balls” earclips by Yves Saint Laurent; and faux emerald and diamond
earclips by Chanel.
One of the things that becomes clear from the catalog photographs
was that Jackie had no qualms about wearing costume jewelry for even
the most important occasions. There’s a photo of her speaking with
France’s President Charles de Gaulle, during the Kennedys’ 1961 trip
to Paris. Mrs. Kennedy is wearing a simple white dress and what
Sotheby’s describes as a “black ‘stone’ bead double strand
necklace.” She also wore this necklace on the day her husband
announced his candidacy and while they were in the White House. It
wasn’t a fancy piece, and I’m guessing the beads were made of glass,
but somehow it accented her white dress perfectly. Sold with a
single black earclip (the other earring must have gone missing), the
set was estimated as being worth $200-$300. A true piece of history,
it sold for $101,500.
The catalog also offers two pairs of earrings, shaped to look like
miniature conch shells. One pair, little pearlescent conches with
gilt accents, was designed by Kenneth Jay Lane, who was known for
his fabulous fakes. Jackie is shown wearing them in 1967 as she and
Caroline gazed at the naval carrier, The U.S.S. John F. Kennedy,
which Caroline had just christened. This pair of earclips, along
with a second pair in a similar design, were estimated at $400-$600
and sold for $25,300. Other pieces were not quite so historic and
yet carried Jackie’s charm. An ebony and ivory beaded necklace along
with two ivory cuff bracelets and a pair of ivory cabochon earrings
were estimated at $500-$700 and sold for $14,950. A choker made of
four twisted strands of gold pearls, black pearls, and round crystal
beads—all simulated— along with a pair of faux pearl earclips, was
estimated at $150-$250 and sold for $17,250. Another necklace, a
single strand of fake hematite beads with gilt roundels had an
estimated worth of $150-$250 and sold for $13,800. Two strands of
melon-shaped green glass beads—on Jackie, they probably were assumed
to be emeralds--along with a pair of earrings, were valued at
$300-$400 and sold for $20,700.
Kenneth Jay Lane has made a career of designing opulent fakes for
the well-heeled set. Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Diana
Vreeland, and the Duchess of Windsor were among his famous clients
in the sixties. Now he continues to sell his pieces to celebrities
such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Mischa Barton, the Olsen twins, and
Paris Hilton. Even Barbara Bush wore his triple-strand faux pearls
when she was in the White House.
Lane successfully studied and adapted earlier styles and traditions
in jewelry, and designed more-than-respectable knock-offs of Indian,
Renaissance, Art Deco, Chinese jade, and pre-Columbian jewelry.
Among the pieces he created for Jackie was a choker that looks for
all the world like one of India’s extraordinary Mughal pieces. If
you didn’t know better, you’d swear the gilt was gold and it was set
with rubies, emeralds, topaz, and diamonds. Its estimated value was
$300-$400. Even though several stones were missing, it sold for
$9,775.
Though Lane was often considered a prince of excess, much of what he
designed for Jackie was in her distinct style, simple yet classy.
One pair of earrings, a variant of the classic gold hoop, seem to be
made of curved pieces of gilt bamboo wound with tiny faux diamonds.
The coordinating necklace featured what looked like golden (i.e.
gilt) bamboo twigs linked with strands of simulated pearls. The set,
which was estimated at $200-$300, sold for $10,350. Torsade is a
term that describes a necklace or bracelet made of multiple strands
of beads twisted together. Jackie had a truly gorgeous torsade of
faux black seed pearls, with a gilt clasp covered with faux
diamonds, signed by Mimi di Niscemi, another internationally known
designer of costume jewelry.
Kenneth Jay Lane created earrings to match, black baroque “pearls,”
topped with “diamond” pavé. This set was estimated at $400-$500 and
sold for $20,700. The final jewelry offering in the catalog is a
Kenneth Jay Lane set with a story behind it. The two pieces are
reproductions of the Van Cleef & Arpels wedding necklace and ruby
earrings that were given to Jackie by Aristotle Onassis.
Interestingly, they’re not identical reproductions; Lane’s designs
show slight differences. In the original necklace’s pendant, the big
ruby cabochon has diamonds and emeralds beneath it. The colored
stones beneath the copy’s “ruby” are not “emeralds” but “rubies.”
The “gold and diamond” pattern around the gems is also somewhat
different, but Lane faithfully captured the extravagant and colorful
style. Sotheby’s write up quotes Lane who says that Jackie
specifically commissioned these pieces from him. She was,
apparently, taken a back when he told her what the design cost would
be, and so they agreed that he’d absorb the cost of making the model
if he could use the design in his own collection. Apparently, Jackie
was quite amused when she later saw their necklace used on Dynasty.
With the matching faux ruby earrings, the Lane reproduction was
valued at $1,000-$1,500. It sold for $90,500.
Looking over the collection as a whole, you can draw certain
conclusions. Jackie’s jewelry was an eclectic mix, encompassing
almost every style—from African to Thai to Classical Revival to
Renaissance to the jewels of Ancient India to the late twentieth
century. She had gems from the world’s finest jewelers and an
equally extensive collection of costume jewelry. And she had the
boldness, or perhaps just the confidence in her own good taste, to
wear it all. Simplicity seemed to be key to her singular style.
Though she owned many parures, or suites of matching jewelry, she’d
often only wear one piece, which somehow looked all the more
dramatic for being her sole ornament.
Page 302 of the catalog shows a classic photo of Mrs. Onassis
attending a gala for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume
Institute in 1979. She’s wearing a dark strapless gown with no
necklace or bracelets, just the dazzling ruby and diamond earrings
that Aristotle Onassis gave her for their wedding. And as she does
in almost all the photographs, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis conveys
beauty and elegance and inimitable grace. One final thought: The
extraordinary jewels that fill the Sotheby catalog are the gems her
family didn’t want. Just imagine what they kept.