A diamond necklace worth £3 million sterling has been put on show in a unique exhibition displaying some of the most beautiful jewels created this century.
The necklace, made from a festoon of diamonds decorated with scroll motifs at either side, is the centrepiece of the Bird of Paradise collection. The collection is expected to fetch £5 million sterling when it is auctioned by Sotheby's in Geneva next month.
The collection, assembled between 1930 and 1950 by an anonymous woman who counted the Duchess of Windsor among her social circle, takes its name from the celebrated Bird of Paradise brooch, created in 1942 by the French jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels.
The brooch, which is on display at Sotheby's in London this week, is regarded as an "icon of 1940s jewellery design".
It has also been heralded as one of the most famous bird ornaments in the history of the jewel and is expected to fetch more than £60,000 sterling.
A spokeswoman for Sotheby's in London said: "It is a very important collection. In terms of quality, this particular collection is just outstanding. They are period jewels, which are exquisite."
