Freeman’s Announces Important Jewelry Sale in Chicago on March 18, Featuring Exceptional Diamonds and Art Deco Jewelry
From left to right: Lot 91 | VAN CLEEF & ARPELS, YELLOW GOLD AND DIAMOND CLUTCH |
Estimate: $40,000 - 60,000
Lot 105 | CHARLTON & CO., ART DECO, DIAMOND AND PLATINUM BRACELET | Estimate: $18,000 - 22,000
Lot 101 | VAN CLEEF & ARPELS, DIAMOND AND PLATINUM FLOWER BROOCH | Estimate: $50,000 - 70,000
Freeman’s is proud to present its first Important Jewelry sale of 2026, a live auction on March 18 at its headquarters in Chicago. The sale features an outstanding selection of jewelry, including fine diamonds, pieces from Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Chanel, and early 20th century jewelry by Georges L’Enfant and Lacloche, among others.
The sale also features jewelry from a Prominent Chicago Family, various owners, and estates from across the country, providing collectors with a wide range of opportunities across periods, makers, and styles.
“We are thrilled to present Freeman's first Important Jewelry auction of 2026. This is a gem of an auction featuring highly sought-after jewelry by Georges L'Enfant and a wonderful collection of mid-20th-century glamorous jewelry and objects, says April Matteini, Senior Vice President and Head of Jewelry.
Mid-20th Century Jewelry Headlines Freeman’s Spring Sale
Freeman’s is pleased to present collection of important jewelry from a Prominent Chicago family, which includes masterwork of 20th-century French design at its March 18 Important Jewelry auction including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Verger Freres for Lacloche Freres, and: a Georges L’Enfant for Van Cleef & Arpels yellow-gold textured chain necklace (Lot 17, Estimate: $15,000–25,000).
Designed as a chain of rope-textured links, the necklace exemplifies the bold yet refined gold work for which Georges L'Enfant became internationally celebrated. Few workshop names carry the quiet authority of L’Enfant. Established in Paris in 1899, the atelier quickly rose to prominence under Georges L’Enfant’s leadership, gaining full control by 1909. Over the decades, the workshop produced jewels for many of the most prestigious houses in Europe, including Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Boivin, and Mellerio dits Meller.
By the 1950s through the 1970s, L’Enfant’s collaborations with leading maisons defined an era of bold, sculptural gold jewels. The firm became particularly famed for its richly textured, woven, and articulated chain bracelets and necklaces—designs that transformed gold into fluid, tactile statements. This necklace is a quintessential example of that legacy: powerful in scale, impeccably balanced, and effortlessly wearable.
Offered as Property of a Prominent Chicago Family, this piece represents not only the artistry of L’Enfant’s Parisian workshop but also the enduring appeal of French postwar gold jewelry at its most sophisticated.
From Left to Right: Lot 29 | VERGER FRÈRES FOR LACLOCHE FRÈRES, ART DECO, ONYX AND MULTIGEM LAPEL WATCH | Estimate: $15,000 - 25,000
Lot 16 | VAN CLEEF & ARPELS, BICOLOR GOLD AND CITRINE CONVERTIBLE DRESS CLIP
Estimate: $8,000 - 12,000
Important Diamonds Take Center Stage
The sale continues with a strong selection of diamond lots, sure to captivate collectors and connoisseurs alike. Leading the sale is Lot 97, a Tiffany & Co. 5.19 carat diamond and platinum ring E / VS2 (Estimate: $100,000 - 150,000), followed by Lot 103, a 10.88 carat fancy yellow diamond and diamond ring (Estimate: $100,000 - 150,000). Other offerings include Lot 101, Van Cleef & Arpels, diamond and platinum flower brooch (Estimate: $50,000 - 70,000), and Lot 115, a colored diamond and yellow gold ring (Estimate: $80,000 - 100,000).
Additional Auction Highlights
-
Lot 115
COLORED DIAMOND AND YELLOW GOLD RING | Estimate $80,000 - 100,000 -
Lot 102
ART DECO, CEYLON STAR SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND PENDANT NECKLACE | Estimate: $40,000 - 60,000 -
Lot 109
NATURAL FANCY BROWNISH YELLOW PEAR SHAPED DIAMOND AND DIAMOND RING | Estimate: $40,000 - 60,000 -
Lot 53
DIAMOND AND WHITE GOLD LINE NECKLACE | Estimate: $30,000 - 35,000
Sale Preview
New York | 32 East 67th St
March 3-6 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
March 7 | 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Chicago | 1550 W. Carroll Ave
March 13 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
March 14-15 | 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
March 16-17 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM