INSPIRATION

Betsey Cushing Whitney

11, 830, 000

Society was at the forefront of  Betsey Cushing Whitney’s life and the sale of her jewels at a Sotheby’s New York October 19, 1998, auction brought out New York’s elite.

Whitney was one of the most public figures of the wealthy set and was said to be worth 700 million.

At her death which occurred just six months before the sale. Before her marriage to John Jay “Jock” Whitney, she had been married to James Roosevelt, a son of Franklin D.Roosevelt, while FDR was governor of New York State.

The highlight of the evening sale was a pair of earrings, shown here, one set with a fancy vivid blue diamond, the other with a white diamond, a landmark fashion statement of the day. The pair was sold to Graff for $5,172,500.00 who promptly renamed them “The Whitney Blue and White”.

The auction proceeds were donated to the charities Whitney supported during her lifetime, particularly, art museums and medical institutions.

Barbara Cushing and Betsey Cushing Roosevelt, bonded in spirit and style.

The Cushing sisters in 1937, from left: Babe, Betsey, and Minnie. From debutante days they were known for their beauty and charm, and later renowned for marrying into some of the country’s most prominent families.

John and Betsey Whitney Posing Together

ELLEN BARKIN

$20, 369, 200

“Hell hath no fury…” Well, you know the rest.

When actress Ellen Barkin was divorced from Revlon Chairman Ron Perelman, she seemed determined to erase all tangible evidence of the six-year marriage, including her engagement ring.

What better way to make it final and financially profitable, than at a public sale at Christie’s on October 10, 2006.

Barkin had amassed a very tasty collection of gifts from Perelman including a number of spectacular diamonds.

Top item of the 103 lot, 100 percent sold sale was a D, VVS1, 22.76- carat oval cut diamond set in a beautiful setting shown below, that fetched $1, 808,000.

Private collectors, mainly American, snared seven of the top ten lots. A stunningly stylish pair of topaz, ruby and diamond ear pendants fetched an equally stunning price, selling for $710, 400, ten times the estimate.

Barkin reportedly used the auction proceeds to fund a film production company.