Jewel protagonist of one of the most sparkling looks of Lady Diana, the Atallah cross has reappeared after a long oblivion to go to auction: it will be one of the highlights of the ‘Royal and Noble’ catalog, scheduled from 6 to 18 January at Sotheby’s in London, which presents a collection of objects and relics of aristocratic origin. The Atallah cross, one of Lady Diana’s favorite jewels, a fabulous pendant in gold, silver, amethysts and diamonds, will be offered with a starting estimate ranging between 80,000 and 120,000 pounds. The pendant, to tell the truth, was never really the princess consort of Charles of England: it belonged, in fact, to a well-known London jeweler, Naim Atallah, former managing director of Asprey & Garrard. “Princess Diana and my father were friends and I remember her often visiting him in the historic Garrard shop on Regent Street, where his office was, and on several occasions she would ask him to borrow the pendant: she liked it very much,” he said. Ramsay Atallah, current owner of the cross.
The Attallah cross, distinguished by floral details, is a pendant created in the 1920s by the court jewelers Garrard, for which Princess Diana had a particular fondness and which she also memorably wore in October 1987, combined with a dress by Catherine Walker, on the occasion of a charity gala in support of Birthright, an association that deals with the protection of women’s human rights, of which the princess became patroness in 1984.
The cross was purchased by Naim Atallah from Garrard in the 1980s, and thanks to his friendship with Princess Diana, he was able to lend her the cross several times over the years to wear at events. The cross was reportedly worn only by the princess and, after her death, has not been seen in public until today. The cross pendant—thought to be a private commission by Garrard for one of his regular clients—is a bold and colorful piece featuring square-cut amethysts and round-cut diamonds. The cross has a total diamond weight of approximately 5.25 carats and measures approximately 136mm x 95mm.
Princess Diana had a longstanding relationship with Garrard, having chosen her engagement ring in 1981. She has collaborated with Garrard over the years and has worn pieces from the illustrious jewelery house on many occasions, even after their divorce. In her last public appearance, she wore what has come to be known as the ‘Swan Lake’ necklace, a necklace of diamonds and South Sea pearls made in collaboration with her.