In the pantheon of great American dynasties, few rivaled the sheer grandeur of the Vanderbilts. Reported to have the modern equivalent of 185 billion dollars at its peak, the Vanderbilt family is a tale of opulence felled by the poor financial planning and lavish spending of Cornelius Vanderbilt’s descendants. Cornelius Vanderbilt’s foundational donation in 1873 established Vanderbilt University with the goal of promoting education in the post-Civil War South. Gladys Vanderbilt Széchenyi, granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt, experienced the Vanderbilt family fortune first-hand.
The prized Cartier and Tiffany & Co. jewelry once worn by the shipping heiress — about a dozen pieces with estimates valuing them between thousands to millions of dollars — are hitting the auction block on Nov. 10 at Phillips’ “The Geneva Jewels Auction: V” at Hôtel President in Geneva, Switzerland. The auction marks the conclusion of a world tour throughout late September and October across New York, Singapore, London, Hong Kong and Taipei, Taiwan.
Railroad royalty
For the Vanderbilts, jewels were emblematic of their social standing as elites. The collection, amassed during the Gilded Age and the belle époque (circa 1880–1914), includes pieces that were often bought from the luxury maisons of Paris or gifted by royalty. Many of the heirlooms are distinguished by their distinct French 18th-century revival style — the garland style, specifically, characterized by intricate designs, motifs such as garlands, swags, ribbon bows and a revival of the Neoclassical aesthetic. According to a family representative, the railroad tycoon’s treasures have always been kept in a safe and hardly worn by the relatives themselves. Benoît Repellin, Worldwide Head of Jewelry at Phillips, notes in a press release that the Phillips auction comes amid a resurgence in market demand for period pieces.
The lady behind the collection
All the featured gems in the collection belonged to Széchenyi, among the first of the so-called “dollar princesses” — an industrial American heiress turned European aristocrat, though Széchenyi’s upbringing rivaled that of any contemporary royalty. The countess’ childhood was spent in the largest mansion New York has ever seen, with weekend stays at the Breakers, the family’s lavish Rhode Island cottage. In her adult married life and throughout both World Wars, Széchenyi mostly lived in her estates in both Hungary and Austria, which were ultimately seized and nationalized by the Communist regime after Hungary fell under Soviet influence. Széchenyi herself was stripped of her nobility and title, the tragic finale of America’s Gilded Age empire.
Sparkling jewels
Arguably, the crown jewel of the auction is the Vanderbilt Sapphire, a diamond brooch with a centerpiece navy sapphire. Crafted by Tiffany & Co. and gifted to Széchenyi by her mother, Vanderbilt family matriarch Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt, the centerpiece 42.68 carat Kashmir sapphire is considered one of the greatest examples of Kashmir sapphires in the world. The sapphire is estimated to be worth between $1 and 5 million. Another highlight of the collection is the Cartier diamond brooch, originally part of Széchenyi’s tiara from her wedding; the tiara was eventually dismantled, and the brooch was formed from part of it around 1908. The main 4.55 carat pear-shaped diamond has a prized “E” color, making it only one grade below the highest possible grading for diamonds overall. Phillips estimates this piece to be worth between $100,000-$150,000.
Clocks and chimes
Though pocket watches became affordable for the middle class by the end of the 19th century due to mass production, the wealthy still found ways of showing off their fortune through ornate timepieces, including, for example, Széchenyi’s 1913 Cartier travel clock. Now famous for its 1913 Tank line, Cartier began producing timepieces with their Santos wristwatches in 1904. This clock, built as a portable alarm clock, has an 8-day power reserve and can be folded down into its case when not in use.
During this period, Cartier supplied their movements from famed watchmaker Edmond Jaeger of the later formed world famous Jaeger-LeCoultre. The clock is estimated to be worth between $5,000-$8,000. Another timepiece from Széchenyi’s collection is a Cartier gold, ruby and diamond wristwatch. A trend of the time, the clockface itself is dwarfed by the golden bracelet and surrounded by diamonds and rubies. While this piece is not dated, wrist watches were exclusively catered as more decorative pieces toward a wealthy female audience before World War I for utilitarian purposes. The clockface, while functional, is not the mainstay of the piece. No estimation for this piece has been given.
The ornate everyday
The collection also features ornate everyday items, including a gold and sapphire compact, a golden hair comb and even a pair of gold and pearl purses. One key piece of the collection is the Cartier lighter alongside the compact which was part of Széchenyi’s everyday carry. Paleness was considered an attractive feature among women during this era, with lead powder commonly added to high society women’s makeup routine to keep a white complexion, though there is no evidence of Széchenyi participating in this trend. Interestingly, women smoking was seen as taboo up until about the early 1910s, making this Cartier lighter likely one of the newer items of the collection.
The Vanderbilt treasures represent the legacy of an empire that played a foundational role in the establishment of Vanderbilt University and the ultimate collapse of a historic dynasty marred by misfortune and misjudgment. Whether you’re looking to add to your collection of priceless timepieces or a history buff interested in the Vanderbilt family, the Geneva Jewels Auction has something for everyone.
