An emerald brooch owned by Catherine the Great of Russia and a diamond ring that once belonged to former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos are headlining a jewelry sale Tuesday that Christie's expects will attract strong Asian buyer interest. Both pieces have not been seen in public for decades and are estimated to sell for between $1 million and $1.5 million at the auction of 300 pieces of jewelry. The total sale could reap more than $25 million, Christie's said. The 39.5 carat Emperor Maximilian Diamond ring was bought by Marcos, wife of the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, in 1983 - three years before her husband was ousted from power through a popular revolt. Known for her extravagant lifestyle and love of shoes and jewelry, Marcos owned the Brazilian diamond until the mid-1990s when she sold it to a US jeweler. Jeweler Cartier set the stone into a ring in 1934 and then Marcos changed the setting. The diamond ring is now being sold by a private collector. The Catherine the Great brooch dates back to the mid-18th century when it was owned by Catherine II of Russia, who ascended to the Russian thrown in 1762, according to Christie's. It was passed down through several generations of her family. In 1972 the brooch was bought by a private US collector, whose estate is now selling the jewel.
