Jewel-Studded Bracelet Of Spanish Queen On Sale Here October 22, 2003 – Posted in: Press

By LUCIO GUERRERO
Published: October 22, 2003
Chicago Sun-Times

You don’t have to be of noble blood to own royal jewels.
One Chicago jewelry store is selling off a royal conversation piece: a ruby and diamond bracelet owned by Queen Isabella II of Spain.
“It’s extremely rare to come across royal jewels for sale,” said Tobina Kahn, vice president of House of Kahn, which is selling the piece. “They are usually passed down from generation to generation, so it’s the heirs after the fourth or fifth generation — they need the money.”

“The money they get for it can help increase their lifestyle or maybe pay for a castle they are upkeeping.”
The piece for sale is truly made for royalty. Stunningly crafted, the bracelet is set in 18-karat, rose colored gold. The center stone is a European-cut diamond of cushion shape weighing about 3.25 carats. Surrounding the center stone are 56 Burmese rubies, some of the rarest rubies available.

It was made in the early 1800s and the bracelet’s stone weight is about 15 carats. The asking price: $55,000. The piece was acquired by Kahn’s firm from heirs. One of the stipulations in the sale is that it cannot be advertised for sale in Spain.

Kahn said occasionally, when they buy royal jewels, they have to reset the stones into different pieces to make it more functional for today’s society. After all, who walks around with a tiara on these days?

But some pieces do stay intact. For example, the House of Kahn acquired a tiara that belonged to the Earl of Hardwick, a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II of England, and it was sold to a collector.

She said many of the royal jewels that are on the market come from heirs who don’t need it or have it stored in a vault. Kahn expects that the Queen Isabella II piece will sell quickly once word gets out.

Considering how obsessed some people are over anything belonging to royalty, she may be right. Jewelry and clothing belonging to the late Princess Diana sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

And, Kahn says, royal jewelry can never really be duplicated.
“Sure you can go out and try to make a similar bracelet, with the same rubies,” Kahn said. “But it’s never going to be the real thing; there’s only one of those.”

The Queen Isabella II diamond and Burmese ruby bracelet can be seen at the House of Kahn, 60 E. Walton, in Chicago. For more information, call (312) 943-9937.

Tobina Kahn of Chicago’s House of Kahn holds the ruby and diamond bracelet that belonged to Spain’s Queen Isabella II, who reigned in the 1800s.