Jewelry from the Collection of Dorrance “Dodo” H. Hamilton

On May 9 Freeman 's will bring to auction jewelry from the Collection of Dorrance “Dodo” Hamilton. With designs by Tiffany, Cartier and Craig Drake, the sale will feature earrings, necklaces, rings and watches from Mrs. Hamilton 's personal collection. There is an emerald encrusted evening bag, a stunning Art Deco diamond and rock crystal wide strap bracelet and white and yellow gold pieces worn and lovingly coveted by a true Philadelphia lady.The marquee lot of the collection—and indeed the sale as a whole—is without doubt, the impressive 16.56 carat diamond solitaire ring. Purchased at auction in 1994, the single emerald-cut stone ring, flanked by tapering baguettes, is one of pristine, pure design. Boasting a highly coveted F color and VS2 clarity as designated by the Gemological Institute of America, the ring needs little else to dazzle, save for its platinum mount. The simple prong-setting is traditional, yet has a modern, current feel and does not compete visually with the stunning center stone.Emerald-cut diamonds enjoy a simple elegance, a refined and classic silhouette perpetually in vogue. The shape of the facets are linear—as opposed to the traditional kite-shaped—giving the stone a quiet confidence that brilliant-cut diamonds do not have. Step-cut diamonds have facets which are arranged in eight parallel lines on the sides of the diamond, reminiscent of the graduated steps of a pyramid, hence their name. By contrast, kite shaped facets are triangular, and start at the diamond 's center, working outwards towards the thin perimeter of the diamond, known as the girdle. The difference between these two styles of facet is the diamond 's fiery sparkle; these stepcuts hold a subtle power that other shapes do not possess.The size and shape of the diamond is one of importance and significance; it marks the wearer as a woman of confidence.“Large, significant size diamonds are enjoying a resurgence as some buyers are returning to buying what they feel is a good investment,” Department Head of Fine Jewelry at Freeman 's and Graduate Gemologist, Virginia Salem said. “There are fewer diamonds of this carat weight available, and it is rarer still to see one come to market, making this particular ring a wise choice for people looking to diversify their portfolios. Of course, the true reason to buy such a diamond is for its beauty and quality of color and clarity.”The diamond 's provenance adds an extra charm, making it especially attractive to collectors looking to own a piece of Philadelphia society history.“We are looking forward to offering the Hamilton diamond this spring and believe it will create as much excitement as the vivid yellow diamond did last fall,” Salem said, referring to the rare Belle époque fancy vivid yellow diamond pendant by J.E. Caldwell and Co., which sold for $760,000 in November. View more from the May 9 Fine Jewelry sale.