Jewels from Eco Art Parade 2010 Bound for Auction

Thirty-five
pieces of luxury jewelry are part of the Eco Art Parade 2010 Jewellery, an
exclusive collection of jewels created by an international team of artists to
benefit various charitable causes through their sale. The event is sponsored by
the Farjam Collection (Islamic art) and Una Energy, and organized by Eco Art
International, a nonprofit dedicated to charitable welfare, including
protecting the environment.

All jewels are currently part of a traveling exhibition that will culminate in
a Sotheby’s auction Nov. 13 in Abu Dhabi, as part of the festivities of the
Grand Prix. Countries on the tour include Monaco, Singapore, Japan, and Abu
Dhabi, and at each stop, all jewels—produced by 32 different design houses—will
be on display.

Eco Art is known for its annual auctions, which charge artists from different
mediums to render an object relating to a theme of endangered species; proceeds
from sales benefit various charitable causes. The art form chosen in 2010 is
jewelry, and the theme is endangered birds, the Hornbill and the UAE Saker
Falcon in particular. Designers invited to participate include the House of
Waris, Poonam Soni, Ranya Sarakbi, Tomasz Donocik, among others.

Mumbai-based Soni’s handiwork—a brooch-pendant combination inspired by the
Saker Falcon and made of 23k gold, enamel, and diamonds and titled Itai Doshin—is based on the Buddhist
philosophy, which means “many in body, one in mind.” The bird’s belly features
traditional Mogul art, while the tail of the bird is movable, and a small
beetle is stationed on the neck. The piece took four-and-a-half months to
complete and was a joint effort between Soni’s workshop and Fine Jewellery in
Mumbai, a master in technical expertise. Soni’s piece is expected to garner
bids between 20–25 lakhs, or $44,000–$55,000.

The auction itself will be conducted by Lord Mark Poltimore from Sotheby’s, in
the presence of H.S.H Prince Albert II of Monaco and His Excellency Sheikh
Nahayan Bin Mabarak Al-Nahyan of the UAE. One-hundred percent of proceeds will be
divided among the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, BirdLife
International, the Hafiz Foundation, the Una Energy Children’s Fund, and a UAE
humanitarian foundation.