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Sotheby's to Auction Russian Imperial Jewels for Ten of Millions

This absolutely dazzling necklace started out as precious stones belonging to the Russian Empress Catherine the First, wife of Peter the Great, over 300 years ago. The legend goes that the empress offered the massive stones to Sultan Ahmed III to negotiate the lifting of the seige of Pruth in 1711. Sotheby's values the necklace, complete with a brooch and pair of earings, at between 3 and 5 million dollars. The second necklace is a diamond choker with a bow design once worn by Empress Catherine the Great. It was preserved originally designed as two separate jewels but was later fashioned into the stunning piece we see today. After the Communist Revolution began, the royal jewels were stored in the Kremlin strong room and later sold at auction in London to raise money for new Soviet government. The choker is also valued between 3 and 5 million dollars. The final piece on auction in Sotheby's Russian Imperial Jewelry collection is also the most valuable. This is the ultra-rare Sky Blue Diamond. The diamond, which has received the highest grading in all categories from the world's most respected gemological associations, was set into a ring by world renown jeweller Cartier. Sotheby's previewed the jaw-dropping jewellry to boost excitement for the actual auction, which will take place in Geneva on November 16.