Gina Lollobrigida Selling Jewels For Charity

Gina Lollobrigida is selling jewels for charity. The Italian actress announced that she will sell the jewels, created by Italian designer Bulgari, with some proceeds going toward cancer research.

The jewelry is worth as much as three million euros. They were created in the 1950s and 1960s and will be available at Sotheby’s. They will be put up for auction in Geneva in May.

The most expensive pieces of jewelry in the collection are pearl and diamond earrings, as well as a 19.3-carat diamond ring. The pieces are valued between $600,000 and one million dollars.

Lollobrigida had the jewels displayed at an exhibition honoring Bulgari at the Grand Palais in Paris three years ago. A spokeswoman for Sotheby’s stated, “All of the jewels to be sold by the actress have been estimated at between two and three million dollars.”

In explaining her reasons for getting rid of the jewelry, Lollobrigida explained that she wants to devote herself to sculpture. She added, “A sculptor doesn’t need jewelry.” Some of the auction’s proceeds will go toward establishing and international hospital and will be used for stem cell research. Lollobrigida explained that the cause is “close to her heart.”

Despite Gina Lollobrigida’s modest upbringing, her talents helped her play opposite Hollywood stars like Humphrey Bogart, Rock Hudson, Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, and Frank Sinatra. She began to collect the jewels from Bulgari as her career took off in Italy, France, and Hollywood.

Lollobrigida always purchased the jewels herself, enjoying the reward of her hard work. But the former actress has not used the jewels in a long time. She largely left acting in the 1980s. Now her focus is on sculpting, as well as photojournalism and humanitarian work. Twenty-two pieces from her collection will be auctioned on May 14 after they go on display in London, New York, and Rome.

Along with the aforementioned earrings and ring, the Italian actress is also selling a pair of emerald and diamond ear clips. She wore the jewels one evening in 1965 when she was photographed with artist Salvador Dali. The earrings should fetch up to $250,000.

Would you want to purchase some of Gina Lollobrigida’s jewels?

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