
Haley Jaras
Senior Specialist, Head of Sale
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US$60,000 - US$80,000
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Senior Specialist, Head of Sale
Doris Merrill Magowan (1914–2001), the only daughter of Charles Merrill, the founder of Merrill Lynch, was known among East Coast society for her impeccable taste and discerning eye for fine jewelry, particularly opals. Her husband, Robert Magowan, the son of a railroad station master who rose to become CEO of Safeway Stores, once traveled to Australia to select a special opal just for her – a symbol of their shared love and his admiration for her refined sensibilities. This rare stone, believed to have been originally set as a ring before being transformed into a necklace, was custom-mounted in rubies and diamonds by Raymond Yard, a renowned American jeweler celebrated for his exquisite craftsmanship and his own affection for opals.