Jocelyne Wildenstein is “simplifying her look” — but not with plastic surgery this time.
After her long, messy divorce, she’s selling off some jewels — a little more than $1 million worth.
Wildenstein, whose marriage to billionaire Alec Wildenstein ended last year following a bitter, two-year divorce battle, will be offering 41 pieces of jewelry, including a diamond tiger ring and a diamond cheetah brooch.
Sotheby’s will auction off the “Bride of Wildenstein’s” jewelry on April 12 as part of its Magnificent Jewels collection.
Thomas Burstein, the Sotheby’s jewelry expert who worked alongside Wildenstein for two months picking out the items, said the collection of feline jewelry is the cat’s meow.
“These are really one-of-a-kind pieces,” he said. “They capture the beauty of the animals in every piece. It’s a great opportunity to own a piece of magnificent jewelry.”
Wildenstein, 55, whose facelifts over the years have given her a cat-like look of her own, declined to discuss the auction and why she decided to sell her jewelry.
Burstein said she is auctioning off part of her collection because she is “simplifying her look.”
In Sotheby’s catalogue, Wildenstein said the jewelry was inspired by visits to her 66,000- acre ranch in Kenya, her beloved pet cheetah, Siri, and pet lynx, Bastet.
Included in the collection is a 16-carat yellow diamond ring with a starting bid of $275,000 to $325,000, a Cartier white tiger brooch estimated at $80,000 to $100,000, and a diamond-and-onyx cheetah brooch estimated at $40,000 to $60,000.
The collection, designed for Wildenstein by Cartier and Parisian jeweler Roger Guillochon, has her own personal touch. She was often involved in designing the jewelry, as well as choosing the colored diamonds that adorn the pieces.
“These pieces are a reflection of the passion she has for Africa,” Burstein said. “They are a reflection of her personal style and design. She has a very, very deep passion for animals, especially felines.”
The Wildensteins were married for 18 years. The battle between the billionaire art dealer and the cosmetic-surgery queen turned ugly after they split in 1997, when Jocelyne caught Alec in their bed with a young Russian model.