The Best Luxury Auction Lots to Bid for This Month

Appearing on the market for this first time ever, this locket was gifted by Queen Victoria to her goddaughter Lady Victoria Alexandria Montagu Douglas-Scott. Set with diamonds, emeralds and rubies, it is monogrammed with "VR" on the front and has a personal engraving which reads "To Lady Victoria Scott, on her marriage Feb y, 23 1865 from Victoria R." This locket was gifted on her marriage to Schomberg Henry Kerr, 9th Marquess of Lothian on 23rd February 1865. The significant provenance is sure to intrigue history lovers.

19th Century diamond, emerald and ruby set locket from Queen Victoria

Bids from £3,000

Cheffins: “Carats and Clarets:” The Jewellery, Silver, Watches and Wine Sale, November 5, online

The iconic Ritz Paris Hotel has been the epitome of glamour since its doors opened in 1898 - and bidders at an upcoming auction now have the chance to take a piece of the decor home. From June 21-23, Parisian auction house Artcurial will be hosting the online Art De La Table auction with all items exclusively sourced from the hotel. Over 1000 lots of historic tableware, silverware and glassware that served famous guests such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Coco Chanel, will be up for grabs. Particularly eye-catching is Lot 560, an elegant set of Royale de Champagne crystal glassware, gilded with a motif inspired by wall hangings in the hotel's Imperial Suite.

Ritz Paris Glassware Set

Bids from €600

Artcurial Ritz Paris Art De La Table, June 21-23, online

For lovers of fine craftsmanship and, Sotheby's will be holding its own celebration via a special auction dedicated to the skill and prowess of leather brand Berluti. An eclectic collection of lots, ranging from backpacks and watches to bikes and armchairs, is on offer but the star lot is undoubtedly a 1973 Porsche Targa 911. The first car fully customised by Berluti, this unique vehicle has been extensively customised in the brand's distinctive style with a leather-trimmed dashboard, alpaca lined roof, boot interior and engine compartment trimmed in Venezia leather and bouclé wool floor mats. A Berluti Jour-Off weekend bag and driving shoes are also included in the lot.

Berluti Porsche

Bids from €240,000

Sotheby's: Berluti: The Art of Craftsmanship, until May 7, online

Created by Royal Warrant silversmith Grant Macdonald London this sterling silver scale model of London, named Ruaha, will be auctioned this month during a charity ball at Kensington Palace in aid of conservation charity TUSK. Patronised by the Duke of Cambridge, TUSK supports wildlife conservation efforts across Africa and have helped protect more than 40 threatened species and 10 million acres of land. All the proceeds from the sale of Ruaha will be donated to TUSK while 20% from every silver miniature and pair of animal cufflinks in Grant Macdonald's wider TUSK collection will also go to the charity.

Ruaha lion sculpture

POA

Grant Macdonald: TUSK charity auction, May 9, London

True watch collectors know the best pieces can usually be found at auction and May's Important Watches sale at Sotheby's offers some real finds. Among the best is this 1953 Patek Philippe Ref 2497 in pink gold. Discontinued in 1963, this reference was the world's first perpetual calendar watch with centre seconds and was Patek's only perpetual calendar until the introduction of Ref 5050 in 1993. Less than 200 example were produced with only around 20 of these being in pink gold. This combined with the fact that is sports a rare first series case designed by Emile Vichet and is in impeccable condition make this timepiece a fantastic piece for any watch lover's collection.

Patek Philippe Ref 2497

CHF500,000-1,000,000

Sotheby's: Important Watches, May 12, Geneva

A truly unique piece that has never before been offered at auction, this Fabergé tiara was given as a wedding gift to Princess Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland from her husband-to-be Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1904. Custom-made for the Grand Duke, the tiara was first worn to a Scherwin Court Ball a month after the wedding and has been passed down through the couple's descendants ever since. Featuring nine large graduated pear-shape aquamarines along with old, cushion and rose-cut diamonds, the tiara is a beautiful collector's piece with a fascinating backstory.

Fabergé aquamarine and diamond tiara

$230,000-340,000

Christie's: Magnificent Jewels, May 15, Geneva