Editor’s Note
This article previews a landmark auction featuring the personal jewels of the Vanderbilt family, offering a rare glimpse into the opulence and influence of America’s Gilded Age aristocracy.
From Gladys Moore Vanderbilt’s Cartier tiara brooch to the world-class Vanderbilt Sapphire, Phillips Geneva Auction: V presents an unparalleled opportunity to own a piece of American aristocratic history.
Few names in American history conjure images of wealth, elegance, and social power like the Vanderbilts. Their palatial mansions defined the Gilded Age, their art collections shaped cultural institutions, and Vanderbilt jewelry remains a symbol of glamour and ambition. This November, collectors will have the rare opportunity to own a piece of that legacy as Phillips Auction House unveils the Vanderbilt Family Jewels as the leading highlight of The Geneva Jewels Auction: V, taking place at the Hôtel President in Geneva on November 10, 2025.
Benoît Repellin is the Worldwide Head of Jewellery of Phillips Auction House, headquartered in Geneva. Before joining Phillips in February 2022, he spent nearly a decade at Sotheby’s Auction House, where he rose through the ranks from the catalog department, all the way to director and head of the Magnificent Jewels sales.
The Vanderbilt name is synonymous with America’s rise in the late 19th century. With fortunes made in railroads and shipping, Cornelius Vanderbilt and his family helped define American aristocracy. The Vanderbilt jewelry pieces, designed by the likes of Tiffany & Co. and Cartier, were not just ornaments but statements of social standing and cultural aspiration. Passed down through generations, these pieces became family heirlooms carrying both personal stories and the broader narrative of an era when the United States was eager to rival Europe’s long-established elite.
The jewels on offer once belonged to Gladys Moore Vanderbilt, Countess Széchényi (1886–1965). The youngest daughter of Cornelius II and Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt, Gladys epitomized the transatlantic unions of her era, marrying Count László Széchényi of Hungary in 1908. Her marriage, like those of many Gilded Age heiresses, merged American wealth with European titles and bridged continents with diamonds and aristocratic ambition. The Russell family from HBO’s hit series The Gilded Age is based on the Vanderbilt family. Gladys Russel, played by Taissa Farmiga in the show, similarly married a European royal, the fictional Duke of Buckingham, in an exchange of money of status between the couple.
‘The Vanderbilt Sapphire’ Tiffany & Co. | Estimate: $1,000,000-$1,500,000
