Steeped in History, Lady Shakira Caine's Jewellery to Dazzle at Bonhams London

A collection of jewels created and worn by Shakira Caine, the Hollywood icon's wife, will be auctioned at Bonhams' Sir Michael Caine: The Personal Collection sale in London on Wednesday, 2 March, 2022. 

The price is estimated to be between £400 and £800.

Shakira was inspired to create jewellery after witnessing the late Diana Vreeland's 'The Costumes of Royal India' exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum in New York from 20th December 1985 to 31st August 1986.

Shakira also said that she was influenced by all of the Mogul jewellery as an Indian. Indian jewellery will always have a place in history. It's vivid, lively, and is always worn with pride. It provides a spark, a boost. She agreed that she liked the vibrant colours, the workmanship, the uniqueness, and the subtlety of stones and said she had always been fascinated in fashion and accessories and was fortunate to discover jewellery during a renaissance of ethnic design.

Many of the items on display during the exhibition were copies of antique gems created just for the exhibition in Bombay. Shakira chose to commission copies for herself. She eventually realised that the person overseeing the copies was an old acquaintance, Sunita Pitamber, and the two decided to start a company together.

Extensive Accessory Line

Shakira created designs inspired by India's old jewelry-making traditions and reminiscent of a fascinating period in the country's history. She brought a dozen examples of her jewellery to London's Harrods department store, which the Caines had just relocated from Los Angeles. The meeting was a success, and the result was an extensive accessory line. 

Shakira's jewellery was sold in the late 1980s and 1990s at Harrods and Harvey Nichols in London, Bergdorf Goodman in New York, and Neiman-Marcus in Beverly Hills, with her gold-embroidered shawls, purses, and belts, all of which were created in India and Paris. Her jewellery collection was fairly vast, with thirty necklaces, forty sets of earrings, and twenty bracelets.

High Taste

According to Charlie Thomas, Director of Private Collections & House Sales at Bonhams in London, the bracelets and necklaces offered in this sale were from Shakira Caine's personal collection and clearly reflected her taste and individual style during a highly creative period in her career as a designer.

The super exquisite luxury jewellery collection includes:

• Shakira Caine: Gem-Set Collar 
• Shakira Caine: Glass Bead Collar
• Shakira Caine: Gem-Set Collar
• Shakira Caine: Textured Fringe Necklace
• Shakira Caine: Gem-Set Necklace
• Shakira Caine: Two Fringe Necklaces
• Shakira Caine: Gem-Set Bead-Link Bracelet
• Shakira Caine: Bead-Link Bracelet