Sarah Jessica Parker, Cindy Chao and their controversial “Ballerina Butterfly” brooch

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Famed star Sarah Jessica Parker and jewelry designer Cindy Chao co-designed the 2014 Black Label Masterpiece “Ballerina Butterfly” brooch, estimated to fetch US$750,000 – 950,000 at Sotheby’s Hong Kong on Oct 7 benefiting The New York City Ballet.

The brooch will be auctioned at the “Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite Sale” by Sotheby’s Hong Kong.

Parker and Chao came to admire each other’s respective work as creative artists during Chao’s 2011 Masterpiece Exhibition in Beijing. Their friendship and mutual respect led to discussions of a potential collaboration. It was decided during the opening of Chao’s boutique in Beijing in 2012, where Parker was a VIP guest, that the pair would combine their creative talents, working together to design a unique jewelry piece for charity.

Inspired by the graceful beauty and elegance of ballet, the “Ballerina Butterfly” brooch, is constructed of a body of titanium and 18-karat gold and featuring:

– a cushion-cut fancy brown diamond weighing 26.27 carats

– three rough brown diamond slices weighing a total of 47.71 carats

– three pieces of conch pearls weighing altogether 7.25 carats and the design is completed with 4,698 diamonds and fancy-colored diamonds weighing 98.09 carats in total.

The Black Label Masterpiece Butterflies are one of Chao’s coveted motifs and revered by collectors worldwide. Chao has designed a Black Label Masterpiece Butterfly every year since 2008, symbolising her metamorphosis as an artist. This year marks the 10th anniversary of CINDY CHAO The Art Jewel, lending personal meaning to this Black Label Masterpiece Butterfly.

The “Ballerina Butterfly” brooch made its debut during haute couture week in Paris from July 7-10. It will travel throughout Asia before going to New York, where Chao and Parker will serve as co-chairs of the New York City Ballet’s Fall Gala on Sept 23. The brooch will then return to Hong Kong in Oct, prior to the auction.