According to the consignor, this Cartier ruby and diamond stickpin was originally part of the collection of Betty de Bernales, heiress to an Australian mining fortune. Her father, Claude Albo de Bernales, actively marketed and invested in the gold mining industry in Australia, leading to increased profits and employment throughout the mining industry, although often through complex and sometimes controversial tactics. Betty purportedly had an important jewelry collection and preferred jewels by important houses including Cartier. According to the consignor, her collection was sold privately in the early 1990’s, which is where this pin was reportedly purchased from.