Lot 159, a Colored Star Sapphire and Diamond Ring carries a compelling West Coast family provenance. This ring originally belonged to Alverna Mae Bechtel, wife of Warren A. Bechtel Jr.. Warren was member of the prominent San Francisco Bechtel family, a name that became synonymous with some of the most significant engineering and infrastructure projects of the twentieth century through the W.A. Bechtel Company. Since its inception in 1898, Bechtel, as the company is now known, has contributed to the advancements of public works across the globe. Two of Bechtel’s most laudable accomplishments in the United States are their involvement in building the Hoover Dam and San Francisco’s BART transit system.

A portrait of Mrs. Alverna Bechtel, painted by artist and friend of the family, Sascha Lautmann, depicts her wearing the present lot, providing a rare visual record linking the jewel directly to its original owner. Preserved within the family and passed down by descent, this ring represents not only an exceptional gemstone with a captivating asterism effect, but also a tangible connection to one of California's earliest notable dynasties.