Christie’s Rakes In $5M from Paris Sale

The 14.7-carat diamond.

A 14.7-carat diamond ring was the top seller for Christie’s in Paris, nearly tripling its high estimate.

The marquise-cut, E-color, SI1-clarity stone sold for EUR 437,500 ($531,812), or $35,322 per carat, well above its EUR 150,000 ($182,333) upper valuation. It was one of a number of noteworthy diamonds that led the sale Paris Jewels sale, which took place from November 24 to December 9. The auction brought in $5 million, Christie’s said last week.

A ring set with a rectangular cut-cornered, H-color, VS2-clarity diamond, weighing 1.22 carats, fetched EUR 237,500 ($288,696), or $25,167 per carat, nearly double its high estimate. Meanwhile, a ring containing two old-cut, J-color diamonds, each weighing 6.73 carats, smashed its presale high estimate, selling for EUR 137,500 ($167,139).

Colored stones also performed well, Christie’s noted. A pair of ruby and diamond mystery-set earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels garnered EUR 137,500 against a EUR 40,000 ($48,626) upper estimate, while a Ballerina brooch by the designer brought in EUR 106,250 ($129,164), doubling its estimate. A retro ruby and diamond bracelet, which transforms into double clips, tripled its valuation, achieving EUR 93,500 ($113,664).

In total, Christie’s sold 80% of the items on offer, with many pieces selling above their estimates.

“This last jewelry auction of the season demonstrated the continued strength of the jewelry market despite the challenges due to the pandemic,” said Violaine d’Astorg, director of the jewels department at Christie’s France. “Limited exhibition time and auctions without [the] public in the room were compensated [for] by intense activity on the phone and over Christie’s Live.”

Source: Diamonds.net

Harry Winston Wins Top Item at Christie’s NY

43.10-carat Kashmir sapphire.

Christie’s sold a Kashmir sapphire and diamond bracelet to Harry Winston for $6 million on Tuesday, kicking off the December New York Magnificent Jewels season.

The piece, which led the auction house’s New York sale, featured a 43.10-carat sapphire surrounded by 67.90 carats of D-color, internally flawless diamonds. The final price fell within the estimate of $5 million to $7 million that Christie’s had given ahead of the sale.

“We are very proud to have purchased this extraordinary Kashmir sapphire, which joins the ranks of the finest diamonds and colored gemstones acquired by Winston to form our superb Legacy Collection,” Harry Winston CEO Nayla Hayek said in a statement Tuesday.

Christie’s brought in $44.6 million at the 10-hour Magnificent Jewels auction, with 95% of items selling by value and 91% by lot, it reported. Bidders took part from 39 countries, with the final sales total equal to 118% of the items’ combined low estimates.

Sapphires were a theme at the sale: A 1917 Van Cleef & Arpels ring featuring a 21.72-carat cabochon Kashmir sapphire ring went for $1.7 million, while a necklace with an 80.86-carat Burma sapphire in the center fetched $1.1 million. Meanwhile, a Cartier brooch set with an Art Deco Kashmir sapphire weighing 12.64 carats, formerly from the collection of Jean Stralem, realized $1.5 million.

Other highlights included a pair of earrings containing fancy-intense-purplish-pink and fancy-intense-pink diamonds, weighing 2.61 and 2.34 carats. The piece sold for $2.1 million.

The auction preceded the Sotheby’s New York Magnificent Jewels sale, which takes place Wednesday. A ring featuring a fancy-vivid-pink diamond flanked by two fancy-intense-blue diamonds — estimated at up to $12 million — will headline that event.

Source: Diamonds.net

A 28 carat emerald shape type 2A diamond became the most expensive auctioned online

28.86 carat diamond ring

On Tuesday, Christie’s auctioned off the most expensive jewel ever sold on an online auction. The 28.86 carat diamond sold for $US2,115,000 million.
One of the rarest diamonds in the world, the Type 11a diamond is formed from pure carbon.

“The spectacular 28.86 carat D colour diamond received immediate attention upon its announcement,” Christie’s Head of Jewellery Rahul Kadakia said in a statement. “The stone possesses a transparency and purity which can only be found in the world’s finest diamonds.

The sale of this exceptional stone established the record for a jewel sold in an online only auction, demonstrating greater client confidence in Christie’s digital ability and online sale platform.”

The sale was the final day of Christie’s Jewels Online sale.

28 Carat Diamond Could Fetch $2 Million At Christie’s Online Auction

28.86 carat diamond ring

Christie’s is offering the largest D-color diamond to be sold at an online auction. What may be more important is that this sale could establish a new way of selling statement diamonds and gems.

A 28.86 carat, D color, VVS1 clarity diamond is the top lot at Christie’s Jewels Online sale, June 16 – 20. Its estimate is $1 million – $2 million, making it the highest valued lot ever offered for sale online at Christie’s.

With live auctions closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic, auction houses have turned to its already robust infrastructure of online auctions and it has paid off for the two largest auction houses, Christie’s and Sotheby’s, with sell-through rates well above 90 percent and many items surpassing estimates. However, what is being sold is limited to signed and unsigned period jewels at lower values than what are normally sold at live auctions.

Sapphire Necklace Sells for $15M at Christie’s

Christies peacock necklace

A rare sapphire necklace was the top seller at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in Hong Kong, which garnered about $60 million in total on Tuesday.

The Peacock Necklace, which had a presale estimate of $12 million to $15 million, became the most expensive Kashmir sapphire necklace per carat in auction history, Christie’s said. The piece contains 21 cushion-cut Kashmir sapphires weighing a total of 109.08 carats. It fetched $15 million at the sale, achieving a price of $137,146 per carat.

Christie’s also garnered $1.3 million from the sale of the 24.04-carat, fancy-yellow Moon of Baroda pendant, which Marilyn Monroe wore to the premiere of her 1953 movie, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The piece smashed its estimate of $500,000 to $750,000. An autographed photo of the actress wearing the necklace fetched $35,302, compared with its original estimate of $10,000 to $15,000.

An oval-shaped, 10.04-carat, Burmese pigeon’s blood ruby and diamond ring brought in $7.2 million in line with an expected $6.9 million to $8.7 million. A set of pear brilliant-cut, fancy-pink earrings weighing 5.21 carats and 5.01 carats sold for $4.3 million, within its presale valuation range of $3.8 million to $4.5 million .

Christie’s sold 70% of lots on offer at the auction.

Image: The Peacock Necklace. (Christie’s)

Source: Diamonds.net

20ct. Flawless Diamond Leads Christie’s Sale

Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction

The exceptional 20.47 carat D colour type IIa old mine brilliant cut,  diamond has sold for USD $2.7 million.

The D flawless diamond was the top seller at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in New York on Tuesday.

The Christie’s pre-sale estimate for the diamond was $2.5 million to $3.5 million.