Kashmir Sapphire and Diamond Necklace Achieves $16.1M at Christie’s Hong Kong

A magnificent sapphire and diamond necklace was the star of Christie’s recent Magnificent Jewels auction in Hong Kong, realising HKD 125.5 million (USD 16.1 million) and comfortably landing within its estimated range.

The centrepiece features 16 antique, cushion-shaped Kashmir sapphires, ranging from 3.43 to 13.37 carats—coveted for their velvety saturation and rarity. Each sapphire is framed by an array of D–F colour, internally flawless to VS1 diamonds, with a combined diamond weight of 121.81 carats.

According to Christie’s, the necklace dominated the 25 November sale and drew significant attention from collectors seeking exceptional provenance and craftsmanship.

The auction totalled HKD 538.1 million (USD 69.1 million), showcasing important creations from renowned maisons including Harry Winston, Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, and JAR.

Top 10 Lots from the Sale

1. Burmese Ruby “Red Butterfly” Earrings — HKD 25.5M (USD 3.3M)

Designed as vibrant red butterflies, these earrings feature oval Burmese rubies of 2.03, 2.11, 5.01, and 5.05 carats, set alongside pear- and marquise-cut diamonds. The pair sold within its presale estimate.

2. Kashmir Sapphire and Diamond Earrings — HKD 24.9M (USD 3.2M)

Showcasing four cushion-shaped Kashmir sapphires weighing 2.28–7.90 carats, accented by round and pear-cut diamonds, this pair also achieved its projected price range.

3. Diamond Rivière Necklace — HKD 22.1M (USD 2.8M)

A classic rivière design set with 25 diamonds (E–I colour), totalling 88.14 carats. The necklace includes five outstanding round brilliants weighing 8.57, 10.01, 12.86, 13.81, and 31.71 carats.

4. Cartier Tutti Frutti Necklace and Brooch — HKD 19.4M (USD 2.5M)

This iconic multi-gem suite features carved emeralds, sapphires, and rubies, complemented by cabochon beads and round diamonds. The result aligned with expectations.

5. 12.86-Carat Fancy Orangey-Pink Diamond — HKD 18.6M (USD 2.4M)

An unmounted round brilliant, VVS2 clarity and Fancy Orangey Pink colouration—a rare combination—fetched its forecasted price.

6. Art Deco Multi-Gem Cartier Bracelet (c. 1925) — HKD 16.4M (USD 2.1M)

Set with jadeite cabochons, a star sapphire, carved rubies and sapphires, enamel, and old-cut diamonds, this 1920s piece surged to nearly triple its high estimate.

7. 30.87-Carat D-Colour Heart-Shape Diamond Necklace — HKD 16.1M (USD 2.1M)

Featuring a detachable Type IIa, D-colour, VVS1 heart-shaped diamond, this versatile jewel achieved slightly above its lower estimate.

8. Boehmer et Bassenge Diamond Earrings — HKD 12.7M (USD 1.6M)

The earrings include two oval D-colour stones: an 11.03-carat internally flawless diamond and an 11.13-carat flawless diamond, suspended from round and marquise diamonds. The lot exceeded its high estimate.

9. Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond Ring — HKD 10.9M (USD 1.4M)

An emerald-cut 10.39-carat Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond, VVS1 clarity, accompanied by round diamond shoulders, outperformed its HKD 6.8 million estimate.

Why This Matters to the Australian Market

High-profile auction results continue to highlight global demand for rare gemstones—particularly Kashmir sapphires, high-colour diamonds, and historically significant Cartier pieces.

As Australia’s only internationally accredited diamond laboratory, DCLA recognises how transparent, scientifically rigorous grading underpins confidence in the global secondary market. These results reinforce the premium commanded by stones with verified origin, colour, clarity, and craftsmanship.

Source: DCLA

Fabergé’s Legendary Winter Egg Expected to Shatter Records with $27 Million Estimate

A rare Fabergé masterpiece — the Winter Egg, crafted in 1913 from rock crystal and adorned with 1,660 diamonds — is set to reclaim its world record with an estimated sale price exceeding $27 million when it goes under the hammer at Christie’s London on 2 December.

Commissioned by Tsar Nicholas II as an Easter gift for his mother, the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, the exquisite egg was designed by Alma Theresia Pihl, one of only two female artists to ever design for the House of Fabergé.

Standing four inches tall, the Winter Egg opens to reveal a platinum trelliswork basket of carved quartz flowers, each delicately set with rose-cut diamonds and demantoid garnet centres, resting on a base of gold moss. The egg itself sits upon a rock-crystal plinth shaped like melting ice, symbolising the transition from winter to spring — a theme often celebrated in Fabergé’s Imperial creations.

The piece will be the centrepiece of The Winter Egg and Important Works by Fabergé from a Princely Collection sale. Christie’s confirmed the estimate is “in excess of £20 million” (US$26.9 million).

The Winter Egg has twice held the world record for a Fabergé piece sold at auction — fetching $9.1 million in Geneva in 1994 and $9.6 million in New York in 2002. The current record holder, the Rothschild Egg, achieved $11.9 million at Christie’s London in 2007, a benchmark the Winter Egg is now poised to surpass.

Between 1885 and 1916, the House of Fabergé produced 50 Imperial Easter Eggs, with 43 known to survive today. Most reside in museum collections, while only seven, including the Winter Egg, remain in private hands — making this sale a landmark moment for collectors and historians alike.

Source: DCLA

‘The Mellon Blue’ Diamond Set to Shine at Christie’s Geneva Auction

Christie’s is preparing to present one of the most important diamonds to appear at auction in recent years – The Mellon Blue. Estimated at $20 million to $30 million, the 9.51-carat fancy vivid blue pear-shaped diamond will headline the Geneva Magnificent Jewels sale on 11 November at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues.

If it reaches the top of its estimate, The Mellon Blue will once again secure its place among the world’s most valuable fancy blue diamonds.

A Rare and Flawless Gem

This remarkable diamond is graded Internally Flawless, and its vivid colour saturation and elegant pear shape make it one of the finest fancy blue diamonds to come to market this year. It has been mounted at the tip of a diamond-paved swirl ring, highlighting its exceptional fire and brilliance.

Provenance: Bunny Mellon

The diamond takes its name from Rachel “Bunny” Mellon (1910–2014), the renowned American philanthropist, horticulturalist, and art collector. Mellon, who designed the White House Rose Garden for President John F. Kennedy, was equally admired for her refined taste in jewellery.

Her estate sale at Sotheby’s in 2014 achieved an extraordinary $218 million, with the jewellery collection alone fetching more than $45 million. Among the highlights of that auction was this very diamond, then weighing 9.75 carats and sold as the “Zoe Diamond,” which realised $32.6 million – setting world records for both price per carat and overall price for a blue diamond at auction.

Returning to the Public Eye

Now renamed The Mellon Blue in honour of its most celebrated owner, the diamond will be unveiled to the public in Hong Kong (23–28 October) and Geneva (7–11 November) ahead of the sale. Christie’s has also announced that the Geneva auction will feature important jewels by Harry Winston, Cartier, JAR, and Van Cleef & Arpels.

Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International Head of Jewellery, commented:

“This stunning fancy vivid blue diamond, once belonging to America’s ‘Garden Queen,’ is among the finest coloured diamonds to appear for sale at auction. We look forward with great anticipation to its return.”

The November 11 auction of The Mellon Blue will conclude a week-long series of high-profile jewellery and watch sales in Geneva.

Source: DCLA

Historic “Marie-Thérèse Pink Diamond” Fetches Over $13.9 Million at Christie’s

A remarkable piece of royal history captivated the global jewellery market this week. The 10.38-carat “Marie-Thérèse Pink Diamond” achieved more than USD $13.9 million (including buyer’s premium) at Christie’s New York Magnificent Jewels auction, nearly doubling its high estimate. The hammer price alone reached USD $11.8 million.

This fancy purple-pink, modified kite brilliant-cut diamond boasts not only exceptional rarity and colour but also a royal provenance tracing back through French, Bavarian, and Austrian imperial families. It was most recently set in a ring by renowned Franco-American jewellery artist JAR, further enhancing its artistic and collectible value.

According to Christie’s, the pink diamond is believed to have been part of a group of jewels entrusted by Marie Antoinette to her hairdresser in 1791, just before her attempted escape from Paris. These jewels were later passed to her only surviving child, Duchess Marie Thérèse de Angoulême, and subsequently to her niece, Duchess Marie Thérèse de Chambord.

“Generations later,” Christie’s noted, a will identified Queen Marie Theresa of Bavaria as the next known custodian of the gem, referring to it as “a pink solitaire diamond from Aunt Chambord.” The diamond last appeared at auction in Geneva in 1996, offered by a European royal family member, and had remained out of public view until this recent sale.

The impressive result underscores continued global demand for rare, historically significant coloured diamonds — particularly those with noble provenance.

No Golconda Blue, but Christie’s still Raises $72m

Christie’s Geneva sold 100 per cent of lots at its Magnificent Jewels yesterday (14 May) and raised $72.3m – despite the withdrawal of the sale’s main attraction, the 23.24-carat Golconda Blue.

It carried a $35m to $50m estimate and would have been the largest fancy vivid blue diamond ever offered at auction. But consignors pulled the gem with less than three weeks’ notice, saying it would be sold a family member instead.

The new top lot was another blue, an emerald-cut 6.24-carat fancy deep blue diamond (pictured) that was sold to London-based Moussaieff Jewellers for $12.7m. Christie’s said it set an auction record price per carat for a deep blue jewel.

A fancy, vivid blue oval-shaped diamond ring of 3.68 carats set by Graff, sold for $5.8m to Lawrence Graff.

And a private collection of 21 pieces by JAR (Joel Arthur Rosenthal) sold for $7.1m, with a diamond necklace selling for $2.8m, almost five times its pre-sale estimate.

Christie’s said the auction raised $72.3m, with 77 per cent of the 115 lots selling above their high estimate. By comparison, last year’s Magnificent Jewels auction raised $54.2m.

Source: IDEX

Christie’s to Sell Sassoon Family Treasures

Jewelry belonging to the famed Sassoon dynasty is to be sold at auction by Christie’s Geneva.

Five lots, including an Art Deco Cartier diamond necklace (pictured), will be offered for sale during the Magnificent Jewels event on 12 November.

The Cartier necklace, circa 1935, survived a World War II blast that destroyed the bank where it was being stored. 

Total carat weight is 130 carats to 140 carats, according to the Christie’s catalogue, including round diamonds of 10.58 carats, 7.80 carats and 7.24 carats. Estimate CHF 900,000 to CHF 1.3m ($1m to $1.5m).

The Sassoons were a prominent Jewish family, originally from Baghdad, who made their fortune from the 1830s trading a wide range of commodities to Kolkata, Karachi, China, Japan, Myanmar, and Malaysia. 

Under the stewardship of patriarch David Sassoon (1792 to 1864) they established one of the first international conglomerates.

The Sassoon family went on to become part of Britain’s social, cultural and political elite, and were known for their discerning taste and passion for fine jewelry.

Among the other Sassoon lots is a Cartier ruby and diamond necklace (estimate $250,000 to $300,000) and an Art Deco Colombian emerald and diamond bracelet, circa 1925 (estimate $300,000 to $400,000).

Source: DCLA

The 10.2-Carat ‘Eden Rose’ Fancy Pink Diamond Fetches $13.3 Million

Fancy colored diamonds made their mark at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale, held Tuesday in New York.

The top lot of the sale was “The Eden Rose,” a 10.2-carat internally flawless round brilliant fancy intense pink diamond. It sold for $13.3 million, beating its $12 million high estimate. Chrsitie’s said the diamond exhibits a pure pink hue, unlike many natural pink diamonds that typically display secondary hues such as purple, orange or gray. “The Eden Rose stands out for its complete absence of any secondary color, rendering it exceptionally rare,” Christie’s said in a statement prior to the auction.

The New York Magnificent Jewels sale achieved a total of $44.4 Million, with 90% of the 144 lots sold. The auction featured an array of diamonds, notable colored gemstones and pearl jewelry, and jewels from important houses such as Bulgari, Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and Van Cleef & Arpels. The sale is part of Christie’s “Luxury Week” of auctions being held this week.

“Collectors participated actively in all areas of the sale, paying strong prices for rare colored gemstones and natural pearls in particular,” said Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s international head of Jewelry.

Read full article: Forbes

US Retail Sales Slow Slightly in March

March US retail sales increased at a slower pace than the previous month’s as inflation eased and the job market improved.

Revenue grew 0.7% from the month before to $709.6 billion — adjusted for seasonal variation — compared to an increase of 0.9% in February, according to data the US Census Bureau released Monday.

“As inflation for goods levels off, March’s data demonstrates steady spending by value-focused consumers who continue to benefit from a strong labor market and real wage gains,” said National Retail Federation (NRF) CEO Matthew Shay. “In this highly competitive market, retailers are having to keep prices as low as possible to meet the demand of consumers looking to stretch their family budgets.”

Sales climbed 2.7% from a year earlier, on par with February’s year-on-year results, the NRF added.

March sales were up year on year in six of the nine retail categories the NRF monitors, compared to eight last month. Sales in the clothing and accessories segment — which includes jewelry — were flat compared to February, but advanced 2.1% versus the same period a year ago. Online sales saw the largest year-on-year gain, rising 15%, while electronics, furniture, and building and garden supply products fell.

Source: DCLA

Christie’s Jewels Online Sale Rakes In Nearly $14M

A Kashmir sapphire and diamond ring was the top seller at the most recent online jewelry sale at Christie’s, fetching $856,800, nearly double its high estimate.

The piece, which contains a cushion mixed-cut, 8.19-carat sapphire flanked by trapezoid-shaped diamonds, carried a presale price range of $300,000 to $500,000 at the March 11 to 21 Jewels Online auction, Christie’s said last week. It was offered without reserve. In total, the sale garnered $13.5 million, with 97% of items finding buyers.

Jewelry with sapphires and emeralds performed well, as did diamonds from iconic brands, including Harry Winston, Cartier and Bulgari.

Here are the rest of the top 10 pieces at the auction:

A pear brilliant-cut, 17.09-carat, D-color, VVS2-clarity diamond ring by Harry Winston brought in $819,000, within its $700,000 to $1 million price range.

This Cartier necklace features a cushion brilliant-cut, 10.08-carat, D-color, VVS1-clarity diamond that is potentially internally flawless. The piece sold for $604,800, within its estimate.

Christie’s sold this pair of Bulgari earrings consisting of two round brilliant-cut, D-color, VVS2-clarity diamonds weighing 5.08 and 5.05 carats for $428,400, within its presale price range.

A ring bearing a round brilliant-cut, 1.13-carat, fancy-blue, VS2-clarity diamond center stone with additional baguette-cut sapphires and diamonds fetched $403,200, surpassing its $250,000 high estimate.

This emerald-cut, 10.07-carat, G-color, VVS1-clarity diamond ring was offered without reserve. The jewel, which has the potential to be internally flawless, went for $378,000, above its $350,000 upper price tag.

A ring bearing a rectangular emerald-cut, 22.97-carat Colombian emerald with diamond brackets garnered $315,000, more than five times its $60,000 high estimate.

This necklace by Calvin French features rectangular and square emerald-cut emeralds weighing approximately 58 to 60 carats combined, and 29 round diamonds totaling about 36 to 38 carats. It sold for $277,200, just below its lower price.

A Bulgari bracelet with 14 emeralds totaling about 25 carats and 14 diamonds weighing approximately 12.5 carats brought in $277,200, smashing its $150,000 high estimate.

An oval brilliant-cut, 10.01-carat, fancy-intense-yellow, VVS1-clarity diamond ring raked in $226,800, more than double its $100,000 upper price tag.

Source: DCLA

Christie’s New York Jewelry Auction Fetches $38.1 Million

 Christie’s New York Jewelry Auction Fetches $38.1 Million

Important fancy-colored diamonds and Kashmir sapphires led Christie’s December 6 Magnificent Jewels auction in New York. The sale of approximately 157 lots achieved more than $38.1 million.

However, what was billed as the top lot of the sale was withdrawn at the “11th hour without explanation,” according to a gem dealer who attended the auction. Christie’s confirmed this a few days later, again without explanation.

“California Sunset” earrings withdrawn before going to sale. Its estimate was $7 – $12 million

The lot was a pair of fancy vivid orange-yellow diamond earrings weighing 12.20 and 11.96 carats. The earrings were named “California Sunset Diamonds” and had an estimate of $7 million to $12 million.

Source: DCLA

Christie's sells rare blue diamond for over $40m USD

The 17.61 carat, pear-shaped Bleu Royal diamond, set in a ring, fetched $43.8 million, they said.

It is the “largest internally flawless fancy vivid blue gem” ever to appear for sale in auction history, Christie’s said.

Part of a private collection for 50 years, it was the first time the Bleu Royal was sold at an auction.

“This diamond is amongst the rarest to have been unearthed,” the auction house said in a statement.

Christie’s said only three fancy vivid blue diamonds over 10 carats had appeared for sale in its 250-year auction history, in 2010, 2014 and 2016.

Source: DCLA

Christie’s Nixes Final Sale of Heidi Horten Jewels

Christie’s has canceled its fourth sale of jewelry belonging to Austrian billionaire Heidi Horten following controversy over her late husband’s connection to the Nazi party.

“Christie’s has taken the decision not to proceed with further sales of property from the estate of Heidi Horten,” Anthea Peers, president of Christie’s for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), told Rapaport News Sunday.

The auction house held three previous sales despite an outcry from parts of the industry. The first, which took place live in Geneva on May 8, included 96 items and brought in $155.6 million, a record for a single collection. Christie’s offered 152 lots on May 10, garnering $42.4 million, while an online sale between May 3 and 15 fetched $4.2 million. The final sale was to have featured 300 pieces.

Although Christie’s donated a “significant portion” of its commission to charity, the gesture did not satisfy many in the industry, who felt the company should not have hosted the sales. The opposition included the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB), which wrote a letter to the auction house calling the sale “appalling” and asking for assurances that if Christie’s were to proceed, it would expect a major portion of the proceeds to go to Holocaust-related charities. However, many of those organizations, including the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, refused the donations.

“The sale of the Heidi Horten jewelry collection has provoked intense scrutiny, and the reaction to it has deeply affected us and many others, and we will continue to reflect on it,” Peers added.

Source: DCLA

Christie’s Garners $46M from Hong Kong Sale

 Christie’s Garners $46M from Hong Kong Sale

 

                     Rivière diamond necklace

A rivière diamond necklace was the top seller at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels in Hong Kong on Monday, bringing in $5.9 million.

The sale price for the piece, which features 52 round brilliant-cut, D-flawless and internally flawless diamonds weighing a total of 104.84 carats, was within estimates. In total, the November 28 auction achieved $46.2 million, with 50% of the jewels on offer exceeding their high estimates, Christie’s said Monday.

The company sold 86% of available lots, or 82% by value, and drew global participation from 21 countries across three continents.

The auction also included a collection of jewels from Hong Kong actress Rosamund Kwan, which fetched a combined total of $11.1 million. The two leading lots from that sale saw heavily competitive bidding, lasting over 15 minutes, Christie’s noted. The top item in the group was a necklace featuring a pear brilliant-cut, 22.18-carat, D-color, VVS1-clarity diamond pendant with rubies and pink diamonds, which went for $2.1 million, within estimates.

Here are the rest of the top five:

A jadeite, diamond and sapphire necklace by Etcetera sold for $2.8 million against a presale estimate of $2.6 million to $3.8 million.

This cushion modified brilliant-cut, 60.79-carat, fancy-vivid-yellow, VS2-clarity diamond ring brought in $2.7 million, in the middle of its $2.3 million to $3.6 million presale range.

A round brilliant-cut, 19.61-carat, D-flawless, type IIa diamond ring exceeded its $1.7 million to $2.3 million presale estimate, bringing in $2.4 million.

This oval-cut, 5.32-carat Burmese pigeon’s blood ruby ring with pear-shaped diamonds by Cartier Paris achieved $2.1 million, within its expected range of $1.9 million to $2.3 million.

Source: DCLA

$35M Pink Diamond Pulled from Christie’s Sale

                 The 13.15 carat pink diamond

A 13.15 carat pink diamond will no longer be available at the upcoming Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in New York.

The emerald-cut, fancy vivid pink, VVS1 clarity stone, which carried a price estimate of $25 million to $35 million, was poised to be the December 6 sale’s showcase piece. Christie’s described the diamond as one of the largest of its kind to appear at auction.

“Christie’s confirms that the fancy vivid pink diamond ring has been withdrawn from sale in New York on December 6,” a spokesperson said. The company declined to comment further or provide a reason.

The item was scheduled to appear on display in Hong Kong on Friday. The removal was “very surprising,” said one colored diamond dealer in the municipality.

Colored diamonds have had a mixed season at auction. On November 8, the 18.18-carat Fortune Pink fetched CHF 28.4 million ($28.9 million) at Christie’s Geneva, toward the lower end of its presale estimate. The following day, a 5.53 carat diamond from the De Beers Exceptional Blue Collection failed to find a buyer at a Sotheby’s auction in the Swiss city.

With the 13.15 carat pink off the list, the top remaining item at the Magnificent Jewels sale is a pear modified brilliant cut, 31.62 carat, fancy blue diamond pendant with a price estimate of $10 million to $15 million.

Source: DCLA

41ct. Diamond Could Fetch Up to $5M at Christie’s

 

103ct. Flawless Diamond Fetches $20M at Christie’s

 103ct. Flawless Diamond Fetches $20M at Christie’s

                 The Light of Africa diamond

A diamond weighing more than 100 carats smashed its high estimate at Christie’s New York Wednesday, raking in $20 million.

The emerald-cut, 103.49-carat, D-flawless, type IIa Light of Africa was the star of the Magnificent Jewels auction, surpassing its $18 million presale upper price tag. The stone is the fifth most-valuable colorless diamond Christie’s has ever offered, it said Thursday. It was crafted by Dubai-based manufacturer Stargems, from a 299.3-carat rough unearthed at Petra Diamonds’ Cullinan mine in South Africa. Stargems bought the stone for $12.2 million in 2021.

In total, the sale garnered $48.9 million, with 95% of the items on offer finding buyers.

“The Magnificent Jewels auction…rounded off an incredible sale season with solid results worldwide,” said Rahul Kadakia, international head of jewelry for Christie’s. “The 103.49-carat Light of Africa diamond achieved an incredible $195,000 per carat, demonstrating the strength of the diamond market at the highest levels.”

Source: DCLA

'The Rock,' the largest white diamond ever auctioned, sells for $21.9 million

                            

he largest white diamond to ever come up for auction has been sold for $21.9 million USD at Christie’s in Geneva.
The 228.31-carat, pear shaped gemstone dubbed “The Rock” originated from South Africa, where some of the largest diamonds in the world have been found, including the pear-shaped “Star of Africa” and rose cushion cut “Golden Jubilee.”
“The Rock” is about the size of a golf ball and was previously worn as a lavish Cartier necklace by its former owner. Along with the pear-shaped stone, the new owner will also receive a round diamond and platinum pendant mounting from the French luxury brand.
World’s largest blue diamond to come to auction has sold for $57.5 million
Ahead of the sale, the head of Christie’s jewelry department in Geneva, Max Fawcett, explained why “The Rock” is a particularly unique stone.
“Often with these largest stones, they sacrifice some of the shape in order to keep the weight,” he told Reuters. “This is a perfectly symmetrical pear-shape form and… one of the rarest gems ever to be sold at auction.”

Source: DCLA

Christie’s to Auction $18M D-Flawless Diamond

                  The Light of Africa diamond

Christie’s will offer a 103.49-carat diamond that could fetch up to $18 million at its upcoming New York sale.

The emerald-cut, D-Flawless, type IIa stone, called the Light of Africa diamond, will headline the auction house’s Magnificent Jewels sale on June 8, it said Monday. It will be among the items featured as part of Christie’s luxury week.

The diamond was cut from a 299.3-carat rough Petra Diamonds recovered from its Cullinan mine in South Africa in January 2021. Petra then sold the diamond to Dubai-based diamond-sourcing and supply company Stargems DMCC in March of that year for $12.18 million. It is the third-largest high-quality white diamond recovered from Cullinan since Petra acquired it in 2008, the miner noted.

Christie’s will preview the diamond in Geneva from May 6 to 11, followed by Hong Kong from May 22 to 24, before showing it in New York between June 3 and 7.

Source: DCLA

Christie’s to Sell the Red Cross Diamond

            205.7 ct Red Cross Diamond

One of the world’s largest yellow diamonds weighing 205.7 ct and known as the Red Cross Diamond is to be auctioned by Christie’s London.

The fancy intense yellow, cushion-shaped stone has a pavilion distinctively faceted in the shape of a Maltese cross.

The original rough gem was recovered by De Beers, in South Africa, in 1901 and was sold in 1918 in aid of the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St John.

It raised $13,000 equivalent to $780,000 in today’s money when it was sold at Christie’s London to the famous London firm S.J. Phillips.

It was sold again in November 1973, achieving CHF 1.8 million at Christie’s Geneva and returned to private ownership.

The diamond will again be offered for sale at Christie’s London on 11 May, with an undisclosed part of the sale revenue to be donated to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

We have asked Christie’s for the estimate, which is available “on request”.

Source: DCLA

Marie Antoinette Diamonds Shatter Estimate

Marie Antoinette Diamond Bracelet

Two diamond bracelets belonging to Marie Antoinette more than doubled their high estimate at a recent Christie’s auction in Geneva.

The set, made by Boehmer in 1776 and passed down through Marie Antoinette’s family for 250 years, fetched $8.2 million at Tuesday’s Magnificent Jewels sale, Christie’s said. That figure is the second-highest price for a jewel owned by the French queen and the highest price ever garnered for one of her diamond pieces. In 2018, Sotheby’s sold a natural-pearl and diamond pendant belonging to Marie Antoinette for $36.2 million against its $2 million high estimate.

In total, the November 9 auction raked in $59 million, with 11 lots fetching more than $1 million.

Other notable items sold at the auction include a pear brilliant-cut, 55.50-carat, D-color, potentially internally flawless diamond, which went for $5.3 million, or $95,700 per carat, at the high end of its estimate. A cushion-shaped Burmese ruby and diamond brooch by Van Cleef & Arpels brought in $4.6 million at the auction, smashing its CHF 600,000 ($656,756) upper valuation.

An oval brilliant-cut, 43.19-carat, D-color, internally flawless diamond ring garnered $3.6 million, representing $83,000 per carat — within estimates. A rectangular-cut, 42.98-carat, fancy-vivid-yellow diamond fetched $3.1 million, in the middle of its presale valuation, while a fancy-light-pink and colorless diamond brooch by Harry Winston hammered for $2.3 million, just over its lower estimate.

However, a ring featuring a heart modified brilliant-cut, 6.75-carat, fancy-vivid-purple-pink, SI1-clarity diamond failed to find a buyer. The piece was estimated to bring in up to $10.9 million at the auction. A ruby bangle by Cartier, the first anniversary gift Wallis SImpson, the Duchess of Windsor, received from her husband, also remained unsold. That piece had a high valuation of $2.2 million. 

In total, Christie’s sold 93% of items on offer, with bidders hailing from 32 countries.

“A very dynamic saleroom, coupled with strong online and telephone bids from around the world, resulted in lively bidding and a very high sell-through rate,” said Rahul Kadakia, international head of jewelry at Christie’s. “Marie Antoinette’s diamonds captured the world’s attention and achieved a fitting result for such a magnificent royal jewel.”

Source: DCLA