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

35 ct Kashmir Sapphire sets World Record

A 35.09-carat sapphire yesterday set a new world record for the highest per-carat price paid at auction.

The Regent Kashmir sold for HKD 74.7m (USD 9.6m), equivalent to USD 271,515 per carat, at Christie’s Hong Kong.

The same gem also set a record back in 2015, when it was sold at Christie’s Geneva for USD 7.4m, equivalent to $209,689 per carat.

That record was broken the same year by another sapphire, the 27.6- carat Jewel of Kashmir, which sold for $6.7m at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2015, equivalent to USD 243,703 per carat.

But the record now reverts to gem known as the Regent Kashmir, an antique cushion-shaped, unheated, royal blue sapphire set in a platinum ring with round diamonds.

“The Regent Kashmir sapphire’s record-breaking price of $271,515 per carat with a total price of $9.5m, is a landmark moment for the sapphire market – proof that the rarest gems still command unstoppable power,” said Tobias Kormind, MD and co-founder of online jeweler 77 Diamonds.

“Gemstones of this calibre continue to be sought after and go up in value.”

The sapphire sold above its low estimate (HKD 65m, USD 8.3m) but didn’t reach its high estimate (HKD 95m, USD 12.1m).

Source: DCLA

392 ct Blue Belle Sapphire could Fetch $12m

The Blue Belle sapphire and diamond necklace is to lead a Christie’s New York sale next month with an estimate of $8m to $12m.

The tassel pendant features a 392.52 carat unheated, cushion modified, mixed-cut sapphire from the famed Ratnapura region of Sri Lanka, together with oval-shaped diamond terminals, and a brilliant-cut diamond neckchain, mounted in gold.

The estimate is well below the $17.6m the piece sold for at Christie’s Geneva when it last changed hands in November 2014.

The sapphire was recovered in 1926 and was sold in 1937 to was sold to British motor magnate Lord Nuffield, founder of Morris Motors.

There were reports at the time that the gem would be gifted to HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on her coronation day, though this didn’t actually happen.

“Sapphires of this caliber are extraordinarily rare,” said Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s international head of jewelry.

“This remarkable stone must be considered among the most prestigious colored gemstones to appear on the market in many years – truly worthy of any world-class collection.

Among other highlights at the Magnificent Jewels live auction on 17 June, is the Marie-Thérèse Pink Diamond, 10.38-carat kite-shaped fancy purple-pink diamond that is said to have belonged to Marie Antoinette.

It has recently been set into a contemporary ring by the Parisian jeweler Joel Arthur Rosenthal

Source: DCLA

Harry Winston Wins Top Item at Christie’s NY

 

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: DCLA

Harry Winston Wins Top Item at Christie’s NY

 

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: DCLA

Sapphire Necklace Sells for $15M at Christie’s

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: DCLA

Sapphire Necklace Sells for $15M at Christie’s

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: DCLA