A 16.73 carat very light pink diamond is expected to sell for CHF 1.1m to CHF 1.8m ($1.3m to $2m) in Sotheby’s Geneva Magnificent Jewels Sale.
Another highlight of the sale, which features many colored diamonds, is a 1.44 carat fancy red diamond (the rarest of all diamond colors) from Australia’s iconic Argyle mine.
They’ll be offered for sale next week (13 November) in a live auction of 88 lots, including pieces by Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany, Bulgari and JAR, spanning 250 years of jewelry history.
The pink diamond is claw-set in a ring, VVS1-clarity, natural color with a brilliant cut. The red diamond is also claw-set in a ring, with a cut-cornered rectangular mixed cut, together with an Argyle mine presentation case.
“The sale is a celebration of exceptional craftsmanship, with signed jewels from the most esteemed makers of the 20th century,” says Sotheby’s. The sale also offers a number of coloured diamonds of outstanding quality and size, within the rarest of colors.”
An important and rare Van Cleef & Arpels diamond “Tie” necklace smashed its estimate and blew past other impressive gems and jewels to become the top lot at Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels auction, held Friday in New York.
The necklace, circa 1929, composed of graduated links set with variously cut diamonds with elongated tassels that partially rotate, sold for $3.6 million, triple its high estimate of $1.2 million, after a six-minute battle between seven bidders.
It was one of the few marquee items in the sale of 95 lots, a low number for a major New York auction. However, many of the items offered were highly collectible and wearable as shown by the overall results. For example, the sale achieved $30 million, near its $35 million high estimate, with 90% of lots sold and 62% of sold lots achieving prices above their high estimate. Sotheby’s said persons from 30 countries participated in the auction, placing more than 1,200 bids. In addition, seven out of the 10 most valuable jewels in the sale achieved more than $1 million. Art Deco jewels, Kashmir sapphires and white diamonds all performed well.
Quig Bruning, Sotheby’s Head of Jewels for Americas & EMEA, credits Sotheby’s new lower buying premium, set at 20%, for the strong overall results.
“We’re encouraged to see that two-thirds of jewels have sold above their high estimates since our lower buyer’s premium came into effect on May 20, confirming that a fairer fee structure is the definition of client-first, and not only encourages more buyers to participate at auction, but also reiterates that Sotheby’s is open to all.”
A 53.04 carat D colour, internally flawless diamond is expected to fetch up to $5m when it is sold a Sotheby’s New York.
The Type IIa pear-shaped lose stone will lead the Magnificent Jewels sale on 7 June.
A GIA report from last November describes the diamond as having very good polish, good symmetry and no fluorescence.
The diamond, which carries an estimate of $3m to $5m, will be among the first items sold under Sotheby’s new price structure (introduced on 20 May) under which buyers pay a reduced premium – down by 26m per cent on their purchases.
Another highlight of the auction, also with a $3m to $5m estimate, is a David Morris necklace of Kashmir sapphires 2.40 cts to 11.37 cts and graduated oval-shaped diamonds.
An unmounted 55.55-carat diamond was the top seller at the most recent Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong, bringing in HKD 45.2 million ($5.8 million).
The price for the oval brilliant-cut, D-flawless stone, named the Fortune Five, fell within its HKD 38 million to HKD 50 million ($4.9 million to $6.4 million) presale estimate, Sotheby’s said Saturday. In total, the April 6 Magnificent Jewels sale garnered HKD 285.7 million ($36.5 million), with 76% of items finding buyers.
Colored diamonds and gemstones proved popular choices, comprising half of the best sellers, as were jewels from well-known design houses, including Graff, Harry Winston, & Tiffany & Co.
Here are the rest of the top 10 items at the sale:
A ring with a rare fancy-vivid-yellowish-orange diamond is set to lead the upcoming Sotheby’s jewelry sale in Hong Kong, which will take place during its luxury week.
The auction house has not disclosed the estimate for the cushion-shaped, 7.01-carat, VS2-clarity diamond it will offer at the April 6 Magnificent Jewels event.
Along with that stone, Sotheby’s will feature several other colored diamonds in its top 10, as well as jadeite pieces. Jewels from well-known design houses, including Harry Winston, Graff, Chopard, Tiffany & Co., Bulgari, and Boucheron, will also take center stage.
Here are the rest of the top 10 jewels Sotheby’s will offer at the auction:
Sotheby’s is set to offer over 180 iconic pieces of jewelry belonging to a single owner, featuring items such as Van Cleef & Arpels’ famous Zip necklace, a Cartier Panthère and a Bulgari Serpenti.
The event, called From the Vault: Exceptional Signed Jewels, will take place on March 7 during the company’s New York Luxury sales, it said Tuesday. The auction house curated the collection with a special focus on iconic motifs, it added.
Prices for the pieces, all signed by well-known design houses, range from $3,000 to $3 million. The top item is a matching necklace and earrings set by Asprey, comprising 50 graduated round, fancy-vivid-yellow diamonds and one round, fancy-intense-yellow diamond weighing a total of 55.26 carats, accented with white diamonds. It is estimated to bring in between $2 million and $3 million.
Here are some of the other pieces that will be offered at the auction:
A 21.38 carat Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond is to be auctioned tomorrow (31 January) at Sotheby’s Hong Kong with an estimate of HKD 8,000,000 to 11,000,000 HKD ($1m to $1.4m).
The radiant-cut VS1 gem is flanked by two tapered baguette diamonds, mounted in platinum and 18 karat yellow gold, inscribed HW (Harry Winston).
The FCRF (Fancy Color Research Foundation) gives the stone a visual score of 7 out of 12. It says the stone looks slightly larger in relation to its weight, which is an important feature to consider when buying color diamonds.
“A large vivid yellow radiant cut diamond features a low inner grade and prominent colorless patches around the crown area,” it reports. “No significant green or brown undertone is visible in the hue.”
The stone leads the live Important Jewels auction, Sotheby’s first jewelry auction of the year in Hong Kong, comprising a selection of diamonds, colored stones, jadeites and signed jewels.
Sotheby’s raked in $13.1 million at its most recent jewelry sale in New York, with more than half of the goods surpassing their high estimates.
The lead item at the September 12 Important Jewels sale was a Harry Winston ring set with a round, 15.18-carat, E-color, VS2-clarity diamond, which brought in $69,440 per carat, for a total of $1.1 million, Sotheby’s said Wednesday. That amount was well above its $750,000 upper estimate.
Overall, Sotheby’s sold 84% of jewels on offer at the auction.
The 303.10-carat Golden Canary fetched $12.4 million at Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels in New York on Wednesday, becoming the third most valuable yellow diamond ever sold at auction, the company reported.
The pear-shaped, fancy-deep-brownish-yellow stone is the world’s largest known internally flawless diamond. It is also the largest flawless or internally flawless diamond graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Sotheby’s said Thursday. The auction house offered the piece without reserve, but predicted it would bring in more than $15 million.
The diamond was initially discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the early 1980s. Originally called the Incomparable Diamond, the stone was recut from its previous 407-carat shield shape to deepen the color and brighten the hue.
“The Golden Canary captivated me from the moment I saw it — with its monumental size, golden hue and impeccable clarity — it is truly an extraordinary diamond with immense presence,” said Quig Bruning, head of jewelry for the Americas at Sotheby’s.
11.15-Carat Internally Flawless Pink Diamond Could Fetch $21 Million
The second largest internally flawless fancy vivid pink diamond to ever appear at auction was unveiled Wednesday in London by Sotheby’s. The 11.15-carat Williamson Pink Star will be sold in a single-lot auction in Hong Kong on October 5. Its estimate is $21 million.
The auction house says it has the potential to set a new per carat price record for a fancy vivid pink diamond.
“We do have the confidence that it will find a great collector and have the interest of multiple parties,” Wenhao Yu, chairman of Jewellery and Watches at Sotheby’s Asia, told Forbes on Tuesday. “It has the potential to reach a very strong price.”
He adds, “This diamond truly checks all the boxes. It has the best qualities you can have in a pink diamond.”
The current price per carat auction record for a fancy vivid pink diamond is $2,656,909 for the 18.96-carat Winston Pink Legacy, sold in 2018 by Christie’s Geneva. The largest internally flawless, fancy vivid pink diamond offered at auction is the 59.60-carat CTF Pink Star. It was sold by Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2017 for $71.2 million, a world record for any gem or jewel sold at auction.
Yu compares the Williamson Pink Star to an exceptional work of art.
“We timed this lot to be offered between Sotheby’s modern and contemporary art auctions. That’s because instead of offering just another important diamond, we view this diamond as a work of art from mother earth and a wonder of nature,” Yu says. “It’s comparable to a Monet or a Picasso and is even more rare.”
The Williamson mine is one of the oldest operating diamond mines in the world, famous for producing what is described as “bubblegum” pink diamonds, according to the auction house. One of the best-known diamonds from the mine is the 23.6-carat Williamson Pink Diamond fashioned into a brooch by Cartier and owned by Queen Elizabeth II.
“We wanted to relate the important provenance of the Williamson mine when naming the diamond,” Yu says. “The unique saturated pink color is one of the important qualities of diamonds from this mine. It is an honor for us that after so many decades another important pink diamond comes from the Williamson mine and we can offer it at auction.”
The cushion-shaped diamond was crafted from a 32.32-carat rough diamond by Diacore, a diamond manufacturer that specializes in crafting rare, exceptional fancy-colored diamonds. The company purchased the gem in late 2021 for $13.8 million. Yu says crafting the diamond is just as important as discovering it, and Diacore is one of the few companies in the world capable of cutting and polishing such an important gem.
“Not every rough can yield a diamond of this high quality so we should also give credit to Diacore,” he says. “They really made cutting and polishing into an art. They are very skilled and experienced with the best technology and a lot of courage. It’s rare to have a vivid pink color. It’s rarer when it’s over 10 carats and even more rare if it’s internally flawless. It’s luck to find this kind of diamond that was formed underground for millions of years, and it takes a great amount of art and creativity to fashion it into a gorgeous stone with so many exceptional qualities.”
Pink diamonds are among the rarest colors to occur naturally in diamonds. Of all the diamonds submitted to the Gemological Institute of America (which analyzes and grades diamonds), fewer than 3% are classified as colored diamonds, and fewer than 5% of those are considered predominantly pink.
The Argyle Mine in Australia, before it was retired in 2020 after exhausting its supply of gem-quality diamonds, produced more than 90% of the world’s pink diamonds. The absence of pink diamonds from this mine makes important pink diamonds like the one being offered even more rare, Yu says.
“Pink diamonds are still growing in demand in the market, and this now makes the Williamson Pink Star even more sought after,” he says.
The diamond is being presented in an 18k gold ring flanked by trapeze-cut diamonds and embellished with brilliant-cut diamonds.
London is the first stop where the diamond will be viewed by the public. It will then travel to Dubai, Singapore and Taipei before the final viewing and sale in Hong Kong.
Sotheby’s will offer two diamonds weighing more than 100 carats at its upcoming jewelry sale, with one expected to fetch in excess of $10 million.
The Juno diamond, a pear-shaped, 101.41-carat, D-color, internally flawless, type IIa stone, will lead the June 16 New York Magnificent Jewels sale, the auction house said last week. Only 11 D-color diamonds over 100 carats have ever been sold at auction, Sotheby’s noted.
That stone will be joined by the Earth Star, a pear-shaped, 111.59-carat, fancy-deep-orange-brown diamond, which has returned to the auction block for the first time in nearly 40 years. The piece, which is the second-largest diamond of its color, cut and size to be offered at an auction, carries a high estimate of $2.5 million.
Designer David Webb has created a custom mounting for the stone, which was fashioned from a 248-carat rough discovered at the Jagersfontein mine in South Africa in 1967. The setting uses azurmalachite to resemble the Earth as seen from the perspective of a star, Sotheby’s explained.
Other notable items include an emerald-cut, 26.06-carat, D-color, VVS1-clarity diamond ring by Kwiat, which is estimated at up to $3 million, and a pair of diamond and sapphire earrings. The set features two pear-shaped, D-flawless diamonds weighing 4.09 and 4.12 carats; two emerald-cut, D-color diamonds weighing 3.19 and 3.17 carats; and two Kashmir sapphires weighing 9.65 and 9.44 carats. It is predicted to realize up to $3 million. Meanwhile, an Indian-inspired emerald and diamond fringe necklace by Cartier made in 1945 has a price tag of $1.5 million to $2.5 million.
The Key 10138, the rare pear-shaped diamond, that was auctioned at Sotheby’s on Friday, has been sold for $12.3 million using cryptocurrency. It was sold to an anonymous private collector.
At the time the auction was announced, the piece became the first time a diamond of such size had been offered for public purchase with cryptocurrency. Now it has now become the highest price achieved for any jewelry or gemstone bought with cryptocurrency.
“We are thrilled to witness a historical moment, when one of the Earth’s oldest and rarest treasures was purchased using humanity’s newest universal currency,” said Wenhao Yu, Deputy Chairman of Sotheby’s Jewellery in Asia, in a statement. “By introducing this innovative payment option to our luxury sale, we open up new possibilities and expand our reach into a whole new clientele, many of whom are from the digitally savvy generation. The result today not only attests to the resilient demand for top quality diamonds, but also reinforces Sotheby’s position as a pioneer in the luxury field.”
The 101.38 carat diamond from which it takes its name is the second largest pear-shaped diamond to appear on the public market and came from the world-leading diamond company Diacore, the auction house says.
The Key 10138 has achieved the highest gradings in both colour (D colour – the highest grade for a white diamond) and clarity (completely flawless, both internally and externally). It also belongs to the rare subgroup comprising less than 2% of all gem diamonds, known as Type IIa. Diamonds in this group are the most chemically pure type of diamond and often have exceptional optical transparency.
The Key 10138, the rare pear-shaped diamond, that was auctioned at Sotheby’s on Friday, has been sold for $12.3 million using cryptocurrency. It was sold to an anonymous private collector.
At the time the auction was announced, the piece became the first time a diamond of such size had been offered for public purchase with cryptocurrency. Now it has now become the highest price achieved for any jewelry or gemstone bought with cryptocurrency.
“We are thrilled to witness a historical moment, when one of the Earth’s oldest and rarest treasures was purchased using humanity’s newest universal currency,” said Wenhao Yu, Deputy Chairman of Sotheby’s Jewellery in Asia, in a statement. “By introducing this innovative payment option to our luxury sale, we open up new possibilities and expand our reach into a whole new clientele, many of whom are from the digitally savvy generation. The result today not only attests to the resilient demand for top quality diamonds, but also reinforces Sotheby’s position as a pioneer in the luxury field.”
The 101.38 carat diamond from which it takes its name is the second largest pear-shaped diamond to appear on the public market and came from the world-leading diamond company Diacore, the auction house says.
The Key 10138 has achieved the highest gradings in both colour (D colour – the highest grade for a white diamond) and clarity (completely flawless, both internally and externally). It also belongs to the rare subgroup comprising less than 2% of all gem diamonds, known as Type IIa. Diamonds in this group are the most chemically pure type of diamond and often have exceptional optical transparency.
Sotheby’s will sell a 118.88-carat, royal-blue, unheated Burmese sapphire in Hong Kong next week, the largest of its kind the auction house has offered in 20 years.
The cushion-shaped stone, surrounded by pear-shaped diamonds weighing a total of 16.06 carats, will lead the October 7 Magnificent Jewels sale, Sotheby’s said Monday.
A pear-shaped, 4.84-carat, fancy-vivid-blue, internally flawless diamond ring is also set to go under the hammer. The piece, which also features two brilliant-cut diamonds, each weighing 1.10 carats, has a high estimate of $8.5 million.
Also up for auction are a pair of pendant earrings featuring brilliant-cut, fancy-intense-blue diamonds weighing 1.95 and 1.63 carats. Those stones suspend two pear-shaped, D-color, internally flawless, type IIa diamonds weighing 5.95 and 5.24-carats. The set has a presale value of up to $4.6 million.
In addition, Sotheby’s will feature a cushion-shaped, 6.41-carat, pigeon’s blood Burmese ruby ring surrounded by French-cut white diamonds. The jewel, which was designed and mounted by Hong Kong-based jeweler Forms, carries an upper estimate of $2.9 million. Meanwhile, a ring containing a cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut, 18.68-carat, fancy-light-purplish-pink diamond is set to fetch up to $2.2 million at the Hong Kong sale.
“The jewelry market has proven to be highly resilient, with our clients in Asia eyeing the best quality jewels on offer,” said Wenhao Yu, Sotheby’s deputy chairman of jewelry for Asia.
Sotheby’s will showcase the pieces in Hong Kong from October 3 to 6 prior to the sale.
Sotheby’s will sell a 118.88-carat, royal-blue, unheated Burmese sapphire in Hong Kong next week, the largest of its kind the auction house has offered in 20 years.
The cushion-shaped stone, surrounded by pear-shaped diamonds weighing a total of 16.06 carats, will lead the October 7 Magnificent Jewels sale, Sotheby’s said Monday.
A pear-shaped, 4.84-carat, fancy-vivid-blue, internally flawless diamond ring is also set to go under the hammer. The piece, which also features two brilliant-cut diamonds, each weighing 1.10 carats, has a high estimate of $8.5 million.
Also up for auction are a pair of pendant earrings featuring brilliant-cut, fancy-intense-blue diamonds weighing 1.95 and 1.63 carats. Those stones suspend two pear-shaped, D-color, internally flawless, type IIa diamonds weighing 5.95 and 5.24-carats. The set has a presale value of up to $4.6 million.
In addition, Sotheby’s will feature a cushion-shaped, 6.41-carat, pigeon’s blood Burmese ruby ring surrounded by French-cut white diamonds. The jewel, which was designed and mounted by Hong Kong-based jeweler Forms, carries an upper estimate of $2.9 million. Meanwhile, a ring containing a cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut, 18.68-carat, fancy-light-purplish-pink diamond is set to fetch up to $2.2 million at the Hong Kong sale.
“The jewelry market has proven to be highly resilient, with our clients in Asia eyeing the best quality jewels on offer,” said Wenhao Yu, Sotheby’s deputy chairman of jewelry for Asia.
Sotheby’s will showcase the pieces in Hong Kong from October 3 to 6 prior to the sale.