Sotheby’s to Offer 39-Piece Lalique Collection

                         

Sotheby’s will hold a sale dedicated to the works of René Lalique, featuring nearly 40 pieces collected over four decades.

The jewels, which make up a “rare museum-quality collection,” are all appearing at auction for the first time, Sotheby’s said last week. Assembled by Claude Sorbac, one of Lalique’s greatest fans, the grouping is set to go under the hammer on December 17 in Paris.

The Orchidée Cattleya comb, created between 1903 and 1905, is the star of the show. Sorbac bought the piece in 1976 from Lalique’s heirs. The largest of a series of three, and containing diamond-studded foliage, the comb is estimated at up to EUR 1.5 million ($1.7 million).

Other notable items include the Loving Swallows comb, made around 1905 or 1906, which was also purchased from the artist’s descendants. It is valued at EUR 400,000 to EUR 600,000 ($450,660 to $675,906).

Meanwhile, two glass, enamel and diamond necklaces will be up for sale. The first, named Frogs, carries an estimate of EUR 400,000 to EUR 600,000, while the second, called Dragonflies and Ferns, is valued at EUR 250,000 ($281,627) to EUR 400,000.

Source: DCLA

Sotheby’s to Offer 39-Piece Lalique Collection

                         

Sotheby’s will hold a sale dedicated to the works of René Lalique, featuring nearly 40 pieces collected over four decades.

The jewels, which make up a “rare museum-quality collection,” are all appearing at auction for the first time, Sotheby’s said last week. Assembled by Claude Sorbac, one of Lalique’s greatest fans, the grouping is set to go under the hammer on December 17 in Paris.

The Orchidée Cattleya comb, created between 1903 and 1905, is the star of the show. Sorbac bought the piece in 1976 from Lalique’s heirs. The largest of a series of three, and containing diamond-studded foliage, the comb is estimated at up to EUR 1.5 million ($1.7 million).

Other notable items include the Loving Swallows comb, made around 1905 or 1906, which was also purchased from the artist’s descendants. It is valued at EUR 400,000 to EUR 600,000 ($450,660 to $675,906).

Meanwhile, two glass, enamel and diamond necklaces will be up for sale. The first, named Frogs, carries an estimate of EUR 400,000 to EUR 600,000, while the second, called Dragonflies and Ferns, is valued at EUR 250,000 ($281,627) to EUR 400,000.

Source: DCLA

Tiffany Necklace Breaks Records at Sotheby’s

  

       The Medusa necklace designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany

The Medusa necklace, one of the earliest pieces designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany, sold for more than 18 times its high estimate at a recent Sotheby’s auction.

The piece, designed in 1904, was last seen at auction 78 years ago. It fetched $3.7 million against an upper estimate of $200,000 following 10 minutes of heated bidding, Sotheby’s said Wednesday. The pendant set a world auction record for a piece by the designer. In total, the December 7 Magnificent Jewels sale achieved $57.1 million, the second-highest figure for a jewelry auction at Sotheby’s New York.

Blue diamonds also performed well, with a cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut, 6.11-carat, fancy-intense-blue diamond ring garnering $8 million, or $1.3 million per carat, well above its high estimate. A ring bearing a cushion-cut, 3.01-carat, fancy-vivid-blue diamond flanked by two heart-shaped diamonds sold for $3.9 million, or $1.3 million per carat, within expectations.

Other notable items include a group of jewels from an American private collector, which features one of the largest private collections of Bulgari pieces ever to come to market, Sotheby’s noted. Some 93% of those items found buyers, realizing $9 million, above their combined $8.2 million high estimate.

Meanwhile, a ring set with a pear-shaped, 62.65-carat, D-color, VVS2-clarity diamond bracketed by two pear-shaped diamonds weighing 2.04 carats and 2.01 carats fetched $2.9 million, in the middle of its presale valuation. A ring containing a cut-cornered rectangular step-cut, 1.03-carat, fancy-red diamond framed by shield-shaped diamonds hammered for $2 million, the upper end of its estimate.

Sotheby’s sold 84% of goods on offer, with 68% of those achieving prices above their high estimates and 13 pieces going for more than $1 million. Participants came from more than 45 countries.

Source: DCLA

Tiffany Necklace Breaks Records at Sotheby’s

  

       The Medusa necklace designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany

The Medusa necklace, one of the earliest pieces designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany, sold for more than 18 times its high estimate at a recent Sotheby’s auction.

The piece, designed in 1904, was last seen at auction 78 years ago. It fetched $3.7 million against an upper estimate of $200,000 following 10 minutes of heated bidding, Sotheby’s said Wednesday. The pendant set a world auction record for a piece by the designer. In total, the December 7 Magnificent Jewels sale achieved $57.1 million, the second-highest figure for a jewelry auction at Sotheby’s New York.

Blue diamonds also performed well, with a cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut, 6.11-carat, fancy-intense-blue diamond ring garnering $8 million, or $1.3 million per carat, well above its high estimate. A ring bearing a cushion-cut, 3.01-carat, fancy-vivid-blue diamond flanked by two heart-shaped diamonds sold for $3.9 million, or $1.3 million per carat, within expectations.

Other notable items include a group of jewels from an American private collector, which features one of the largest private collections of Bulgari pieces ever to come to market, Sotheby’s noted. Some 93% of those items found buyers, realizing $9 million, above their combined $8.2 million high estimate.

Meanwhile, a ring set with a pear-shaped, 62.65-carat, D-color, VVS2-clarity diamond bracketed by two pear-shaped diamonds weighing 2.04 carats and 2.01 carats fetched $2.9 million, in the middle of its presale valuation. A ring containing a cut-cornered rectangular step-cut, 1.03-carat, fancy-red diamond framed by shield-shaped diamonds hammered for $2 million, the upper end of its estimate.

Sotheby’s sold 84% of goods on offer, with 68% of those achieving prices above their high estimates and 13 pieces going for more than $1 million. Participants came from more than 45 countries.

Source: DCLA

Botswana’s Debswana diamond sales jump 73% in first nine months of 2021

Sales of rough diamonds by Debswana Diamond Company jumped 73% in the first nine months of 2021, statistics released by the Bank of Botswana showed on Tuesday, driven by the reopening of U.S. and China’s consumer markets.

Debswana, a joint venture between Anglo American business De Beers and the Botswana government, sells 75% of its output to De Beers, with the balance taken up by state-owned Okavango Diamond Company.

Debswana sales fell by 30% in 2020 as the covid-19 pandemic hit demand while global travel restrictions hurt trading.

Botswana closed its borders for eight months last year in an effort to curb the spread of the virus, effectively locking out foreign buyers from centres such as Mumbai, Antwerp and China, who traditionally travel to Gaborone 10 times a year to view and buy diamonds from De Beers.

Since mid-2020 De Beers has shifted some of its rough viewings to places closer to international diamond centres, such as Antwerp, to cater for customers unable to travel to Gaborone.

According to data published by the central bank, exports of diamonds from Debswana stood at $2.589 billion in the first nine months of the year compared with $1.498 billion in the same period last year.

Botswana makes about 30% of its revenue and 70% of its foreign exchange earnings from diamonds. While it has taken measures to diversify its dependence on a single commodity, diamond sales continue to be its main revenue earner.

De Beers’ sales softened by 4% in the current sales period, which ended last week, as Indian manufacturers closed factories ahead of the Diwali festival, though the company said diamond jewellery demand remained strong in the United States.

Source: DCLA

Botswana’s Debswana diamond sales jump 73% in first nine months of 2021

Sales of rough diamonds by Debswana Diamond Company jumped 73% in the first nine months of 2021, statistics released by the Bank of Botswana showed on Tuesday, driven by the reopening of U.S. and China’s consumer markets.

Debswana, a joint venture between Anglo American business De Beers and the Botswana government, sells 75% of its output to De Beers, with the balance taken up by state-owned Okavango Diamond Company.

Debswana sales fell by 30% in 2020 as the covid-19 pandemic hit demand while global travel restrictions hurt trading.

Botswana closed its borders for eight months last year in an effort to curb the spread of the virus, effectively locking out foreign buyers from centres such as Mumbai, Antwerp and China, who traditionally travel to Gaborone 10 times a year to view and buy diamonds from De Beers.

Since mid-2020 De Beers has shifted some of its rough viewings to places closer to international diamond centres, such as Antwerp, to cater for customers unable to travel to Gaborone.

According to data published by the central bank, exports of diamonds from Debswana stood at $2.589 billion in the first nine months of the year compared with $1.498 billion in the same period last year.

Botswana makes about 30% of its revenue and 70% of its foreign exchange earnings from diamonds. While it has taken measures to diversify its dependence on a single commodity, diamond sales continue to be its main revenue earner.

De Beers’ sales softened by 4% in the current sales period, which ended last week, as Indian manufacturers closed factories ahead of the Diwali festival, though the company said diamond jewellery demand remained strong in the United States.

Source: DCLA

Victims “Invested $1m in Fake Diamond Mine”

             Melbourne Australia Diamond Scam

Investors were duped into handing over more than $1m to a man who claimed to own a diamond mine, say police in Australia.

He allegedly claimed to be the owner of a non-existent mine in Sierra Leone and offered his victims the opportunity to invest.

Once they paid an initial sum, he allegedly asked for equipment and various gifts for his employees – which he then sold.

One victim reportedly paid $730,000. Two others are understood to have “invested” at least $73,000 each.

A 42-year-old man from the South East Suburbs, Melbourne, has been charged with 150 deception related offences including obtaining property by deception between September 2017 to October 2021.

He’s been bailed to appear before the Melbourne Committal Court in February 2022.

Detective senior sergeant Jason Venturoni, of Victoria police, said: “Criminals involved in the deception of others are often convincing and take advantage of people’s trust to exploit others for their own financial gain.”

Source: DCLA