16ct. Yellow Diamond Takes Center Stage at Phillips

A yellow diamond ring was the star of the most recent jewelry sale at Phillips in Hong Kong, fetching HKD 8.9 million ($1.1 million).

The round brilliant-cut, 15.51-carat, fancy-vivid-yellow, VS2-clarity diamond ring fell within its estimated range at the March 28 Hong Kong Jewels auction, Phillips said last week. In total, the sale achieved HKD 32.3 million ($4.1 million), with 73% of items finding buyers.

“The sale total for our spring auction in Hong Kong increased by 20% over the previous season, demonstrating the resilience of the global demand for rare and important jewels across the board,” said Benoît Repellin, worldwide head of jewelry for Phillips. “Fancy colored diamonds commanded the sale…. Vintage signed pieces also performed well. We also saw notable demand for [the] finest Burmese rubies, emeralds and sapphires.”

Here are the rest of the top five jewels at the sale:

This Van Cleef & Arpels necklace, created in 1985, is set with alternating brilliant-cut diamonds and round cabochon turquoises, supporting a fringe of pear-shaped cabochon turquoises. It realized HKD 4.6 million ($584,302), nearly four times its HKD 1.2 million ($150,000) high estimate.

A ring bearing a pear-shaped, 2.65-carat, fancy-intense-orangey-pink, VS1-clarity diamond brought in HKD 2.9 million ($373,304), within estimates.

Phillips sold this brilliant-cut, 5.53-carat, D-color, VVS1-clarity diamond ring for HKD 1.9 million ($243,459), at the upper end of its price range.

A bracelet with 12 cushion-shaped, oval and circular-cut Burmese rubies weighing approximately 24.59 carats in total, as well as kite-shaped diamonds, went for HKD 1.5 million ($194,767), missing its HKD 1.8 million ($230,000) lower presale price.

Source: Rapaport