Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction

‘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.

Historic Emerald Necklace Sells for $6.2m

A 275-year-old carved emerald necklace from the Mughal Empire sold for $6.2m, more than double its high estimate, at Christie’s New York.

It is made of five Colombian emeralds, with a combined weight of 1,178.50 carats (8.3oz/235g) on gold and magenta cords.

Three are carved hexagonal – the largest is 470 carat and inscribed “Ahmad Shah Durr-i Durran” (Pearl of Pearls) – and two are carved pear-shaped.

The necklace once belonged to Nader Shah, one of the most powerful rulers in Iranian history, and one-time owner of the Koh-i-Noor diamond.

He seized the necklace after capturing Delhi in 1739 and taking control of the royal treasury of the Mughal Empire, which ruled much of the Indian subcontinent from 1526 to 1857.

The necklace carried a pre-sale estimate of $2m to $3m.

Source: IDEX

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

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

10.20-Carat ‘Eden Rose’ Diamond Could Fetch $12 Million At Christie’s

Christie’s will offer “The Eden Rose,” a 10.20-carat round brilliant fancy intense pink diamond, as the top lot of its New York Magnificent Jewels auction on June 11. Its estimate is $9 million to $12 million. It is the first time this diamond has appeared at auction.

The Gemological Institute of America report supplied by Christie’s states that the diamond is also internally flawless.

Describing it as an “exceptionally rare gemstone,” Christie’s says the gem, named after the symbol for unconditional love, it is the most significant round brilliant internally flawless fancy intense pink diamond to be offered at auction since the “Martian Pink,” which sold at Christie’s Hong Kong in 2012 for $17.4 million, equating to $1.45 million per carat.

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.

Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International head of Jewelry, said in a statement that he is “anticipating significant interest from around the world.”

Christie’s says the round brilliant cut is known for its ability to maximize light reflection and is considered the ideal cut for diamonds.

The Eden Rose is mounted on a ring further adorned with eight brilliant-cut diamonds, ranging in weight from 3.11 to 0.73 carats, and two marquise brilliant-cut diamonds of 2.24 and 1.02 carats.

Source: Forbes

Christie’s Garners $46M from Hong Kong Sale

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: Diamonds.net

$35M Pink Diamond Pulled from Christie’s Sale

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: Diamonds.net

$15M Blue Diamond to Hit Christie’s Auction Block

A blue diamond pendant will be among the headliners in next month’s Christie’s sale in New York, where it is expected to bring in up to $15 million.

The pear modified brilliant-cut, 31.62-carat, fancy-blue stone, surrounded by white and pink diamonds, is potentially internally flawless, Christie’s said Tuesday. A pear brilliant-cut, 86.64-carat, D-color, VVS1-clarity diamond pendant will join it at the December 6 Magnificent Jewels sale. That piece, which hangs from a chain of 78 diamonds between 0.50 and 2.50 carats, is estimated at $5 million to $7 million.

Other notable items include a torque bangle bracelet bearing a heart brilliant-cut, 50.05-carat, D-color, internally flawless diamond, with a presale price of $3.7 million to $4.5 million. A modified pear double rose-cut, 5-carat, fancy-vivid-blue diamond ring has an upper estimate of $4 million and no reserve. An oval brilliant-cut, 51.60-carat, G-color, VS2-clarity diamond ring carries a high price of $2.8 million.

Christie’s will also offer an unmounted modified pear brilliant-cut, 104.04-carat, fancy-intense-yellow diamond. That jewel has an upper estimate of $2.5 million, as does a round-cornered square brilliant-cut, 107.46-carat, fancy-yellow diamond brooch by Graff. Meanwhile, an emerald-cut, 13.75-carat, fancy-vivid-yellow, internally flawless diamond ring by De Beers and an oval brilliant-cut, 2.21-carat, fancy-intense-blue diamond ring are set to fetch up to $1.8 million each.

Those items join the star of the show: An emerald-cut, 13.15-carat, fancy-vivid-pink diamond ring that Christie’s expects will fetch up to $35 million at the auction.

Source: Diamonds.net

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

Christie’s will offer a 41.36-carat Graff diamond ring at its upcoming Geneva auction, predicting it could sell for up to CHF 5 million ($5 million).

The square emerald-cut, D-color, VVS1-clarity diamond, which is potentially internally flawless, is one of the top items set to go under the hammer at the November 8 Magnificent Jewels auction, Christie’s said last week.

Several other diamonds will also take center stage, including an unmounted modified shield brilliant-cut, 101.27-carat, F-color, VVS1-clarity diamond. That stone carries a high estimate of CHF 3.5 million ($3.5 million). A pair of Art Deco modified pear brilliant-cut diamond earrings by designer Henri Picq will also be up for sale. The set, featuring one 15.39-carat, D-color, VS1-clarity diamond and one 14.85-carat, D-color, VS2-clarity stone, has an upper price tag of CHF 2.5 million ($2.5 million).

Other notable items include a cushion brilliant-cut, 20.08-carat, F-color, flawless diamond ring, estimated at up to CHF 1.5 million ($1.5 million). A pear brilliant-cut, 14.19-carat, D-color, internally flawless diamond ring has a high price of CHF 1.2 million ($1.2 million).

Those stones will join the Fortune Pink, a pear-shaped, 18.18-carat, fancy-vivid-pink diamond. The gem, which Christie’s claims is the largest of its cut and color to be offered at auction, is expected to bring in up to CHF 35 million ($35.1 million). The sale will also showcase royal jewels from the Bourbon Parma family and from the Thurn and Taxis family.

Source: Diamonds.net