Christie’s

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.

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: IDEX

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

Christie’s to Sell Sassoon Family Treasures

Jewelry belonging to the famed Sassoon dynasty is to be sold at auction by Christie’s Geneva.

Five lots, including an Art Deco Cartier diamond necklace (pictured), will be offered for sale during the Magnificent Jewels event on 12 November.

The Cartier necklace, circa 1935, survived a World War II blast that destroyed the bank where it was being stored.

Total carat weight is 130 carats to 140 carats, according to the Christie’s catalogue, including round diamonds of 10.58 carats, 7.80 carats and 7.24 carats. Estimate CHF 900,000 to CHF 1.3m ($1m to $1.5m).

The Sassoons were a prominent Jewish family, originally from Baghdad, who made their fortune from the 1830s trading a wide range of commodities to Kolkata, Karachi, China, Japan, Myanmar, and Malaysia.

Under the stewardship of patriarch David Sassoon (1792 to 1864) they established one of the first international conglomerates.

The Sassoon family went on to become part of Britain’s social, cultural and political elite, and were known for their discerning taste and passion for fine jewelry.

Among the other Sassoon lots is a Cartier ruby and diamond necklace (estimate $250,000 to $300,000) and an Art Deco Colombian emerald and diamond bracelet, circa 1925 (estimate $300,000 to $400,000).

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 Jewels Online Sale Rakes In Nearly $14M

A Kashmir sapphire and diamond ring was the top seller at the most recent online jewelry sale at Christie’s, fetching $856,800, nearly double its high estimate.

The piece, which contains a cushion mixed-cut, 8.19-carat sapphire flanked by trapezoid-shaped diamonds, carried a presale price range of $300,000 to $500,000 at the March 11 to 21 Jewels Online auction, Christie’s said last week. It was offered without reserve. In total, the sale garnered $13.5 million, with 97% of items finding buyers.

Jewelry with sapphires and emeralds performed well, as did diamonds from iconic brands, including Harry Winston, Cartier and Bulgari.

Here are the rest of the top 10 pieces at the auction:

***A pear brilliant-cut, 17.09-carat, D-color, VVS2-clarity diamond ring by Harry Winston brought in $819,000, within its $700,000 to $1 million price range.***

***This Cartier necklace features a cushion brilliant-cut, 10.08-carat, D-color, VVS1-clarity diamond that is potentially internally flawless. The piece sold for $604,800, within its estimate.***

***Christie’s sold this pair of Bulgari earrings consisting of two round brilliant-cut, D-color, VVS2-clarity diamonds weighing 5.08 and 5.05 carats for $428,400, within its presale price range.***

A ring bearing a round brilliant-cut, 1.13-carat, fancy-blue, VS2-clarity diamond center stone with additional baguette-cut sapphires and diamonds fetched $403,200, surpassing its $250,000 high estimate.

This emerald-cut, 10.07-carat, G-color, VVS1-clarity diamond ring was offered without reserve. The jewel, which has the potential to be internally flawless, went for $378,000, above its $350,000 upper price tag.

***A ring bearing a rectangular emerald-cut, 22.97-carat Colombian emerald with diamond brackets garnered $315,000, more than five times its $60,000 high estimate.***

This necklace by Calvin French features rectangular and square emerald-cut emeralds weighing approximately 58 to 60 carats combined, and 29 round diamonds totaling about 36 to 38 carats. It sold for $277,200, just below its lower price.

***A Bulgari bracelet with 14 emeralds totaling about 25 carats and 14 diamonds weighing approximately 12.5 carats brought in $277,200, smashing its $150,000 high estimate.***

***An oval brilliant-cut, 10.01-carat, fancy-intense-yellow, VVS1-clarity diamond ring raked in $226,800, more than double its $100,000 upper price tag.***

Source: Rapaport

17ct. Diamond to Head Up Christie’s New York Sale

The pear brilliant-cut, D-color, VVS2-clarity, type IIa stone is the lead item in the Jewels Online auction, which will take place from March 11 to 21, Christie’s said Wednesday. This will be the auction house’s first jewelry sale of the year, and will feature a curated selection of signed jewels, diamonds and colored gemstones. Select pieces from the sale will be open for public viewing at the Christie’s showroom in Rockefeller Center.

The auction will include items by well-known design houses such as Cartier, Hemmerle, Tiffany & Co., and Van Cleef & Arpels. Also up for sale will be a private collection from philanthropist and sailing enthusiast George Frederick “Fritz” Jewett, Jr. and his wife Lucy.

Two charitable collections will be on the block as well: One to benefit the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) Foundation, and another belonging to interior designer, author and Oprah Winfrey Show guest Nate Berkus. Proceeds from the latter will go toward financial aid at New York’s Grace Church School.

Here are some of the other highlights from the sale:

***This ring features a round brilliant-cut, 1.13-carat, fancy-blue, VS2 diamond center stone with baguette-cut sapphires and diamonds on either side. It has a high estimate of $250,000.***

***A ring with a cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut, 8.21-carat, fancy-intense-yellow, VS1-clarity diamond is expected to bring in up to $100,000. The lot has no reserve price.***

***Christie’s will auction this Van Cleef & Arpels necklace featuring pink tourmalines, onyx and diamonds for an estimated $60,000 to $80,000.***

This coin and bicolor-gold Tubogas bangle bracelet by Bulgari carries an estimate of up to $80,000. The cuff contains three staters from the ancient city of Corinth, each depicting a Pegasus on one side and the head of the goddess Athena on the other.

Source: Rapaport

Christie’s New York Jewelry Auction Fetches $38.1 Million

Important fancy-colored diamonds and Kashmir sapphires led Christie’s December 6 Magnificent Jewels auction in New York. The sale of approximately 157 lots achieved more than $38.1 million.

However, what was billed as the top lot of the sale was withdrawn at the “11th hour without explanation,” according to a gem dealer who attended the auction. Christie’s confirmed this a few days later, again without explanation.

"California Sunset" earrings withdrawn before its sale. Its estimate was $7 - $12 million — *“California Sunset” earrings withdrawn before going to sale. Its estimate was $7 – $12 million*

The lot was a pair of fancy vivid orange-yellow diamond earrings weighing 12.20 and 11.96 carats. The earrings were named “California Sunset Diamonds” and had an estimate of $7 million to $12 million.