Sotheby’s will offer a yellow diamond weighing more than 300 carats at its upcoming New York auction, where it is expected to bring in more than $15 million.
The pear-shaped, 303.10-carat, fancy-deep-brownish-yellow stone is one of the largest polished diamonds in the world. It is also the largest flawless or internally flawless diamond ever graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Sotheby’s said Monday.
Initially called the Incomparable Diamond, the stone was recut from its original 407-carat shield shape to deepen the color and brighten the hue, and renamed the Golden Canary. As the highlight of the December 7 Magnificent Jewels sale, it will be offered without reserve, with bidding starting at $1, Sotheby’s noted.
The Golden Canary was first discovered in the early 1980s in a pile of rubble by a young girl playing in the backyard of her uncle’s house, Sotheby’s noted. Miners from the nearby Miba diamond deposit had considered the stone to be too bulky to be diamond bearing and had discarded it. The girl gave the 890-carat rough to her uncle, who sold it to local diamond dealers. The diamond has since been displayed in multiple museums.
“The demand and appetite for [extraordinary colored diamonds] continues to grow,” said Quig Bruning, head of jewelry for Sotheby’s Americas. “Steeped in history, the Golden Canary is one of the most exquisite diamonds to ever be discovered, not only for its sheer size and intensity in color, but for its stunning beauty that is sure to captivate collectors around the world.”
Sotheby’s will showcase the diamond on a world tour prior to the auction, with stops in cities including Dubai; Taipei, Taiwan; Geneva; and 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.
The Earth Star diamond
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.
Sotheby’s will auction a stone described as “the largest vivid blue diamond ever to appear at auction” on April 27 in Hong Kong.
Sotheby’s estimates that it could bring $48 million.
Cullinan Blue Diamond
The 15.1 carat step-cut blue was cut from a rough stone discovered in April 2021. It is “the largest internally flawless step cut vivid blue diamond that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has ever graded,” according to a press statement.
“This diamond ranks as one of the best De Beers has ever seen,” said Bruce Cleaver, CEO of De Beers Group. “It is extremely rare and unique, and as the Home of Diamonds, De Beers is pleased to join together with Sotheby’s to bring this diamond to the world.”
Only five blue diamonds over 10 carats have ever come to auction, Sotheby’s notes. Until now, none has exceeded 15 carats.
“Blue diamonds of any kind are rare on the market, but this is the rarest of the rare; nothing of remotely similar calibre has appeared at auction in recent years,” says Patti Wong, chairwoman of Sotheby’s Asia. “Hundreds of millions of years in the making, this extraordinary blue diamond is surely one of nature’s finest creations.”
The diamond comes from the Cullinan mine in South Africa.
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.
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.
A blue diamond ring is among the top lots at the Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels sale in New York next month. The piece contains a cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut, 6.11-carat, fancy-intense-blue, VS2-clarity diamond surrounded by round diamonds. It is estimated to bring in up to $6.5 million at the December 7 auction, Sotheby’s said Monday.
A cut-cornered rectangular mixed-cut, 6.69-carat, fancy-intense-pink, VS2-clarity diamond ring with a high valuation of $6 million will also star in the sale, as will a cushion-cut, 3.01-carat, fancy-vivid-blue diamond. The stone, which is set in a ring and flanked by two heart-shaped diamonds, is expected to sell for up to $4.5 million.
Other notable items include a pear-shaped, 62.65-carat, D-color, VVS2-clarity diamond ring with a high price tag of $3.5 million, and an emerald-cut, 9.97-carat emerald and diamond ring with an upper valuation of $2.5 million.
An unmounted, heart-shaped, 15.01-carat, D-color, internally flawless diamond will also be up for grabs. The stone, which is being offered without reserve, has a high estimate of $2.5 million. Sotheby’s is collaborating with Brilliant & Black designer Lauren Harwell Godfrey to make a finished jewelry piece for the diamond, it noted. She has created two original designs that utilize her signature triangle inlay pattern — for a necklace and a ring.
Meanwhile, 30 jewels from an American private collector will also go under the hammer. The entire group is estimated at more than $6 million and includes one of the most significant collections of Bulgari pieces ever to come to market, Sotheby’s explained.
In total, the auction house will offer more than 200 lots, with the sale forecast to fetch as much as $70.1 million — the highest estimate for a New York Magnificent Jewels sale since December 2018, Sotheby’s added.
The 100+ carat diamond has sold for $12.3 million using cryptocurrency. Courtesy Sotheby’s
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 offer a fancy-vivid-yellow diamond ring at its New York sale next month, estimating the piece could fetch up to $3 million.
The cut-cornered square step-cut, 73.11-carat, VS2-clarity jewel by Mayfair designer Glenn Spiro, called The Sienna Star, is one of the largest fancy-vivid-yellow diamonds to come to auction, Sotheby’s said Wednesday. The piece is one of the top items at the June 9 Magnificent Jewels sale. The auction will feature jewelry for the “Roaring Twenties 2.0” as people return to the social scene following long lockdowns, Sotheby’s noted.
A private collection of six jewels with a combined estimate of more than $13 million are another headline lot at the New York sale. Those include a necklace by Andrew Clunn, set with 28 oval-shaped diamonds totaling over 168 carats, which carries a high estimate of $3 million, and an emerald-cut, 23.59-carat, D-color, internally flawless, type IIa diamond ring with an upper valuation of $2.8 million.
A Colombian emerald and diamond garland necklace by Harry Winston, estimated at up to $2.5 million, and a 13.02-carat Burmese ruby ring, mounted by Carvin French, with a $2 million high valuation, are also part of the collection. Proceeds from the sale of those six items will be donated to charity.
Additionally, Sotheby’s will showcase a Bulgari ring with a 25.29-carat Kashmir sapphire flanked by diamonds, which it expects will bring in up to $3 million. Meanwhile, a modified square brilliant-cut, 3.75-carat, fancy-intense-pink, VVS1-clarity diamond ring, accented by triangle-shaped and round diamonds, is estimated to fetch up to $2.5 million.
The auction house will present jewels from the collection of philanthropist Margaret Jonsson Rogers, the daughter of Texas Instruments founder and Dallas mayor J. Erik Jonsson, as well as property from the estate of Mary Ethel Weinmann, the daughter of Count and Countess André de Limur, it added.
An iconic Cartier bracelet with 63.66 carats of pear-shaped D color, internally flawless diamond set on rock crystal is expected to fetch between HK$40 million and HK$65 million (US$5.16 million and US$8.39 million) at Sotheby’s Hong Kong’s sale of magnificent jewels in April.
Taking nearly 2,000 hours to create, the bangle-bracelet from the collection “L’Odyssée de Cartier —Parcours d’un Style,” pays homage to an Art Deco inspiration featuring sparkling stones and the French maison’s emblematic panther, orchid, and Oriental motifs.
Louis Cartier, the brand’s third-generation jeweler was a pioneer in working with rock crystal, which became popular in the 1920s. Cartier utilized a polishing technique from the Renaissance period to give a soft shine to rock crystal which, when paired with a diamond, creates an intriguing light effect.
The unique piece “combines a phenomenal diamond, mesmerizing design and impeccable craftsmanship, and represents a high jewelry collectible that will shine through time,” Wenhao Yu, deputy chairman of jewelry at Sotheby’s Asia, said in a statement.
Also on offer is “Circle of Happiness,” a bangle made of 277.7 carats of green jadeite-jade from Myanmar. Sotheby’s did not disclose the estimate of this bracelet.
Sotheby’s sale of magnificent jewels will also feature pieces from the houses of Boucheron, Bulgari, Chanel, Chopard, Graff, Harry Winston, Hermès, Van Cleef & Arpels, and more.
“The appetite for high-quality jewels has never been stronger in Asia, with discerning collectors looking for rare diamonds and gemstones, as well as unique and iconic designs,” Yu said.
A Cartier emerald and diamond ring blew past five fancy colored diamonds to become the top lot at Sotheby’s New York Magnificent Jewels auction held Wednesday. It fetched $3.6 million, more than three-and-a-half times its high estimate.
The ring features a 21.86-carat Colombian square-emerald-cut emerald flanked by diamonds and mounted on 18k yellow gold. The emerald is described in the grading report as having “minor clarity enhancement” and a “richly saturated medium deep slightly bluish green, slightly included with a few surface reaching inclusions, and the girdle bearing a chip and a few nicks, noticeable under 10x magnification.”
The ring was from the collection of Cecile Zilkha, best known for her lifelong interest in the arts, particularly The Metropolitan Opera.
Private collections featuring a variety of signed jewels were an important part of this sale, with many items from these collections far exceeding estimates. All 29 jewels from the Cecile Zilkha collection sold, fetching a total of $11.7 million, nearly double the estimate for the collection. Eleven jewels from the collection of Marylou Whitney, the philanthropist, thoroughbred breeder, arts patron and society hostess, all sold fetching a total of $1.7 million.
The sale overall was quite successful, taking in a total of $46.9 million, the highest total for a Sotheby’s jewelry auction since 2017. In addition, 91% of the lots sold, with 74% of the lots fetching prices above their high estimates and nine pieces surpassing $1 million.
1.71-carat heart-shaped fancy red diamond with SI2 clarity fetched more than $3.1 million SOTHEBY’S
Fancy colored diamonds, including three heart-shaped gems, made up the top five lots prior to the sale. However two of the gems failed to meet the reserve price. The first was the anticipated top lot of the sale, a pink gold and platinum ring set with a 5.03-carat cut-cornered rectangular mixed-cut fancy vivid pink diamond, accented with two cut-cornered triangular step-cut fancy intense blue diamonds. Its estimate was $9 million – $12 million.
The second was a ring centered with a 2.28-carat fancy vivid blue heart-shaped diamond, encircled by round yellow and framed by white diamonds with an estimate of $2.25 million – $3.25 million.
The three remaining fancy colored diamond lots sold within estimates and were the next three top lots of the sale. They are:
* A 1.71-carat heart-shaped fancy red diamond with SI2 clarity surrounded by white diamonds and mounted on an 18k white and pink gold pendant for a necklace. It fetched more than $3.1 million.
3.67-carat fancy intense blue diamond fetched more than $3.1 million SOTHEBY’S
* A 3.67-carat fancy intense blue diamond in a cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut diamond. The stone is flanked by two emerald-cut diamonds and mounted on an 18k white gold ring. It fetched more than $2.6 million.
A 2-carat fancy vivid orange diamond fetched nearly $1.9 million SOTHEBY’S
* An 18k white and pink gold ring centered with a 2-carat fancy vivid orange diamond framed and accented by round diamonds that fetched nearly $1.9 million.
As mentioned, private collections were an important part of this sale. In addition to the Cartier emerald ring, the Cecile Zilkha collection comprised of 28 other signed and historic jewels. Among the standouts:
Emerald and diamond earclips by Bulgari fetched more than $1.1 million SOTHEBY’S
* Emerald and diamond earclips by Bulgari that fetched more than $1.1 million, double its high estimate;
* A 1930s diamond rivière by Bulgari that fetched $806,500, well above its high estimate;
* A silver-topped gold, sapphire and diamond brooch that fetched $625,000, more than double its high estimate;
* Earclips by Harry Winston featuring two cut-cornered square modified brilliant-cut Fancy Intense yellow diamonds weighing 15.24 and 14.22 carats that fetched $528,200, within estimates; and
* A ruby and diamond bracelet by Harry Winston that fetched $441,000, well above the high estimate.
A Cartier natural pearl necklace from the collection of Marylou Whitney fetched more than $1.6 … [+] SOTHEBY’S
The sale ended with 11 jewels from the collection of Marylou Whitney. The top lot in this collection was a Cartier necklace composed of 32 rare natural pearls with a diamond clasp. It fetched more than $1.6 million, more than three times its high estimate.
Emerald, ruby, sapphire and diamond Mughal-inspired necklace by David Webb sold for $327,600 SOTHEBY’S
In addition, two David Webb pieces from the Whitney collection performed extremely well. The first was a platinum bracelet set with 10 emerald-cut diamonds weighing 21.16 carats. It fetched $352,800, above estimates. The second was a showstopper Mughal-inspired necklace that boldly displays a 181.95-carat translucent carved emerald and 10 cabochon emeralds that weigh a total of 126.30 carats, along with rubies and diamonds. The necklace sold for $327,600, more than triple its high estimate.
Van Cleef & Arpels mystery-set sapphire and diamond flower brooch fetched $1.1 million SOTHEBY’S
While Cartier, Bulgari and Harry Winston dominated the headline sales, jewels from Van Cleef & Arpels may have had the biggest impact overall. Twenty-eight jewels by the Parisian luxury brand were sold at the auction. The top lot from Van Cleef & Arpels was a mystery-set sapphire and diamond brooch designed as a flower from a New York collector that sold for more than $1.1 million, nine times its high estimate. That was certainly a headline sale.
An indication that private collections and signed jewels were going to dominate came at the very beginning of the sale. The first 10 lots from a private family collection were by Van Cleef & Arpels. They all sold well above their estimates.
Other auction highlights included:
Jadeite, natural pearl and diamond necklace by Raymond Yard, circa 1935, fetched $1.6 million SOTHEBY’S
* A jadeite, natural pearl and diamond necklace by Raymond Yard, circa 1935, sold for $1.6 million after competition from three phone bidders, more than four times its high estimate. The piece was offered from the estate of Mary Lily Kenan Flagler.
Cartier sapphire and diamond bracelet in a fan design, circa 1960s, fetched $1 million SOTHEBY’S
* A Cartier sapphire and diamond bracelet in a fan design, circa 1960s, that fetched just over $1 million, just topping its high estimate.
A ring set with a 1.08-carat pear-shaped fancy vivid blue diamond sold for $927,500 SOTHEBY’S
* A ring set with a 1.08-carat pear-shaped fancy vivid blue diamond accented by round diamonds sold for $927,500, above estimates. The piece was offered by a Texan collector.
