Christie’s New York Magnificent Jewels Sale held on Wednesday, December 7, 2016, at the New York, Rockefeller Plaza, featuring a total of 318 lots, realized a sale total of US$51.25 million, selling 82% by lot.
Top lot of the sale as anticipated was Lot 318 – A MAGNIFICENT DIAMOND RING – which sold within the estimated range of USD5,000,000 to USD7,000,000 for USD5,567,500.The size 6, platinum ring is set with a 51.35-carat, rectangular emerald-cut, D-color, VVS1 clarity diamond, which is potentially Internally Flawless, according to the GIA report accompanying the lot.
Significantly, the second highest selling lot of the sale was a colored gemstone lot, assigned Lot No. 294 and titled, A SENSATIONAL SAPPHIRE RING – which also sold within the estimated range of USD3,000,000 – USD5,000,000 for USD3,831,500. The lot incorporates a 75.41-carat, cushion-cut blue sapphire, with a richly saturated and homogenous royal blue color, known as the “BURMA BLUE SAPPHIRE.” Three lab reports by AGL, GIA and GGL confirm the Burma origin of the sapphire with no gemological evidence of heat or clarity enhancement. The price-per-carat of this sapphire works out to US$50,809.
The third highest selling lot is again a colorless diamond lot, assigned Lot No. 293 and titled “A RARE DIAMOND RING, BY LEVIEV,” which sold within the estimated range of USD2,000,000 – USD3,000,000 for USD2,647,500.The size 6 1/4 platinum ring, signed Leviev is set with a cushion modified brilliant-cut, D-color, Internally Flawless clarity diamond, weighing 22.72 carats, flanked on either side by tapered baguette-cut diamonds.
The 4th highest selling lot that sold at USD1,927,500 slightly above the estimated range of USD1,300,000 – USD1,800,000 was also a colorless diamond lot, titled “A DIAMOND RING, BY HARRY WINSTON,” assigned Lot No. 166. The size 7 1/4, platinum ring was set with a 29.01-carat, pear brilliant-cut, F-color, VVS2 clarity diamond, flanked on either side by three tapered baguette-cut diamonds.
The next highest selling lot is a colored diamond lot, Lot 211, titled “A BELLE ÉPOQUE COLORED DIAMOND AND DIAMOND PENDANT NECKLACE,” which also sold within the estimated range of USD1,200,000 – USD1,800,000 for USD 1,627,500. The 35 1/2 ins, platinum necklace designed around year 1900, suspends a pendant consisting of an old mine brilliant-cut, 58.04-carat, fancy intense yellow diamond,with a single and old-cut diamond surmount of foliate design. The fine link platinum neckchain is set with collet-set, old-cut diamonds.
The sixth highest selling lot is also a colored diamond lot, Lot 260 given the title, “A RARE COLORED DIAMOND AND DIAMOND RING,” with a pre-sale estimate of USD800,000 – USD1,200,000, but sold for an enhanced price of USD1,567,500 which was 1.3 times the upper estimate.The size 6, platinum and 18k yellow gold ring, is set with an oval modified brilliant-cut, fancy vivid yellowish orange, SI2 clarity diamond, weighing 6.94 carats, flanked on either side by a half-moon shaped diamond, and circular-cut diamonds set on the hoop of the ring.
The seventh highest selling lot is also a colorless diamond lot, by Graff, titled ‘AN IMPORTANT DIAMOND RING, BY GRAFF,” and assigned Lot N0. 269, selling within the estimated range of USD1,300,000 – USD1,800,000 for USD1,537,500. The size 5 1/4 platinum ring, signed Graff, is set with a rectangular emerald-cut, D-color, VVS1 clarity but potentially Internally Flawless diamond weighing 16.13 carats, flanked on either side by a tapered baguette-cut diamond.
A colored gemstone lot, this time an emerald lot, is the eighth highest selling lot of the sale, assigned Lot No. 276 and given the title, A SUPERB EMERALD AND DIAMOND RING. This lot also sold within the estimated range of USD1,500,000 – USD2,500,000 for USD1,447,500.The size 6, platinum ring is set with a 39.90-carat, cushion-cut emerald, flanked on either side by a tapered baguette-cut diamond.
A colorless diamond lot becomes the 9th highest selling lot, and the 5th highest selling colorless diamond lot among the first 10 highlights of the sale. The lot, AN IMPORTANT DIAMOND RING, BY SABBADINI is assigned Lot No. 284 and has an estimated range of USD1,000,000 – USD2,000,000. The lot sold within the estimated range for USD1,147,500. The size 4 1/2, platinum ring signed Sabbadini, is set with a rectangular emerald-cut, 18.37-carat, F-color, VVS2 clarity but potentially Internally Flawless diamond, flanked on either side by two tapered baguette-cut diamonds.
The 10th highest selling lot of the sale is lot 317, another colored gemstone and emerald lot, titled, AN ART DECO EMERALD AND DIAMOND RING, BY CARTIER which sold for a much enhanced price of USD1,135,500. This was 22 times the lower estimate of USD50,000 and 16 times the upper estimate of USD70,000. The size 4 3/4, platinum, Cartier ring is bezel-set with an octagonal-shaped Colombian emerald, with a single and old-cut diamond three-row gallery and shoulders.
A summary of the first 20 highest selling lots of the sale arranged in descending order of prices realized is as follows :-
1. Lot 318 – A MAGNIFICENT DIAMOND RING – USD5,567,500. – Colorless diamond lot.
2. Lot 294 – A SENSATIONAL SAPPHIRE RING – USD3,831,500 – Colored gemstone lot.
3. Lot 293 – A RARE DIAMOND RING, BY LEVIEV – USD2,647,500 – Colorless diamond lot.
4. Lot 166 – A DIAMOND RING, BY HARRY WINSTON – USD1,927,500 – Colorless diamond lot.
5. Lot 211 – A BELLE ÉPOQUE COLORED DIAMOND AND DIAMOND PENDANT NECKLACE – USD1,927,500 – Colored diamond lot.
6. Lot 260 – A RARE COLORED DIAMOND AND DIAMOND RING – USD1,567,500 – Colored diamond lot.
7. Lot 269 – AN IMPORTANT DIAMOND RING, BY GRAFF – USD1,537,500 – Colorless diamond lot.
8. Lot 276 – A SUPERB EMERALD AND DIAMOND RING – USD1,447,500 – Colored gemstone lot.
9. Lot 284 – AN IMPORTANT DIAMOND RING, BY SABBADINI – USD1,147,500 – Colorless diamond lot.
10. Lot 317 – AN ART DECO EMERALD AND DIAMOND RING, BY CARTIER – USD1,135,500 – Colored gemstone lot.
11.Lot 292 – A SUPERB SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND RING – USD1,063,500 – Colored gemstone lot.
12. Lot 165 – A DIAMOND CLUSTER NECKLACE, BY HARRY WINSTON AND A PHOTOGRAPH, BY CECIL BEATON – USD1,027,500 – Colorless diamond lot.
13. Lot 78 – AN EXCEPTIONAL RUBY AND DIAMOND RING- USD1,027,500 – Colored gemstone lot.
14. Lot 283 – AN IMPRESSIVE COLORED DIAMOND RING – USD895,500 – Colored diamond lot
15. Lot 154 – AN IMPRESSIVE COLORED DIAMOND AND DIAMOND RING – USD 787,500 – Colored diamond lot.
16. Lot 275 – AN ART DECO DIAMOND, EMERALD, ENAMEL AND ONYX BRACELET, BY CARTIER – USD751,500 – Colored gemstone lot.
17, Lot 60 – A DIAMOND RING, BY OSCAR HEYMAN & BROTHERS – USD727,500 – Colorless diamond lot
18. Lot 88 – A RUBY AND DIAMOND RING, BY VAN CLEEF & ARPELS – USD667,500 – Colored gemstone lot.
19, Lot 265 – A RUBY AND DIAMOND RING – USD 631,500 – Colored gemstone lot.
20. Lot 39 – AN ART DECO SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND RING, BY MARCUS – USD 571,500 – Colored gemstone lot.
No of Lots based on gemstone types
Colored gemstone lots – 9
Colorless diamond lots – 7
Colored diamond lots – 4
Specific Colored Gemstone lots
Sapphire lots – 3
Ruby Lots – 3
Emerald Lots – 3
An analysis of the first 20 highlights of the sale, shows that colored gemstone lots, colorless diamond lots and colored diamond lots performed very well at the auctions. A breakdown of the colored gemstone lots reveal that sapphires, rubies and emeralds were equally in demand at the auctions.
