Christie’s Geneva Magnificent Jewels Live Auction was successfully concluded at the Four Season Hotel des Bergues on 9 th November, 2021. featuring a total of 70 lots, consisting of a curated selection of historic and modern jewellery, spanning all periods and from the most famous jewellery houses, including Boucheron, Cartier, Bhagat, Van Cleef & Arpels, Harry Winston, Graff, Chaumet, Bulgari etc.
A total of 69 lots were sold at the auction, realising a total sale of CHF 53,661,500 (USD 58,763,400). The highlights of the sale included the Historic Marie-Antoinette Diamonds in the form of a stunning pair of Diamond Bracelets, the exceptional Duchess of Windsor Ruby and Diamond Bracelet by Cartier, as well as a selection of extraordinary diamonds, coloured diamonds and coloured stones notably Kashmir sapphires, Burmese rubies and Colombian emeralds.
Top Lot of the sale, which sold for the highest price recorded at the sale, of CHF 7,459,000 (USD8,083,236.25) which was more than three times the lower estimate of CHF2,000,000 (USD2,167,640.00) and nearly double the upper estimate of CHF4,000,000 (USD4,334,348.00) was Lot 12 – THE HISTORIC MARIE-ANTOINETTE DIAMONDS, A STUNNING PAIR OF DIAMOND BRACELETS.
The bracelets of length 18.7 cm each, made of silver and yellow-gold and set with old cut colorless diamonds was designed and crafted in 1776 for Queen Marie-Antoinette, the last Queen of France, who is said to have meticulously wrapped her jewels in cotton herself, intending them for safekeeping outside of revolutionary France. The pair of marvellously beautiful diamond bracelets, was kept within the royal descendance for over 200 years. Their royal provenance is impeccable, wiith their line of heritage unbroken and traceable from 1776 onwards. These bracelets travelled through time to recount a most important era of French history, with itsglamour, glory and drama.
The next highlight of the sale based on prices achieved was Lot – 11 titled an EXCEPTIONAL UNMOUNTED DIAMOND – with an estimate of CHF4,000,000 – CHF5,000,000 (USD4,334,348.00 – USD5,415,045.00), that sold within the estimate for CHF4,830,000 (USD5,231,401.98).
The exceptional unmounted diamond is a pear modified brilliant-cut, D-Color, VVS2 Clarity diamond weighing 55.50 carats. GIA report No. 5212753461 states that the 55.50 carats, D-color, VVS2 clarity diamond is Type IIa and potentially Internally Flawless.
The next highlight of the sale is a lot from Van Cleef and Arpels, bearing Lot No 18 and titled VAN CLEEF& ARPELS RUBY AND DIAMOND BROOCH, The lot with an estimate of CHF4,000 – CHF6,000 (USD4,334,348.00 – USD6,513,594.00) sold within the estimate for CHF4,170,000 (USD4,526,947.83)
The yellow-gold spiral brooch signed on the reverse as Van Cleef & Arpels and bearing No. NY 20327 is collet-set with a cushion-shaped Burma ruby as centerpiece, surrounded by a spiral of three layers, the inner complete layer set with circular-cut diamonds, the middlle incomplete layer also set with circular-cut diamonds and the outer incomplete layer alternately set with pear-shaped and baguette-cut diamonds.
AGL and SSEF reports bearing numbers 1118382 and 113795 respectively state that the central cushion-shaped ruby is of Burma origin with no evidence of heat treatment.
Lot 52 – IMPORTANT DIAMOND RING – with an estimate of CHF 3,000,000 – CHF 4,000,000 (USD3,256,752.00 – USD4,334,348.00) is another highlight of the sale, which sold within the estimate for CHF3,270,000 (USD3,549,859.68).
US ring size 6 ¼, platinum ring is claw-set with oval brilliant-cut, D-Color, Internally Flawless diamond weighing 43.19 carats, flanked by baguette-cut diamonds on the shoulders of the ring.
GIA report No. 6213086334 states that the 43.19-carat diamond is D-Color, Internally Flawless, Type IIa diamond.
Another hiighlight of the sale is Lot 71 – EXCEPTIONAL COLORED DIAMOND AND DIAMOND RING, with an estimate of CHF2,000,000 – CHF4,000,000 (USD2,167,640.00 – USD4,334,348.00). The lot sold withiin the estimate for CHF2,790,000 (USD3,030,099.03).
US ring size 6 ½ platinum and yellow-gold ring, is double claw-set on yellow-gold with fancy vivid yellow, cut-cornered rectangular step-cut, VVS1-clarity diamond, weighing 42.98 carats, flanked by kite-shaped, colorless diamonds, weighing 1.70 carats and 1.69 carats.
GIA Report No 6214625641 states that the diamond weighing 42.98 carats, is fancy vivid yellow and VVS1-clarity.
Lot 76 – HARRY WINSTON COLORED DIAMOND AND DIAMOND BROOCH with a pre-sale estimate of CHF2,000,000 – CHF4,000,000 (USD2,167,640.00 – USD4,334,348.00) is another hiighloght of the sale. The lot sold within the estimate for CHF2,070,000 (CHF2,250,187.29).
The platinum brooch of flower design with a stalk, four petals and a centerpiece designed circa 1968, is set with a Fancy light pink, VVS1-clarrity, Type IIa, marquise brilliant-cut, diamond of 7.37 carats as centerpiece, and one of the four petals is set with a marquise pear brilliant-cut D-color, Internally Flawless, Type IIa diamond of 10.31 carats, and the remaining three petals set with pear brilliant-cut colorless diamonds weighing respectively 9.59, 9.38 and 4.87 carats. Two of the colorless diamonds weighing 9.59 and 4.87 carats are D-color and the third diamond weighing 9.38 carats is E-color. The stalk of the flower brooch is set with seven marquise-shaped colorless diamonds.
Lot 73 – JAR NATURAL PEARL AND DIAMOND NECKLACE – with an estimate of CHF 550,000 – CHF 750,000 (USD593,028.15 – USD808,497.00) is another important highlight of the sale, which sold for more than double the upper estimate for CHF 1,710,000 (USD 1,843,605.72).
The 47 cm three-strand necklace, signed JAR Paris, with a total of 215 natural pearls, or approximately 71 pearls in each strand, has a clasp at the rear end, set with circular-cut diamonds. SSEF, 2021, report no. 119032 states that the pearls are saltwater natural pearls.
Lot 44 – SUPERB VAN CLEEF & ARPELS EMERALD AND DIAMOND PENDENT NECKLACE, with an estimate of CHF600,000 – CHF800.000 (USD647,371.20 – USD863,161.60) is another significant highlight of the sale. The Lot sold for CHF1,530,000 (USD1,650,499.74), which was almost double the upper estimate.
The 36.5 cm necklace has as its centerpiece a pendant, claw-set on yellow-gold, with a cut-cornered rectangular step-cut emerald, weighing 31.99 carats, surrounded by a layer of circular-cut diamonds. The yellow-gold neckchain is also set with circular-cut diamonds. The necklace is signed V.C.A bearing no. N.Y.19446.
SSEF, 2021, report No. 117394, states that the 31.995 carats emerald is of Colombian origin, with minor oil treatment.
