Christie’s Paris online Jewelry Auction, Sale 21068, held from 23 June 2.00 PM to 07 July 12.00 PM, christened “Joaillerie Paris” featuring a total of 298 Lots, realized a Sale Totaal of EUR 9,301,001 (USD 9,340,530), selling 78% by Lots.
Top Lot of the Sale based on prices achieved and as anticipated was LOT NO. 227 – VAN CLEEF & ARPELS RUBY AND DIAMONDS TRANSFORMABLE ZIP NECKLACE, a true masterpiece of ingenuity and one of the most innovative pieces of jewellery ever created by Van Cleef & Arpels, based on an order placed by the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson in the late 1930s, a patent for the design of the necklace being filed in 1938, but the first Zip necklace delivered to the Duchess only in 1951.
The diamond and ruby Zip Necklace sold for EUR 819,000 ($824,550), smashing its EUR 300,000 ($301,430) upper estimate by 2.73 times, and setting a new world record for a Van Cleef & Arpels Zip necklace.
The next highlight of the sale achieving the second highest price realised of EUR 441,000 ($444,560) was LOT 298 – 25.40 CARAT DIAMOND COCKTAIL RING, DIAMONDS AND SAPPHIRES. The Platinum Ring is bezel-set with a cushion modified brilliant-cut, K-color, faint brown, VS-1 clarity diamond, weighing 25.40 carats, surrounded by a row of calibre-cut rectangular blue sapphires, the shoulders and sides of the ring, set with circular-cut diamonds, with an approximate total weight of 27.00 – 27.50 carats. The price of EUR 441,000 realised is much above the upper estimate of EUR 300,000 placed on the ring.
LOT 18 – 10.56 CARAT SAPPHIRE RING with an estimate of EUR 300,000 – EUR 400,000 was the next highlight of the sale , selling slightly above the upper estimate for EUR 403,200 (US$ 406,450). The Platinum Ring of size FR-51/US- 5 ½ is set on its mounting with a cushion-brilliant step-cut Kashmir blue sapphire weighing 10.56 carats.