Christie’s New York Spring Sale, kicked off successfully at its flagship Rockefeller Center sales room on April 16, 2014, registering a sale total of US$60,561,125, much above the estimated US$50 million, with 82% sold by lot and 80% sold by value. The private collections of Riki and Jerome Shaw and Kathleen and Martin Field also fared well at the auctions, with the former collection highlighted by a Harry Winston ring incorporating a 6.10-carat, VVS1-clarity, cut-cornered rectangular-cut, fancy intense pink diamond, registering a total of US$8,617,000, much above the estimated US$6 million. The entire proceeds of this collection will benefit animal rescue and welfare, a worthy cause organized by animal rights activist Riki Shaw in her continued fight against animal cruelty. The beautiful jewels in the Kathleen and Martin Field Collection also achieved a significant total of US$6,076,000.
As anticipated the top lot of the sale, Lot 255, referred to as a “Sensational Pair of Diamond Ear Pendants” set with a matching pair of D-color (Type IIa), internally flawless, circular-cut diamonds weighing 22.60 and 22.31 carats, registered the highest price of US$8,565,000, within the estimated range of US$7-10 million.
The next highest price was recorded by Lot 107 – A Spectacular Diamond Ring – incorporating an oval-cut, 40.43-carat, D-color, Type IIa, VVS1-clarity diamond as its centerpiece, mounted in platinum, that sold for US$ 7,669,000, closer to the upper pre-sale estimate of US$7.8 million.
Another highlight of the sale was Lot 131, The Harry Winston ring incorporating the fancy intense pink diamond referred to earlier, the centerpiece of Riki and Jerome Shaw’s collection, which sold for US$5,765,000, closer to the upper estimate of US$6,000,000.
Another Harry Winston diamond ring from the Kathleen and Martin Field Collection bearing Lot 249 and set with a rectangular-cut, D-color, VVS1-clarity diamond, weighing 20.10 carats also did quite well at the auction registering a price of US$2,461,000 within the estimated range of US$2,000,000 to US$3,000,000.
The next highlight of the sale was Lot 92 – An Important Diamond Pendant Necklace – the pendant set with a pear-shaped, D-color, VS2-clarity diamond weighing 24.53 carats, surmounted by a circular-cut and lozenge-shaped diamond links, suspendant from a fine platinum link neckchain, sold for US$2,225,000 much above the pre-sale estimate of US$1,300,000 – US$1,800,000.
Lot 219 – An Impressive Diamond Ring – was the next highlight of the sale according to the list of highlights provided by Christie’s. The centerpiece of this diamond ring is a 42.96-carat, rectangular-cut, L-color, VS1-clarity diamond, with excellent polish and symmetry, and flanked on either side by a trapeze and triangular-cut diamonds, mounted in platinum. The lot sold for US$1,865,000 above the pre-sale estimate of US$1,300,000 – US$1,500,000.
Next on the list of highlights is Lot No.- 95 – A Colored Diamond and Diamond Ring by JAR, set with an old-mine-cut, fancy yellowish-green diamond weighing 2.49 carats as its centerpiece, surrounded by a layer of single-cut colorless diamonds mounted in platinum. The 2.49-carat, old-mine-cut, fancy yellowish-green diamond has a historic provenance associated with it, and was first set as the centerpiece of an engagement ring for Countess Eliza given by Count Zygmunt Krasinski, one of Poland’s greatest Romantic poets, whom she married in Dresden in 1843. A pre-sale estimate of US$ 300,000-500,000 was placed on this colored diamond ring, but the ring sold at an enhanced price of US$1,805,000, six times the lower estimate and over three times the upper estimate.
A signed jewel by Tiffany & Co. – An Important Colored Diamond and Diamond Pendant Necklace – bearing Lot No. 211, and a pre-sale estimate of US$1,000,000 to US$1,500,000, is the next highlight of the sale. The centerpiece of the pendant of this necklace is a modified cushion-cut, VVS2-clarity, fancy vivid-yellow diamond, weighing 20.34 carats and surrounded by a layer of circular-cut diamonds. The pendant is suspended from a link neckchain, designed as a line of modified cushion-cut diamonds, each within a circular-cut diamond surround, spaced by bezel-set circular-cut, mounted in platinum and gold. The necklace was sold for US$1,445,000 within the estimated range.
A Superb Ruby And Diamond Ring bearing Lot No.129 and a pre-sale estimate of US$1,000,000 to US$1,500,000 was the next highlight of the sale. The ring incorporates a 6.25-carat, cushion-cut, pigeon-blood Mogok ruby as its centerpiece, flanked on either side by a shield-shaped diamond, surrounded by a layer of circular-cut diamonds, the gallery and hoop of the ring also set with circular-cut diamonds and mounted in white-gold. The lot sold for US$1,325,000 within the estimated range.
Last on the list of 10 highlights is lot 254 – A Superb Emerald and Diamond Brooch by Harry Winston, from the collection of Kathleen and Martin Field, which also sold for US$1,325,000, above the pre-sale estimate of US$700,000 to US$1,000,000. The centerpiece of the brooch is a rectangular-cut, 42.88-carat emerald, surrounded by pear-shaped diamonds, mounted in rhodium-plated 18k gold, designed by Harry Winston in 1971.