Natural pearls stole the show at the London Important Jewels auction, the auction held by Christie. Seven of the ten best sold lots featured natural pearls. The top consists of a necklace of three strands of natural pearls measuring 10.7 to 4.1 millimetres, sold for more than 1.6 million dollars, double the pre-auction estimate of 810 thousand. And a diamond and natural pearl brooch was sold for 663 thousand dollars (pre-auction it was listed at 53 thousand). “These results demonstrate the continuing strength of natural pearls,” commented Keith Penton, head of Christie’s London Jewelery Department. Other valuable pieces were a single-row necklace of natural pearls sold at 296 thousand dollars, earrings of natural pearls at 269 thousand, clip-on earrings from Cartier with diamonds and Art Deco pearls at 241 thousand, and a necklace of natural pearls at 241 thousand. Pearls aside, also worth mentioning is an ancient necklace of sapphires and diamonds sold for 461 thousand dollars.
