Sotheby’s called it Festival of Wonder, which included seven auctions dedicated to luxury categories. And, indeed, the total figure is astonishing: in Geneva, the auction house’s sale of jewelry and watches totaled 61.7 million dollars, 40% sold online, with 350 lots sold in less than ten days, and with the participation of 800 people in 54 countries. The highest sales in Geneva this season, points out Sotheby’s. Thanks also to the most valuable piece: the Spirit of the Rose diamond, sold for 26.6 million dollars, a record.
The concept behind this new sales format was inspired by the ways customers gather in luxury categories. It is also part of our commitment to use the latest digital and physical skills to present luxury items in the most engaging way to local and international audiences. Customer response has been overwhelmingly positive and the results speak for themselves: Sotheby’s has dominated the luxury market in Geneva this season. We are thrilled to continue to create these connection points between categories and look forward to our next sales in New York next month.
Josh Pullan, CEO of Sotheby’s Luxury Division
The diamond, classified Fancy Vivid Purple-Pink Internally Flawless, has a considerable size for a pink: 14.83 carats. The amount paid by a soulful buyer represents the highest price paid for a jewel at auction this year. The diamond was mined and cut by Alrose, one of the world’s leading diamond producers, and is named after a famous Russian ballet Spirit of the Rose. The sale of The Spirit of the Rose was the largest lot of the jewelry auctions, which reached a total of $ 46.5 million, with great demand for white diamonds (11 total gems for sale).
Among the jewels, in addition to several diamond rings that have attracted the attention of collectors, there are several jewels signed by Graff, including a pear-shaped and brilliant-cut diamond necklace together with pink-colored brilliant-cut diamonds, sold at nearly half a million dollars. The eighteenth-century parure of emeralds and diamonds that belonged to Manuel de Guirior y Portal de Huarte y Edozain, 1st Marquis de Guirior totaled almost 1 million dollars. A 1930s diamond and emerald brooch by Carter owned by a noble family sold for $ 200,000.
