The jewelry auction in Milan featured precious stones and jewelry from leading fashion houses.
A 12.26-carat Burmese sapphire ring, sold for €158,750, was the top lot at Finarte’s jewelry auction, which closed with a total of €3 million. The auction saw 80% of the lots sold, achieving 105% of their estimates. Alongside the Burmese sapphire, a Bulgari ruby sold for around €140,000.
The strong interest in high-quality gems confirms a well-established trend in the international market, where origin, rarity, and gemological quality increasingly influence the outcome of auctions. This result is clearly reflected in both the 5.20-carat heat-resistant ruby ring, which fetched up to €82,550 and was among the most surprising of the two-day auction, and the Burma ruby ring, in 18k white gold, featuring an oval ruby of approximately 3.40 carats and a border of diamonds totaling approximately 2.00 carats, which sold for €31,750 against an initial estimate of €1,000.
Clara Arata, Head of Finarte’s Jewelry Department, Milan Office
Among the most sought-after brands are Bulgari, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Buccellati, which have all generated significant sales spanning diverse eras and styles. There has also been significant interest in historic Italian brands, as demonstrated by the success of the Cazzaniga turquoise bracelet. Cartier’s Ines Collection solitaire, adorned with a 3.09-carat, F-color, rectangular-cut diamond with an octagonal edge, sold for €38,100. A 6.94-carat brilliant-cut diamond ring also sold for the same price.
Great vintage and vintage brands continue to hold a strong collector’s appeal thanks to their stylistic identity, quality of execution, and recognizability. The market increasingly favors iconic and timeless pieces, as demonstrated in particular by Bulgari’s results with its yellow gold and wood groumette necklace, sold for €46,990, and its 4.02-carat, D-color, oval-cut diamond ring, sold for €63,500.
Vittoria Tomasini, Head of Finarte’s Rome Jewelry Department
Cartier was present with a selection spanning the Maison’s different eras and ateliers: the London-made cluster necklace, embellished with a central diamond knot, sold for €58,420. A ring from the Bombè Collection, produced in Paris, sold for €69,850. These were joined by the C de Cartier line, with its elegant choker necklace entirely paved with diamonds, which sold for €41,910, and the distinctive Maillon Panthère set in yellow gold, with its timeless Art Deco link motif, which rose to €48,260. Finally, Buccellati’s bangle with garnets sold for €22,860 and the rare domed band ring with diamonds (€17,780).
