Nearly $60 million in jewelry. This is what Christie’s auction of Magnificent Jewels in New York totaled. To be precise, total sales are $58.8 million, with 93% sold per lot and 105% sold above the low estimate. The top lot was a 31.62-carat fancy blue diamond, the largest ever to appear at auction, which sold for $11.8 million. In short, diamonds as an investment are always interesting. Other pieces that earned a six-figure rating include an 86.64-carat diamond pendant necklace that sold for $5.7 million and a 107.46-carat large fancy yellow diamond brooch by Graff that sold for 2.6 million, while an important diamond ring of 51.60 carats was purchased for 2.5 million by the prince of dealers William Goldberg.
Other results highlighted by Christie’s: an Art Deco sapphire and diamond pendant sold for 1.4 million, almost ten times its lowest estimate, a pair of heart-shaped colored diamond earrings fetched 1.4 million, more than five times their lowest estimate. Also successfully sold were a Bouquet brooch by Van Cleef & Arpels, which belonged to Evita Perón, sold for $195,300, and a Flower Brooch by the same Parisian ruby and emerald Maison, which fetched 1.2 million.
