Editor’s Note
This report details the successful conclusion of Sotheby’s spring jewelry auctions in New York, which achieved a total of $34 million. The sales were highlighted by record-breaking prices for rare gemstones, including a historic sale of a blue diamond ring.
NEW YORK, 19 April 2018 – Driven by top prices for important diamonds and superb gemstones, Sotheby’s spring jewelry auctions concluded today in New York with a combined total of $34 million and a strong 83.3% of all lots sold. The three auctions were led by an incredibly rare 3.47-carat Fancy Intense Blue Diamond Ring, which sold in yesterday’s Magnificent Jewels auction for $6.7 million – marking a new world auction record price-per-carat for any Fancy Intense Blue diamond ($1,920,259 per-carat).
Auction Total: $26.2 Million
Gary Schuler, Chairman of Sotheby’s Jewelry Division, Americas commented:
Auction Total: $2.8 Million
Jewelry from the Collection Totals: $1.6 Million
Representing Fred Leighton’s philosophy to collect the beautiful and eclectic, bidders eagerly vied for pieces evocative of the celebrated jeweler’s unencumbered eye and exceptional taste. Largely formed by his extensive travels around the world, the jewels on offer spanned centuries of design and featured a wide-range of materials including moonstone, demantoid garnets, rubies, emeralds and many more. A Gold, Turquoise and Diamond Grande and Petite Repeating Desk Clock with Alarm by Cartier led the sale when it sold for $275,000 – over three times its high estimate of $80,000.
Auction Total: $5.8 Million
18 Bidders Compete for a 52.89-Carat Sapphire and Diamond Ring by Cartier, Leading the $6.2 Million Auction of Fine Jewels.
400+ Lots Sold Across Three Sales.
Sotheby’s Next Jewelry Auction: Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels In Geneva on 15 May.
