Editor’s Note
This article explores the recent surge in collector interest in historical jewelry, a shift that has preserved antique pieces from being dismantled. It examines the dual catalysts for this trend: the educational efforts of major auction houses and the influence of prominent collectors.
Collector interest in historical jewelry is relatively recent, having developed over the past twenty or thirty years. This trend ended the old tradition of transforming antique pieces and reusing gemstones on more modern settings. This newfound appeal has two sources. The first stems from auction houses which, driven by personalities such as François Curiel, implemented catalog notes and press releases, placing creations back in their original context while highlighting their cultural importance. The second comes from the jewelers themselves.
states the head of the jewelry department at an auction house, who concedes that these developments have supported the overall market’s attractiveness.
This collective enthusiasm has given rise to new competition. Major jewelry houses now attach novel proposals to their precious offerings: Heritage collections. These are managed by experts who have developed an international network of contacts and are responsible for researching and purchasing antique pieces for these collections. The first “competitive” advantage of this “Heritage” offering is a guarantee of authenticity, obtained through privileged access to archives – impossible to obtain without these essential sources, even by the best jewelry historian. Another advantage is that each piece is verified in the original house’s workshops and, if necessary, tastefully restored without removing its patina. These antique jewels are offered for sale in the house’s boutiques or at prestigious events, such as TEFAF, where both Van Cleef & Arpels and Buccellati had stands this year.
To galvanize collectors’ predilection for exceptional jewelry, auction houses, facing this new player, are refining their identity. The establishment in 2023 of the exhibition “The Wheel of Time,” organized at Christie’s headquarters in London, materialized this shift. For the first time, 150 jewels by artist Wallace Chan, mostly on loan from major international collectors, were revealed in Europe. Through this partnership, the venerable institution demonstrated its ability to highlight contemporary creators while proving its desire to remain a gateway to the discovery – and understanding – of essential talents.
These talents have understood this well. Whether distinguished by design virtuosity (Emmanuel Tarpin, for example) or by an ability to offer singular gemstones providing serious investment avenues for collectors (one thinks of the Avani label, which truly came into the spotlight the day it offered at Sotheby’s in Geneva a ring set with a Mahenge spinel that sold for 500,000 Swiss francs), these new entrants now rightly consider auction houses as the most effective amplifier to shine before a privileged clientele, in a setting that allows fruitful interactions with the art world.
During the Haute Couture week in Paris in July – a week during which major jewelry houses also unveil their unique pieces – this new paradigm proved its relevance. One of the finest high jewelry collections was not visible on Place Vendôme, but on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré: Sotheby’s, amidst the excitement generated by the upcoming sale of the original Birkin, unveiled thirty creations, some executed for the occasion, by Nikos Koulis. Thanks to anthology stones – including an extraordinary pairing of unheated Burmese pigeon’s blood rubies, unavailable elsewhere – illuminated on settings notable for their inventiveness, the Athenian jeweler, himself a collector, confirmed the mastery of a signature prized by a circle of discerning connoisseurs.
indicates Franck Everett, Vice-Chairman of Sotheby’s Americas Jewelry Department, who made the trip.
Creators holding a special place in contemporary high jewelry, like Elie Top who celebrated the 10th anniversary of his house at Christie’s in January, are showcased. Through retrospectives or novel artistic scenographies, auction houses aim to remind everyone that they remain privileged venues for discovery.