Editor’s Note
A Tiffany & Co. necklace featuring a rare Paraiba tourmaline shattered its auction estimate, selling for $4.2 million and setting a new world record for the gemstone.
A Tiffany & Co. necklace set a world auction record for a Paraiba tourmaline when it sold for $4.2 million — more than seven times its high estimate — at Christie’s New York.
Sporting a triangular modified brilliant-cut, 13.54-carat Paraiba and dripping with round, pear and square-shaped diamonds, the piece jumped past its $600,000 upper price tag to lead the December 10 Magnificent Jewels auction, Christie’s reported Wednesday.
In total, the sale brought in $46.5 million and had a 95% sell-through rate. Pieces by Harry Winston, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Cartier were among the ones that found buyers.
1. Kashmir Sapphire and Diamond Earrings, c. 1910
Final sale price: $3.1 million
Presale estimate: $1.5 million to $2 million
These antique earrings from circa 1910 showcase two cushion mixed-cut Kashmir sapphires of 11.92 and 12.61 carats suspended from old-cut diamonds.
2. Art Deco Cartier Ring with Rockefeller Kashmir Sapphire, c. 1925
Final sale price: $2.6 million
Presale estimate: $1.5 million to $2.5 million
This Art Deco Cartier ring from around 1925 centers the 17.66-carat Rockefeller Kashmir sapphire, a sugarloaf cabochon on a band with single-cut diamonds.
3. Emerald-Cut Diamond Ring
Final sale price: $1.9 million
Presale estimate: $1.4 million to $1.8 million
This ring features an emerald-cut, 27.19-carat, D-color, VS1-clarity, type IIa diamond.
4. Kashmir Sapphire and Diamond Ring
Final sale price: $1.8 million
Presale estimate: $500,000 to $700,000
A cushion mixed-cut, 16.23-carat Kashmir sapphire is the star of this ring, with a surround of old-cut diamonds.
5. Tiffany & Co. Paraiba Tourmaline and Diamond Earrings
Final sale price: $1.3 million
Presale estimate: $120,000 to $180,000
The two oval modified brilliant-cut gems in round-diamond frames weigh 3.19 and 3.45 carats respectively.
6. Cartier Diamond Ring
Final sale price: $1.1 million
Presale estimate: $800,000 to $1.2 million
This Cartier ring bears a cut-cornered rectangular step-cut, 23.03-carat, D, VVS2 diamond, between a pair of trapezoid-shaped diamonds.
7. Emerald-Cut Diamond Ring from the Sinatra Collection
Final sale price: $990,600
Presale estimate: $800,000 to $1.2 million
This ring was originally from the collection of Barbara and Frank Sinatra and features an emerald-cut, 20.60-carat, D, VVS1 diamond between triangular-shaped diamonds.
8. Pear-Shaped Diamond Earrings
Final sale price: $863,600
Presale estimate: $500,000 to $700,000
These earrings sport three pear-shaped diamonds each. The two largest are an 11.36-carat, D, VS2 stone and a 9.96-carat, E, VS1 diamond, while the rest range from 5 to 5.13 carats, E to I color, and VS2 to I1 clarity.
9. JAR Ruby and Diamond Earrings
Final sale price: $787,400
Presale estimate: $400,000 to $600,000
These JAR earrings feature cushion, oval, pear and round rubies in round-diamond surrounds.
Main image: The record-breaking Tiffany & Co. tourmaline and diamond necklace. (Christie’s)
