Editor’s Note
This season, Phillips’ Geneva Jewels Auction V promises to be a landmark event, blending legendary gemstones with a novel “Priority Bidding” model. We explore how this sale captures both the timeless heritage and the innovative future of high jewelry.
On November 10th, in Geneva, Phillips will orchestrate a sale already anticipated as one of the highlights of the season: The Geneva Jewels Auction V. Between historical heritage, legendary gemstones, and technological innovation, the auction house brings together the symbols of timeless luxury — and invents, with its “Priority Bidding” model, a new way to bid.
Under the chandeliers of the Hôtel Président, the display cases will shine with a particularly special brilliance: that of the Vanderbilt family, the mythical dynasty of the American “Gilded Age.” These exceptional jewels, signed by Cartier and Tiffany & Co., tell a story of refinement and power, that of a golden age where America dreamed of Europe, and where diamonds spoke volumes about the grandeur of families.
At the center of this collection is the sublime “Vanderbilt Sapphire” — a 42.68-carat Kashmir sapphire, sugarloaf cut, set by Tiffany & Co. in a Belle Époque brooch with old-cut diamonds. Of a rare royal blue, this hypnotically pure stone was given by Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt to her daughter Gladys, Countess Széchényi, in 1908, to celebrate her marriage to Count László Széchényi.
Surrounding this jewel, other pieces embody absolute elegance: a Cartier brooch from a tiara composed of stylized lilies set with amethysts and diamonds, a gold and ruby vanity case engraved with Gladys Vanderbilt’s monogram, and a Cartier “8-day” desk clock dated Christmas 1913. These are precious objects where intimacy, art, and memory intertwine.
But this sale is not distinguished only by its historical prestige. It also marks an advancement in the auction world with Priority Bidding, launched by Phillips in autumn 2025.
This innovative model rewards bidders who commit before the sale by offering them a reduced buyer’s premium. The objective: to encourage early participation, energize the bidding, and strengthen transparency for sellers of high-value assets.
The results are already spectacular: lots that received Priority Bids have exceeded their low estimates by 66%, and early offers have jumped by 300% compared to 2024. In Hong Kong, two-thirds of the jewels sold had already attracted Priority Bids before the session — a sign that the concept appeals to a demanding international clientele.
For Phillips, this innovation reflects a new philosophy: the alliance of technology and craftsmanship, where the collector’s passion meets market rigor. An approach in tune with its time: fluid, connected, and always faithful to the spirit of beauty.
Between the brilliance of the past and the promise of the future, The Geneva Jewels Auction V brings together two visions of luxury: that of memory, embodied by the Vanderbilts, and that of modernity, carried by Priority Bidding.
In this meeting between history and innovation, Geneva is preparing to host a rare moment: the celebration of an art — that of jewelry — and an emotion — that of desire, when a jewel crosses centuries to be reborn, once again, under the auctioneer’s hammer.
A flagship event in the international auction calendar, The Geneva Jewels Auction V confirms Phillips’ place among the greatest auction houses dedicated to exceptional jewelry. This fifth edition brings together a dazzling selection of pieces signed by the most prestigious houses — Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Graff, or Chaumet — alongside natural gemstones of extreme rarity, such as a 6.95-carat Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink diamond, an 18.09-carat Kashmir sapphire, and a 20-carat Paraiba tourmaline with electric reflections.
Each presented jewel embodies a subtle alliance between geology, art, and craftsmanship, offering collectors a journey through more than a century of jewelry creation. Under the direction of Benoît Repellin, International Director of the Jewellery Department, this 2025 edition stands as an ode to rare beauty and the virtuosity of artisans who, from the 19th century to the present day, have shaped the imagination of luxury.
Phillips – The Geneva Jewels Auction V
Sale: November 10, 2025, 3 PM – Hôtel Président, Geneva