AuctionsMay 18, 2023
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It’s a White-Glove Sale for JAR Jewels at Christie’s
The 28-piece collection is the largest to be offered at auction.
This sapphire, spinel, and diamond “Eye” bangle was the most expensive jewel by designer JAR to sell at Christie’s Geneva “Magnificent Jewels” sale this week, garnering $957,000.
Geneva—JAR cemented his reputation as an auction darling at Christie’s this week.
The largest private collection of JAR jewels to be offered at auction, according to Christie’s, sold 100 percent by lot at the Geneva “Magnificent Jewels” sale on May 17.
The 28 jewels earned a total $6.7 million.
The assortment was led by the JAR sapphire, spinel, and diamond “Eye” bangle, pictured at top, which blew its $276,000 high estimate out of the water, selling for $957,000.
Christie’s Geneva Head of Jewelry Max Fawcett remarked, “The auction today showcased a significant array of important JAR jewels, spanning 40 years of creativity and we are delighted with the results, selling 100 percent by lot: Joel Arthur Rosenthal represents the very best that contemporary jewelry has to offer.”
Including the Eye bangle, the top five JAR lots garnered more than half a million each.
See: Christie’s Geneva’s JAR Highlights
These JAR “Pansy” earrings sold for $543,000 at Christie’s Geneva this week.
The diamond “Ivy Leaf” earrings sold for $501,000.
These yellow sapphire and diamond earrings garnered $348,000.
The nephrite jade “Geranium” earrings sold for $70,000.
Outside of the JAR collection, the most expensive piece sold at the jewelry auction was the Chaumet ruby and diamond ring with 13.07-carat ruby seen below.
Chaumet ruby and diamond ring
It sold for $5.3 million, compared with its $608,000 to $829,000 pre-sale estimate.
A sapphire took the No. 2 spot when “The Royal Blue” sapphire and diamond ring sold for $3.7 million, compared with its $1.3 million to $2.4 million estimate.
“The Royal Blue” sapphire set in a ring
The cushion-shaped Kashmiri cabochon sapphire weighs 28.55 carats and has no indications of heating, according to GIA, AGL, Gubelin, and SSEF.
The No. 3 lot was an unmounted diamond that sold for $3 million called “The Star of Egypt.”
“The Star of Egypt”
The cut-cornered rectangular step-cut diamond weighs 105.52 carats.
In total, Christie’s Geneva Magnificent Jewels sale garnered $45.8 million. It was 94 percent sold by lot.
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