A Yellow Diamond, Hollywood Jewels Stand Out at Sotheby’s
Additional lots will be offered in the Fine Jewels online sale through Dec. 7.

New York—A 133-carat yellow diamond, along with vintage jewels from Bulgari, Tiffany & Co., Cartier and Harry Winston and pieces from Hollywood legends like Mary Tyler Moore, were highlights of the Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels auction on Tuesday.
The yellow diamond headlining the sale, weighing 133.03 carats, achieved $5.5 million and is the largest fancy vivid yellow diamond to ever sell at auction, said Sotheby’s.
In total, the Magnificent Jewels sale brought in $38.4 million.
Other diamond and color diamond pieces surpassed their estimates as well, with a diamond necklace featuring 120 pear-shaped diamonds, including two weighing over 28 carats each, selling for $4.4 million, above its $4 million estimate.

Another diamond piece, a necklace by Leviev featuring 30 diamonds totaling 120 carats sold for $2.4 million, within its $2 million to $3 million estimate.

Two colored diamond rings also sold above their estimates, a solitaire ring featuring a 7.37-carat fancy intense orangy-pink diamond and a toi et moi ring featuring a 3.68-carat fancy gray-violet diamond.
All 10 pieces offered in the sale from the collection of actress Mary Tyler Moore sold, totaling $315,700, surpassing its high estimate of $232,000.
Bidders “eagerly vied” for the pieces, the auction house said, describing the lots as evocative of her understated-yet-timeless elegance.
Highlights include a gold “Monete” necklace from Bulgari with a pendant featuring an ancient Greek coin.
The piece, gifted to Moore by her husband, Dr. S. Robert Levine, for their anniversary, earned above its estimate, selling for $38,000.

A 5.14-carat diamond ring the auction house said Moore wore daily sold for $76,200.
Additional jewels from Moore’s collection will be offered in Sotheby’s Fine Jewels sale, which is open for bidding through Dec. 7.
Full proceeds from her 21-piece collection will benefit The Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative, a nonprofit organization that seeks to preserve and restore vision in people with diabetes, continuing Moore’s work and honoring her legacy.
Another a highlight of the sale, a Burmese pink sapphire and diamond ring, soared to $1.1 million, selling for seven times its high estimate.
The piece, which the auction house called exceedingly rare, is from the collection of comedian Richard “Red” Skelton and his wife.
Also from the Skeltons’ collection, a ruby and diamond bracelet by Harry Winston was reacquired by Harry Winston, which is now owned by The Swatch Group, for $393,700, surpassing its high estimate of $250,000.
All five jewels from the Hollywood couple’s collection sold, realizing $3.7 million, against a $2.2 million high estimate.
An additional 21 pieces from the Skeltons’ collection will be offered in the Fine Jewels online sale.
The auction also featured jewels from the collections of Barbara and Frank Sinatra and Tony Randall and his wife Heather, all of which sold.
A 16.19-carat diamond ring from the Sinatra collection fetched $406,400, above its estimate of $250,000 to $350,000, while the Randall collection was highlighted by a gold, sapphire, emerald and diamond bracelet by Jean Schlumberger that sold for $127,000, surpassing its high estimate.

“We are extremely proud of today’s strong and promising results, further confirming that there continues to be exceptional value and broad interest in truly rare jewels, especially those with esteemed provenance, as proven by the extraordinary result for Red Skelton’s pink sapphire ring,” said Quig Bruning, head of Sotheby’s Jewels, America & EMEA.
“With a rich, sumptuous color that took my breath away, it is a gem I will always remember. It was a true privilege to bring the hammer down on these extraordinary objects that dazzled and captivated the attention of collectors around the globe.”
Bruning said the auction house looks forward to closing out Sotheby’s year of jewelry auctions with the Fine Jewels sale on Thursday.
The Latest

The singer’s ring ticks off many bridal trends, with a thick band, half-bezel setting, and solitaire diamond.

The bracelet references vintage high jewelry and snake symbolism as a playful piece where a python’s head becomes a working belt buckle.

The heist happened in Lebec, California, in 2022 when a Brinks truck was transporting goods from one show in California to another.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

The Starboard Cruises SVP discusses who is shopping for jewelry on ships, how much they’re spending, and why brands should get on board.


To mark the milestone, the brand is introducing new non-bridal fine jewelry designs for the first time in two decades.

The gemstone is the third most valuable ruby to come out of the Montepuez mine, Gemfields said.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

Founder and longtime CEO Ben Smithee will stay with the agency, transitioning into the role of founding partner and strategic advisor.

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 of her favorite pieces from the jewelry collections that debuted at Couture.

If you want to attract good salespeople and generate a stream of “sleeping money” for your jewelry store, then you are going to have to pay.

The top lot was a colorless Graff diamond, followed by a Burmese ruby necklace by Marcus & Co.

Gizzi, who has been in the industry since 2001, is now Jewelers of America’s senior vice president of corporate affairs.

Luca de Meo, a 30-year veteran of the auto industry, will succeed longtime CEO François-Henri Pinault.

Following visits to Vegas and New York, Botswana’s minerals minister sat down with Michelle Graff to discuss the state of the diamond market.

The “Your Love Has the Perfect Ring” campaign showcases the strength of love and need for inclusivity and representation, the jeweler said.

The former De Beers executive is the jewelry house’s new director of high jewelry for the Americas.

The New York Liberty forward is the first athlete to represent the Brooklyn-based jewelry brand.

Take a bite out of the 14-karat yellow gold “Fruits of Love Pear” earrings featuring peridots, diamond stems, and tsavorite leaves.

The one-day virtual event will feature speakers from De Beers, GIA, and Gemworld International.

The California-based creative talks jewelry photography in the modern era and tackles FAQs about working with a pro for the first time.

Al Capone’s pocket watch also found a buyer, though it went for less than half of what it did at auction four years ago.

The foundation has also expanded its “Stronger Together” initiative with Jewelers for Children.

Assimon is the auction house’s new chief commercial officer.

The De Beers Group CEO discusses the company’s new “beacon” program, the likelihood diamonds will be exempt from tariffs, and “Origin.”

The Danish jewelry giant hosted its grand opening last weekend, complete with a Pandora pink roulette wheel.

Industry veteran Anoop Mehta is the new chairman and independent director of the IGI board.