AuctionsSep 30, 2024
Oscar Heyman Jewels, Paraíba Pieces Shine at Bonhams Auction AuctionsOct 11, 2024
Bonhams Reports ‘Fierce Bidding’ for Dianne Feinstein’s Jewels
All 74 lots of jewelry belonging to the late Democratic senator found buyers at Bonhams Los Angeles.
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s Paloma Picasso for Tiffany & Co. necklaces were sold at auction this week. Her blue-green azure Malachite necklace with an 18-karat gold clasp (left) and her torsade necklace featuring eight strands of freshwater pearls with an 18-karat gold clasp each went for $6,400. The pre-sale estimate on each piece was $1,500 to $2,500.
Los Angeles—All 74 lots of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s jewelry that went up for auction at Bonhams Los Angeles on Tuesday sold.
The auction house said the collection grossed $500,000-plus, more than tripling its estimated value.
The top jewelry lot was the late senator’s platinum and diamond ring featuring a 4.14-carat E color, VS2 clarity diamond flanked by tapered baguettes.
A buyer paid $108,450 for the ring against a high estimate of $65,000.
Two pieces, an 18-karat white gold and diamond necklace (est. $12,000 to $18,000) and a ring centering a 4.40-carat Colombian emerald (est. $10,000 to $15,000), sold for $25,600 each.
A buyer paid $19,200 for a gold brooch in the shape of California, Feinstein’s home state and the state she represented in the Senate for three decades. The 14-karat gold two-tone brooch features a flower set with four marquise-cut diamonds.
An 18-karat gold two-tone Buccellati bangle sold for $17,920, more than seven times its low pre-sale estimate.
SEE: The Top Lots of Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s Jewelry
The auction house said the collection grossed $500,000-plus, more than tripling its estimated value.
The top jewelry lot was the late senator’s platinum and diamond ring featuring a 4.14-carat E color, VS2 clarity diamond flanked by tapered baguettes.
A buyer paid $108,450 for the ring against a high estimate of $65,000.
Two pieces, an 18-karat white gold and diamond necklace (est. $12,000 to $18,000) and a ring centering a 4.40-carat Colombian emerald (est. $10,000 to $15,000), sold for $25,600 each.
A buyer paid $19,200 for a gold brooch in the shape of California, Feinstein’s home state and the state she represented in the Senate for three decades. The 14-karat gold two-tone brooch features a flower set with four marquise-cut diamonds.
An 18-karat gold two-tone Buccellati bangle sold for $17,920, more than seven times its low pre-sale estimate.
SEE: The Top Lots of Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s Jewelry
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s platinum and diamond ring featuring a 4.14-carat E color, VS2 diamond sold for $108,450. The piece’s pre-sale estimate was $45,000 to $65,000.
This ring, set with an emerald-cut emerald of Colombia origin weighing about 4.40 carats and flanked by trapezoid diamonds, sold for more than double its estimate to achieve $25,600.
Feinstein’s 18-karat white gold and diamond necklace features three graduated rows of floret links set with round diamonds; it totals about 25.50 carats. The necklace sold for $25,600, above its estimate of $12,000 to $18,000.
This 18-karat gold Buccellati bangle is white gold with yellow gold borders and features round brilliant-cut diamonds set into the floral design. A buyer paid $17,920 for the bracelet against an estimate of $2,500 to $3,500.
Feinstein (D-Calif.) served as a U.S. senator for 31 years, from 1992 until her death last year.
A San Francisco native, she also served as mayor of the city for a decade, succeeding George Moscone, who was assassinated alongside City Supervisor Harvey Milk in 1978.
She was San Francisco’s first female mayor.
When Feinstein died at age 90 in September 2023, she was the oldest sitting U.S. senator. She also holds the title of longest-serving female senator.
“Jewelry was incredibly special to Dianne Feinstein, and it’s rare to find images of her without classic strands of pearls, diamond studs, and her signature senator pin,” said Emily Waterfall, the director of Bonhams’ jewelry department in Los Angeles.
“Her collection embodied refined sophistication, featuring pieces from renowned jewelry houses such as Bulgari, Tiffany & Co., Cartier, and Buccellati, as well as some unsigned items that all saw fierce bidding. Her jewelry box was a testament to her style—elegant yet understated—ensuring that her jewels complemented rather than overshadowed her role as a leading figure in American politics.”
Additional jewelry belonging to Feinstein is being auctioned off online. That sale continues through Oct. 15.
Feinstein’s jewelry was offered as part of a larger auction of personal items that belonged to the longtime lawmaker.
The sale, “The Legacy of a Stateswoman: The Personal Collection of Senator Dianne Feinstein,” included artwork, furniture, decorative objects, and political memorabilia.
It garnered $1.9 million, with only one lot going unsold. The auction house said it set a new record for Bonhams for number of registrations for a U.S. sale.
The top lot of the entire auction was a painting by Irish-American artist William Alexander Coulter (1849-1936) of ships in the San Francisco Bay.
A buyer paid $229,100 for the painting.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Auctions
The Latest
MajorsAug 21, 2025
Claire’s Finds Buyer, Could Save up to 950 StoresThe retailer, which recently filed Chapter 11, inked a deal to sell its North American business and intellectual property.
MajorsAug 21, 2025
Target Names New CEO as Sales Continue to Lag Target CEO Brian Cornell will step down in February and be replaced by the company’s chief operating officer, Michael Fiddelke.
Policies & IssuesAug 21, 2025
JA, IDMA Talk Tariffs With Execs in DC The group met with the president's senior trade advisor earlier this week to express the industry’s concerns about the effects of tariffs.
Brought to you by
Rallying Call for the Jewelry Industry on Tariffs and Other Key IssuesJewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.
MajorsAug 21, 2025
Tiffany & Co. Pops Up at 2025 US OpenThe pop-up will display this year's Tiffany & Co. Singles Championship trophies along with a diamond-encrusted tennis racket and ball.
Weekly QuizAug 15, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsAug 20, 2025
Bellman’s Jewelers Opens Second Store After COO's TikTok Takes OffThe New Hampshire-based store has expanded to Boston, propelled by the success of Alex Bellman’s TikTok page, “The Truthful Jeweler.”
CrimeAug 20, 2025
Another CA Jewelry Store Rammed With Car, RobbedThe latest incident happened Monday at a store in Oakland, California, continuing a pattern JSA first warned about last month.
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine JewelryAs a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.
WatchesAug 20, 2025
Oris Launches Watch Benefiting NYC Harbor Oyster RestorationThe new aqua green New York Harbor Limited Edition II is the watchmaker’s second collaboration with the Billion Oyster Project.
Events & AwardsAug 20, 2025
Take the Jewelers for Children ‘Trinity of Purpose’ ChallengeParticipants who attend any three Rings of Strength events will be awarded a special medal.
SourcingAug 19, 2025
Dubai’s Jemora Group Buys Diamond Miner LucapaThe investment company, founded by Dev Shetty, has acquired the struggling miner and its assets, including the Lulo mine in Angola.
ColumnistsAug 19, 2025
Peter Smith: The Arrival Fallacy and Jewelry RetailSmith shares wisdom he gleaned from a podcast he was listening to one morning while being walked by his dog, a Malshi named Sophie.
CrimeAug 19, 2025
Customs Seizes 7,300 Pairs of Fake ‘Alhambra’ EarringsThe counterfeit Van Cleef & Arpels jewels would have been worth more than $30 million if genuine.
MajorsAug 19, 2025
MJSA Apprenticeship Program Is Nationally RecognizedThe MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program received the Registered Apprenticeship Program designation by the U.S. Department of Labor.
WatchesAug 19, 2025
Casio America Names New Timepiece Division ManagerCasio executive and watch enthusiast Masaki Obu is the new general manager of its U.S. timepiece division.
MajorsAug 18, 2025
Verragio’s Michael Barabash, a ‘Kind Soul,’ Dies at 58Barabash, Verragio’s client relations representative, was a vital member of the team and is remembered as being warm and full of life.
CollectionsAug 18, 2025
John Hardy’s New ‘Dot’ Collection Is on PointOriginally introduced in 1992, the “Dot” collection is back with a capsule featuring five archival designs and three new creations.
Events & AwardsAug 18, 2025
IJO Announces 2025 Vendor of the YearAllison-Kaufman has received the honor for the fourth year in a row.
FinancialsAug 15, 2025
In Q2 Results, Pandora Talks Tariffs, Q4 Plans The company had a solid second quarter, with sales of non-charm jewelry outpacing sales of pieces in its core collections.
EditorsAug 15, 2025
Piece of the Week: Etho Maria’s Showgirl-Approved Ruby Drop Earrings Taylor Swift dons the vibrant pair in new promotional imagery for her upcoming album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” set to release in October.
WatchesAug 15, 2025
Audemars Piguet Acquires Majority Stake in ManufacturerIts investment in micromechanics expert Inhotec will preserve skills essential to the watchmaking industry as a whole, said the company.
MajorsAug 15, 2025
Rio Grande Names New Marketing DirectorNicolette Bianchi joins the wholesale provider with more than 15 years of cross-industry experience in marketing and product development.
CollectionsAug 14, 2025
In Midst of ‘Sardine Girl Summer,’ Pippa Small Looks to ‘Flounder Fall’Her new “Ocean” collection was inspired by Myanmar’s traditional articulated fish jewelry, with depictions of flounder, catfish, and more.
MajorsAug 14, 2025
Casio America Names New CEOLongtime Casio executive Yusuke Suzuki is the new president and CEO of Casio’s U.S. subsidiary.
SourcingAug 14, 2025
West Coast Orgs to Host Trading Event, Mixer in LAThe full-day sourcing and networking event, slated for Aug. 18, will be followed by the fifth annual Mega Mixer Summer Soirée.
TrendsAug 13, 2025
Cristiano Ronaldo Proposes With Gigantic Oval-Cut DiamondModel Georgina Rodríguez received a rock of an engagement ring, with her diamond estimated to be 35 carats, experts say.
SourcingAug 13, 2025
ICA Names 2025 Board of DirectorsThe board elected 9 new directors at its recent ICA Congress in Brazil.
