The Jewelry I’d Bid On in Christie’s Iris Apfel Auction
Associate Editor Natalie Francisco highlights her favorite fashion jewelry pieces from the upcoming “Unapologetically Iris” auction.

The collection features more than 200 lots of fashion, accessories, and home goods from Apfel, with her jewelry grouped into 27 lots.
Apfel, who died in March 2024 at age 102, was one of the most vivacious personalities in the worlds of fashion, textiles, and interior design, explained the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which exhibited “Rara Avis: Selections from the Iris Barrel Apfel Collection” in 2005.
She was known for her eclectic aesthetic that seamlessly blended colors, textures, and patterns in a mix of high and low fashion.
The Met explained her looks as blending “Dior haute couture with flea market finds.”
As a trendsetter, Apfel was recognizable by her oversized oval glasses, blue eyeshadow, feather boas, and her large stacks of chunky bangles.
Apfel began her career as a decorator and, together with her husband Carl Apfel, they founded Old World Weavers, a renowned textile company.
She went on to work as an interior design consultant for the White House through nine presidencies.
Christie’s “Unapologetically Iris: The Collection of Iris Apfel” auction is a rare opportunity for fashion enthusiasts, as it offers a range of completely unique clothing items and accessories spanning eras, the auction house said.
For jewelry lovers, the sale affords an opportunity to snatch some statement pieces at (perhaps) more affordable prices than we’re accustomed to seeing at jewelry auctions.
Here are eight lots I’ll have my eye on when “Unapologetically Iris: The Collection of Iris Apfel” starts later this month.

A standout piece that Apfel clearly loved was her goldtone and black painted tiered feathered choker from Danish brand Monies.
Apfel can be seen wearing the statement necklace in her portrait at the top of the story.
The piece is grouped into a lot along with two other necklaces and nine bangles, estimated to fetch $400 to $600.

When it comes to her jewelry, Apfel was most known for the bangles she often stacked all the way up to her elbows.
This grouping includes my personal favorite—the bangles showcasing weevil beetles encased in lucite.
The 10 pieces in various shapes, sizes, and colors likely were designed by Kolos Studio, according to Christie’s.
This lot also includes pieces Apfel designed.
The four cuffs and one bangle featuring googly eyes set in lucite come from Rara Avis, Apfel’s costume jewelry line once sold through HSN.
The 15 pieces in this lot are estimated to sell for $300 to $500.

Apfel’s personal style was described as “witty and exuberantly idiosyncratic” by The Met, so in no way could we overlook her beaded popcorn box earrings.
The piece was designed by Indian jewelry and accessories brand Deepa Gurnani.
The couple behind Deepa Gurnani, Deepa Gurnani and Jay Lakhani, incorporate intricate embroidery techniques like zardozi, mirror work, and aari to create their accessories.
The popcorn box earrings were a third-place finalist in the fashion jewelry category in the Accessories Council’s Design Excellence Awards in 2021.
They are grouped into lot 216 with other beaded jewelry, including necklaces, bracelets, brooches, and additional Deepa Gurnani earrings. The lot is estimated to fetch $200 to $300.

No outfit is complete without a brooch and luckily, lot 208 contains multiple.
Two matching Kenneth Lane brooches take the form of frogs likely made from gold-plated metal with green cabochon glass eyes.
Also in this lot is a Christian LaCroix brooch centering on a heart-shaped stone that may be made of resin, surrounded by a branch design in an antiqued gold tone. The piece has some movement with what is likely a faux glass pearl drop.
These pieces are grouped into a lot with other designer costume accessories, including a belt, necklace, and another brooch with a pre-sale estimate of $400 to $600.

Who can ever have enough animal jewelry?
Of these five pendants, it was the turtle who caught my eye. It features a yellow jasper shell held by its silver metal body.
The piece, along with the four others in the lot, is possibly from China and was made in either the 20th or 21st century, according to Christie’s.
Altogether, this lot is estimated to fetch $200 to $300.
“Unapologetically Iris: The Collection of Iris Apfel,” which is an online-only sale, will be open for bidding from Jan. 28 to Feb. 13.
The full collection is available to preview on Christie’s website and at Christie’s New York from Feb. 8-11.
Select pieces can be viewed in person at Christie’s Miami from Jan. 24-25 and in Palm Beach at The Colony Hotel from Jan 29-31.
The Latest

The 3,300-square foot location is the jeweler's largest store in North America.

Aging and with myriad health issues, none will serve time for their roles in robbing the billionaire celebrity at gunpoint in 2016.

The WNBA team received rings imbued with meaning, from leaf motifs and its Liberty torch to the number of diamonds used.

More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.

A longtime executive at RDI Diamonds, Rickard has served on the JBT board for the past five years.


The two organizations have signed an affiliation agreement that’s expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.

The platinum and diamond watch is part of Sotheby’s upcoming Important Watches sale.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

Recovered in Mozambique, “The Kat Florence Lumina” was part of Bonhams’ Hong Kong jewelry auction held last week.

Get a taste of the delicious candy-like gemstones in this Amanda’s Style File.

JSA’s Scott Guginsky provided a list of nine security measures jewelers should observe while locking up for the long weekend.

From Lau’s “Love of a Kind” series, the engagement ring was inspired by the moon and holds a different meaning depending on how it is worn.

The lab has adjusted the scale it uses for nacre grading.

Sponsored by GCAL by Sarine

David Walton will serve three years’ probation after an incident in a hotel bar led to the death of West Virginia jeweler David Ettinger.

The retailer also provided an update on how the tariffs situation in the U.S. is affecting its business.

The family-owned jeweler in Great Falls, Virginia, will be celebrating its golden jubilee with a year’s worth of events.

The nonprofit elected five judges who will decide the winners of its design competition.

This year’s edition includes articles on the favorite tools of notable designers, evaluating when to outsource production, and more.

The jeweler’s high jewelry collection features extraordinary gemstones, like a 241.06-carat emerald and the world’s fourth-largest spinel.

In a special column for the State of the Majors, Edahn Golan breaks down what the top-performing fine jewelry sellers are doing right.

The bolo tie necklace is inspired by “Queen Bey” and set with a nearly 15-carat black diamond.

The nonprofit focused on mining communities in East Africa has added three new members to its advisory council.

Current Diamond Council of America President and CEO Terry Chandler is set to retire in January 2026.

The company's Series A shares will continue to trade following a reverse stock split while its Series B shares will be delisted.

Communicating clearly with your staff is key to navigating turbulent times, writes columnist Peter Smith.

The “Inner Journey” collection debuted as the brand celebrated its 25th anniversary, with designs inspired by Morais’ journey.