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These Were Bonhams’ Top 10 Jewelry Lots in 2025
The top lot of the year was a 1930s Cartier tiara owned by Nancy, Viscountess Astor, which sold for $1.2 million in London last summer.
This ring, featuring a 10.37-carat Colombian emerald with no clarity enhancement, set within a surround of marquise and brilliant-cut diamonds, sold at Bonhams’ “London Jewels” sale in June for approximately $989,000, making it the auction house’s third highest-grossing lot of 2025.
London—Bonhams has revealed its top jewelry sales of 2025.
It was a strong year, said the auction house, which hosted 27 live auctions and 70 online sales across eight locations, selling more than 15,000 lots.
Multiple lots exceeded $1 million.
“2025 saw the successful sale of several notable and storied single-owner collections, including the magnificent Art Deco turquoise and diamond tiara by Cartier, formerly in the collection of Nancy, Viscountess Astor,” said Bonhams Global Director, Jewelry, Jean Ghika.
The tiara, Bonhams’ top sale of 2025, was presented at its June “London Jewels” sale, on the market for the first time since it was sold to Lord Astor by Cartier London in 1930.
It achieved $1.2 million, more than three times its pre-sale estimate.
It was a strong year, said the auction house, which hosted 27 live auctions and 70 online sales across eight locations, selling more than 15,000 lots.
Multiple lots exceeded $1 million.
“2025 saw the successful sale of several notable and storied single-owner collections, including the magnificent Art Deco turquoise and diamond tiara by Cartier, formerly in the collection of Nancy, Viscountess Astor,” said Bonhams Global Director, Jewelry, Jean Ghika.
The tiara, Bonhams’ top sale of 2025, was presented at its June “London Jewels” sale, on the market for the first time since it was sold to Lord Astor by Cartier London in 1930.
It achieved $1.2 million, more than three times its pre-sale estimate.
This Art Deco turquoise and diamond tiara by Cartier, circa 1930, from the collection of Nancy, Viscountess Astor (1879-1964), was Bonhams’ highest-grossing jewelry lot of 2025.
This ring centers a cushion-shaped Kashmir sapphire set within an openwork mount accented by two emerald-cut diamonds weighing 2.34 and 2.62 carats respectively.
In the No. 2 slot is a ring set with a 6.92-carat cushion-shaped "royal blue" sapphire of Kashmir origin and accented by diamonds.
It sold for more than triple its pre-sale estimate, fetching $1 million at Bonhams’ December jewelry auction in New York.
A ring centering a 10.37-carat step-cut Colombian emerald set in a surround of diamonds was the third highest-grossing lot. It achieved approximately $991,000—more than eight times its pre-sale estimate—at “London Jewels” in December.
Landing in fourth place is a pair of pear-shaped emerald pendants of Colombian origin, weighing 64.37 and 63.19 carats respectively. The pendants sold at “Hong Kong Jewels and Jadeite” in November for more than three times its estimate, achieving approximately $782,000.
“The market continues to demonstrate a strong appetite for colored gemstones, colored diamonds, rare antique jewels, and signed pieces with provenance—jewels that capture the imagination,” said Ghika.
In fifth place, from Bonhams’ June “New York Jewels” sale, is a necklace of graduated emeralds of Colombian origin that sold above its estimate for $597,400.
At the “Hong Kong Jewels and Jadeite” in May, a 1.08-carat fancy vivid pink diamond ring sold for approximately $570,000, earning sixth place.
At the June sale in New York, a 4.32-carat Kashmir sapphire and diamond ring sold for $559,300 against its high-end estimate of $150,000, and a rare Boucheron Art Nouveau pendant, circa 1900, sold for above its estimate for $508,500.
This rare Boucheron Art Nouveau enamel, sapphire and diamond “Juno” pendant, circa 1900, was exhibited at the Paris, Exposition Universelle in 1900.
The pieces ranked seventh and eighth, respectively.
A rare, untreated Paraíba-type tourmaline of 181.61 carats named the “Kat Florence Lumina,” sold for approximately $487,000 at “Hong Kong Jewels and Jadeite” in May, securing a ninth-place spot.
It was followed by a Tiffany & Co. ring—sold at the June “New York Jewels” sale—set with a 4-carat Paraíba tourmaline of Brazil origin, which achieved $483,100, making it Bonhams’ tenth highest-grossing lot of 2025.
Bonhams has salerooms in London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Sydney.
The auction house remains the market leader in the U.K., where it has been No.1 in jewelry for the past 15 years, according to Bonhams.
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