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White Diamonds Lead Sotheby’s Auction, Blue Diamond Does Not Sell
A matching pair of 18.38-carat, D-color diamonds from Botswana’s Jwaneng mine sold for $3.3 million, the top lot of the jewelry auction.
PHOTO These Type IIa, D-color diamonds each weighing 18.38 carats sold for $3.3 million Wednesday at Sotheby’s High Jewelry auction in Geneva.
PHOTO This 6.03-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, expected to be the auction’s top lot, did not sell.
Editor's Note: This story was updated post-publication to include a statement from Sotheby’s on the future of the blue diamond.
Geneva—Sotheby’s High Jewelry auction took place in Geneva Wednesday, with the leading lot—a 6.03-carat fancy vivid blue diamond—going unsold.
Recovered from South Africa’s Cullinan mine, the blue diamond is internally flawless and was expected to sell for $9.2 million to $12.3 million but did not find a buyer.
However, in a statement shared with National Jeweler on Thursday, Sotheby’s indicated that the diamond may be sold soon.
The auction house said, “It has been a privilege to present the exceptional and rare 6.03-carat fancy vivid blue diamond ring to international collectors and connoisseurs in recent weeks.
“Although the diamond didn’t find a buyer during the auction, we are now in conversations with several interested parties and are confident that it will find a new home soon.”
Instead, the top lot of the sale was a matching pair of 18.38-carat, Type IIa, D-color diamonds—one flawless and one internally flawless—from Botswana’s Jwaneng mine.
A private international buyer paid $3.3 million for the pair, within the range of their pre-sale estimate of $2.8 million to $3.5 million.
In total, the jewelry auction garnered $30.1 million, with 93 percent of lots sold.
Sotheby’s said it had more than five paddles registered as bidding for each lot sold, marking the highest participation in one of its Geneva jewelry sales in five years, and more than 60 percent of the lots sold above their high estimate.
Geneva—Sotheby’s High Jewelry auction took place in Geneva Wednesday, with the leading lot—a 6.03-carat fancy vivid blue diamond—going unsold.
Recovered from South Africa’s Cullinan mine, the blue diamond is internally flawless and was expected to sell for $9.2 million to $12.3 million but did not find a buyer.
However, in a statement shared with National Jeweler on Thursday, Sotheby’s indicated that the diamond may be sold soon.
The auction house said, “It has been a privilege to present the exceptional and rare 6.03-carat fancy vivid blue diamond ring to international collectors and connoisseurs in recent weeks.
“Although the diamond didn’t find a buyer during the auction, we are now in conversations with several interested parties and are confident that it will find a new home soon.”
Instead, the top lot of the sale was a matching pair of 18.38-carat, Type IIa, D-color diamonds—one flawless and one internally flawless—from Botswana’s Jwaneng mine.
A private international buyer paid $3.3 million for the pair, within the range of their pre-sale estimate of $2.8 million to $3.5 million.
In total, the jewelry auction garnered $30.1 million, with 93 percent of lots sold.
Sotheby’s said it had more than five paddles registered as bidding for each lot sold, marking the highest participation in one of its Geneva jewelry sales in five years, and more than 60 percent of the lots sold above their high estimate.
The second highest-grossing lot of the sale was a circa 1950 emerald and diamond necklace with 13 graduating teardrop-shaped cabochon emeralds weighing between 57.82 and 11.38 carats, pictured above.
A private buyer from Asia paid $2.5 million for the piece, which was estimated to sell for $1 million to $2 million.
“The Peacock of Ceylon,” a massive, unmounted sapphire weighing 102.40 carats (pictured below), sold to a private buyer for about $2 million, against an estimate of $1.3 million to $1.9 million.
A private buyer from Asia paid $2.5 million for the piece, which was estimated to sell for $1 million to $2 million.
“The Peacock of Ceylon,” a massive, unmounted sapphire weighing 102.40 carats (pictured below), sold to a private buyer for about $2 million, against an estimate of $1.3 million to $1.9 million.
Rounding out the sale’s top five lots were a 4.12-carat fancy pink diamond ring, bought by a private buyer from Asia for $1.5 million, and an emerald and diamond necklace featuring step-cut emeralds weighing between 13.24 and 3.08 carats made by Bucherer in 1986.
An anonymous buyer paid $1 million for the piece.
Related stories will be right here …
An anonymous buyer paid $1 million for the piece.
“Collectors have again favored colored gemstones above all else, but it’s been exciting to see a white diamonds resurgence, with several white diamond jewels selling in excess of their high estimates,” said Jessica Wyndham, head of high jewelry for Sotheby’s Geneva.
“And, of course, there is still a lot of love for signed jewelry, including the bold 1970s and 1980s styles such as striking pieces from Bulgari, many of which soared above their high estimates.”
To see the full results, visit the Sotheby’s website.
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