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AuctionsMar 05, 2015
Sotheby’s appoints new jewelry division chairman
Sotheby’s has named David Bennett to the newly created role of worldwide chairman of Sotheby’s International Jewelry Division.
David Bennett
New York--Sotheby’s has named David Bennett to the newly created role of worldwide chairman of Sotheby’s International Jewelry Division.
In his new position, Bennett will be responsible for designing and implementing a strategy for the expansion and development of the business’s jewelry category.
He has more than 40 years of experience with Sotheby’s, most recently leading the European and Middle Eastern jewelry divisions.
During his time at Sotheby’s, Bennett has overseen many of the record-breaking sales at the auction house, including the sale of the “Graff Pink,” which set the record for any diamond or jewel when it went for $46.2 million in 2010, and seven other diamonds weighing more than 100 carats each.
In addition, he helped present some of Sotheby’s most iconic auctions, including the Jewels of the Duchess of Windsor in 1987, the Princely Collections of Thurn and Taxis in 1992, and the collections of Ava Gardner, Maria Callas, and more recently, Dimitri Mavrommatis.
Bennett also is the co-author with Daniela Mascetti of two books--Understanding Jewellery and Celebrating Jewellery.
Last year, Sotheby’s jewelry division--which the company has noted is one of its fastest-growing--saw more than $600 million in sales, marking the highest total annual in the auction house’s history for the category and the third year in a row of record jewelry sales.
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