The middle class is changing its approach to buying jewelry and affordable luxury goods, the NRF said.
‘Jubilee Ruby’ Expected to Garner $12-15M
The 15.99-carat Burmese ruby, set in a platinum and 18-karat gold Verdura ring with diamond accents, will be up for sale at Christie’s New York in April.

New York--An exceptional Burmese ruby could sell for as much as $15 million when it hits the auction block at Christie’s New York in April.
The oval-shaped 15.99-carat gemstone, dubbed the “Jubilee Ruby,” will be featured as part of an iconic Verdura piece in platinum and 18-karat gold. It’s predicted to sell for between $12 and $15 million.
The gem is the most important Burmese ruby to appear at auction in the United States in the last 25 years, Christie’s said.
The Jubilee Ruby will lead the Magnificent Jewels sale scheduled for April 20 at Christie’s New York.
The sale features more than 250 lots of rare diamonds and colored stones as well as exceptional jewels from Buccellati, Cartier, David Webb, Graff, Harry Winston, Van Cleef & Arpels and more.
Other top lots in the sale include a 10.07-carat fancy intense purple-pink diamond that could sell for as much as $12 million and a Type IIa, round brilliant-cut diamond weighing approximately 40.43 carats that has a pre-sale estimate of between $7 and $10 million.
There also is a fancy yellow diamond at the top of the list, a 54.62-carat VVS1 clarity stone with a $2.5 million pre-sale estimate, as well as another colorless diamond, this one a round brilliant-cut, D color, flawless diamond of 14.11 carats could sell for between $1.5 and $2 million.
The full list of items that will be included in the auction can be found on the Christie’s website.
Click through the slideshow below to see the five pieces of jewelry expected to top the sale.
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