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3-Carat Blue Diamond Leads the Way at Christie’s NY
The rectangular-cut fancy intense blue sold for $5.4 million, beating out an 8-carat pink to top the sale.
This platinum ring, set with a 3.09-carat rectangular-cut fancy intense blue diamond flanked on either side by a tapered baguette-cut diamond, went for $5.4 million at Christie’s New York on Tuesday.
New York--A fancy intense blue diamond went for nearly double its pre-sale estimate at Christie’s New York Tuesday, propelling it ahead of the expected top lot of the Magnificent Jewels sale.
The 3.09-carat rectangular-cut fancy intense blue diamond of VS1 clarity is flanked on either side by a tapered baguette-cut diamond and set in platinum. It sold for $5.4 million, well above its pre-sale estimate of $2 million to $3 million.
It also beat out the expected top lot--an 8.42-carat pink diamond ring, which fell within its pre-sale range when it sold for $5 million.
Christie’sMagnificent Jewels auction totaled $45.7 million.
The sale also featured two notable pieces by well-known jeweler JAR.
Born in New York City in 1943, Joel Arthur Rosenthal graduated from Harvard in 1966 before moving to Paris. He worked as a screenwriter and needle stitcher, as well as with Bulgari in New York before moving back to Paris and opening a store on the Place Vendôme with his partner, Pierre Jeannet, for his jewelry creations.
The silver and 18-karat gold JAR “Moghul” pendant brooch pictured above sold for $432,500, going for well above its pre-sale estimate high of $300,000.
The piece was created in 1999 and designed as a stylized bombé architectural turret. It’s pavé-set with circular-cut amethysts surrounding a 14.77-carat cushion-cut sapphire and a border of single-cut diamonds. It also has a single-cut diamond cap suspending a natural pearl tassel and the reverse side is set with pavé diamonds.
It has a detachable chain set with single-cut diamond stations and comes in a JAR pink leather case.
There also was a JAR “thread” ring (pictured above), so named for the perceived lightness of the setting and fine pavé work.
It features an elongated oval brilliant-cut diamond weighing 22.76 carats and of D color and VVS1 clarity, and a diamond-set two-tiered threadwork gallery and hoop mounted in platinum.
It sold within its pre-sale estimate range when it garnered $2.8 million Tuesday.
JAR’s two jewels were sold to benefit the Art for Justice Fund, which connects criminal justice advocates with artists to help reform the criminal justice system in the United States.
Below are a few pieces that joined the JAR thread ring as top lots of the Christie’s New York sale, including the 8-carat pink diamond that came in at No. 2.
This 8.42-carat cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut fancy intense pink diamond is VVS1 clarity and potentially internally flawless. It is flanked on either side by a tapered baguette-cut diamond and mounted in platinum and rose gold, and sold for $5 million Tuesday.
This crossover twin stone ring from Cartier features a 2.85-carat pear modified brilliant-cut fancy intense pink diamond and a 2.42-carat pear brilliant-cut fancy vivid blue diamond accented with baguette-cut diamonds and a circular-cut diamond gallery in platinum. It went for $4.5 million.
A ring set with a 33.46-carat rectangular-cut E color diamond of VS1 clarity and flanked on either side by a tapered baguette-cut diamond, mounted in platinum, garnered $2.3 million.
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