CollectionsOct 22, 2026
Billie Eilish, Finneas Co-Design Collection for John HardyThe Academy and Grammy award-winning siblings have collaborated with John Hardy on a new jewelry line inspired by their personal style.
AuctionsApr 30, 2020
Cartier ‘Tutti Frutti’ Bracelet Sets Online Jewelry Auction Record
The Art Deco piece earned $1.34 million at Sotheby’s this week.
This Cartier Tutti Frutti carved gemstone bracelet smashed its pre-sale estimate high when it went for $1.34 million at auction, setting a record for an online jewelry auction.
New York—If one recent auction is any indication, the desire for luxury jewelry items is alive and well.
This week, in a single-lot online sale, Sotheby’s New York sold a Cartier “Tutti Frutti” bracelet to an undisclosed buyer for $1.34 million. The Art Deco piece was expected to earn between $600,000 and $800,000.
Its final price tag is the highest price for any jewel sold in an online auction, according to Sotheby’s, as well as highest price for any jewel sold at auction so far in 2020 by any house.
Cartier’s Tutti Frutti styles exemplify a western cultural fascination with Asia in the Art Deco period, Sotheby’s explained.
The first example of the work was Pierre Cartier’s necklace for Queen Alexandra in 1901. The wife of King Edward VII, she was the Empress Consort of India and desired an Indian-inspired style.
Pierre Cartier’s brother, Jacques Cartier, traveled to India in 1911. Inspired by the sights and cultures he encountered, he embarked on the Tutti Frutti collection in earnest, incorporating carved Mughal gemstones into geometric platinum, diamond and enamel patterns that exemplified Deco style.
Several jewels in this style were exhibited at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. Fashionable women like Cole Porter and Daisy Fellowes became fans and collectors.
Each Tutti Frutti jewel is one-of-a-kind. This particular one boasts carved emeralds, rubies and sapphires set in platinum with diamonds, onyx and enamel.
“The result achieved for this bracelet is testament to the fact that, even under the most challenging of circumstances, the demand for great art endures,” Catharine Becket, Sotheby’s head of magnificent jewels auctions in New York, said in a statement.
The bracelet that sold this week hasn’t appeared at auction before. It was created circa 1930 and has been passed down through an American family for the last 30-plus years.
The family who sold it also sold the 35-carat Flagler Emerald at Sotheby’s in 2015, which shattered its $1 million to $1.5 million pre-sale estimate, selling for $2.8 million.
“Tutti Frutti jewels have always held a special allure for collectors, capturing the West’s fascination with the ‘exotic’ at a time when travel was relatively limited, much as it is today,” Becket added. “Now, of course, we can connect with the touch of a button, which allowed us to engage with bidders worldwide. We look forward to bringing more great jewels to the marketplace in the months ahead as
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
we expand our calendar of online sales.”
Overall, Sotheby’s online jewelry sales in 2020 have sold 93 percent of lots for a total $7.4 million, above high-end sale estimates. Bidders hail from more than 30 countries and 30 percent of all bidders in 2020 were doing so for the first time with Sotheby’s.
Overall, Sotheby’s online jewelry sales in 2020 have sold 93 percent of lots for a total $7.4 million, above high-end sale estimates. Bidders hail from more than 30 countries and 30 percent of all bidders in 2020 were doing so for the first time with Sotheby’s.
More on Auctions
The Latest
PodcastsOct 21, 2026
Episode 10: This Episode Is Haunted Diana Singer shared the stories of two “cursed” diamonds on this month’s podcast, which was inexplicably riddled with technical issues.
IndependentsOct 21, 2026
Gardner-Collier Jewelry to Close After 9 Decades in BusinessThe family-owned jeweler has three locations across Missouri and Iowa.
Brought to you by
A Diamond Is Forever Launches 2026 Holiday Campaign Championing Natural DiamondsA Diamond Is Forever's holiday campaign reimagines natural diamond icons for a new generation celebrating individuality.
SourcingOct 21, 2026
Venetia Mines Final Carats Ahead of 2-Year ShutdownThe De Beers-owned diamond mine in South Africa is being put on ice as part of a round of previously announced cost-cutting measures.
Weekly QuizOct 15, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsOct 21, 2026
Helzberg, Nordstrom Carrying New Jewelry Collection From Off-WhiteThe collection centers designs with clean geometric lines, chunky sculptural pieces, and recognizable details from the luxury fashion brand.
SourcingOct 21, 2026
Gemfields’ Mixed-Quality Ruby Auction Earns $52MThe miner said it saw particularly strong prices for larger, fine-quality rubies at the sale.
Brought to you by
Open an Account, Get $50 Off Your First Order. No Code Needed.Built on Relationships. Refined by Craft.
CrimeOct 20, 2026
Security Guard Charged With Murder in Shooting at Texas MallThe guard opened fire on a man who was smashing a jewelry display case at La Gran Plaza in Fort Worth last week, police said.
IndependentsOct 20, 2026
David Gardner’s Jewelers Unveils Newly Expanded, Revamped ShowroomThe Texas jeweler added 2,000 square feet to its reimagined showroom, complete with a new design studio and an event space.
SourcingOct 20, 2026
The $50M Victoria’s Secret ‘Fantasy Bra’ By The NumbersJacob & Co.'s diamond masterpiece is the most expensive Fantasy Bra ever worn on the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show runway.
CollectionsOct 20, 2026
Mignon Faget’s Collection Chooses Handmade Over AIThe “Atelier” collection was inspired by the tools, rituals, and objects in an artist’s studio as a quiet rebuttal to an automated world.
MajorsOct 19, 2026
The Knot to Acquire Rival Wedding Planning Platform ZolaThe pending acquisition is an “exciting opportunity” for wedding vendors to grow their business, said The Knot Worldwide’s CEO.
SourcingOct 19, 2026
Jewelry Design Competition Show Airs in Thailand"The Secret Gems" features eight Thai jewelry brands paired with a team of young craftspeople who create jewelry together to win challenges.
CollectionsOct 19, 2026
John Hardy Enters the Medallion Chat With Talisman Collection The brand’s “Modern Talisman” capsule collection introduces pendants inspired by the mythology, natural world, and spiritual ethos of Bali.
IndependentsOct 19, 2026
The Stories of 5 Jewelers Celebrating Their Centennials in 2026Independent jewelers from New Mexico to New Jersey answer the question: What has kept your store in business for 100 years?
SurveysOct 16, 2026
How Inflation, Gas Prices Will Affect Holiday Sales The NRF is expecting holiday sales to increase this year, but consumers and retailers alike are facing Grinch-like headwinds.
CollectionsOct 16, 2026
Christina Puchi’s Earrings Hold the UniverseOur Piece of the Week gathers the planets, represented by a variety of colored gemstones, in a pair of 14-karat yellow gold earrings.
IndependentsOct 16, 2026
Reeds Jewelers Expands, Relocates FlagshipThe New York-based jeweler is moving its Amherst flagship store to a larger location in nearby Snyder.
MajorsOct 16, 2026
Katy Chen Appointed Executive Vice President of Graff USA Chen, who worked at Cartier and Tiffany & Co., will lead retail sales and operations for the luxury jeweler’s 11 U.S. stores.
IndependentsOct 15, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Amy and Elise Greenberg For 40 years, sisters Amy and Elise Greenberg have helmed their 126-year-old family business, leading with appreciation and integrity.
ColumnistsOct 15, 2026
Peter Smith: What Is the Culture REP?It’s a term Smith coined and felt compelled to share following a bad experience with an aborted flight and an unfeeling flight attendant.
WatchesOct 15, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb’s New Movado Watches Are Made for Your Wrist StackMovado teamed up with the New York-based fine jewelry designer on a new collection of Movado Museum Velura watches.
SourcingOct 15, 2026
Signet Jewelers, Richemont May Join Bidder for De Beers, Report SaysThe two companies are reportedly in talks to join the Global Diamond Consortium, led by former De Beers CEO Gareth Penny, as per Bloomberg.
CollectionsOct 15, 2026
Wolf x Marla Aaron's New Jewelry Box Is for Some (Not All) of Your ThingsThe “Some of the Things” box follows the two larger “Everything” box designs with the look and function of antique sewing and toolboxes.
IndependentsOct 14, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Coleman and Mitchell ClarkFourth-generation jewelers Coleman and Mitchell Clark exemplify the best qualities of their predecessors: humility, modesty, and confidence.
SourcingOct 14, 2026
Manuel Marcial de Gomar, ‘The Emerald Whisperer,’ Dies at 90The gem hunter, whose 70-year career was defined by adventure and exploration, is remembered for his steadfast faith and sense of wonder.
