“The Chrysler Diamond” beat its $3.5-$4.5 million pre-sale estimate, becoming the highest earning jewel at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale in New York this week. (Image courtesy of Christie’s Inc.)
New York—There was a battle between the two top lots at Christie’s June 8 Magnificent Jewels sale, with “The Chrysler Diamond” coming out on top.
Estimated to fetch between $3.5 and $4.5 million, the pear-shaped, D-color, internally flawless 54.03-carat stone sold for nearly $5.1 million.
Harry Winston acquired the stone in 1958, when it was known as the “Louis XIV Diamond,” from Thelma Chrysler Foy’s estate. Foy was the daughter of railroad and automotive scion Walter Chrysler, the namesake of New York City’s Chrysler Building.
“The Chrysler Diamond” (Image courtesy of Christie’s Inc.)
While The Chrysler Diamond surpassed its pre-sale expectations, another impressive diamond, “The Dancing Sun,” fell within its $3.5-$5.5 million estimate, selling for nearly $5 million.
The 204.36-carat, VVS2 fancy intense yellow diamond was cut from a 552.74-carat rough recovered from the Diavik Diamond Mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories in 2018. It remains the largest gem-quality diamond on record found in North America.
“The Dancing Sun” diamond (Image courtesy of Christie’s Inc.)
The Dancing Sun is the largest polished diamond mined in North America.
“The Flawless Match,” a toi et moi-style ring, sold for within its $2.5 million to $3.5 million estimate, earning $2.9 million.
“The Flawless Match” (Image courtesy of Christie’s Inc.)
The ring features a 2.52-carat pear-shaped, internally flawless, fancy vivid blue diamond and 2.43-carat pear-shaped internally flawless Type IIa diamond.
Another sale draw was “Jewels by JAR: Property from an Important West Coast Collection,” featuring 19 lots, the largest selection of JAR jewels ever offered at auction, according to Christie’s.
In total, they earned $5.9 million.
JAR’s diamond “Branch Under Snow” bangle bracelet led that array, selling for a whopping $1.9 million and burying its $400,000-$600,000 estimate.
It was part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 2013-2014 exhibition dedicated to the jeweler.
“Branch Under Snow” (Image courtesy of Christie’s Inc.)
What was expected to be the highest earning JAR lot, a pair of natural pearl and diamond earrings, fell within their $700,000 to $1 million estimate when they sold for $870,000.
JAR proved so popular that it even topped the preceding “Jewels Online” sale, with a pair of “Gardenia” earrings grossing $112,500.
The second highest-earning Jewels Online lot was a pair of Jessica McCormack diamond earrings, which sold for $100,000.
In all, Magnificent Jewels garnered nearly $26.6 million and was 94 percent sold by value and 87 percent sold by lot.
Jewels Online earned almost $3.5 million and was 97 percent sold by lot. Full results are available online.
