Anne Hathaway was seen wearing the toggle necklace three times while filming scenes for “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”
Christie’s, Sotheby’s Jewelry Sales Down in 2018
Christie’s total dropped 12 percent, while Sotheby’s declined 25 percent compared with 2017.

New York—In 2017, Christie’s and Sotheby’s jewelry auction sales earned them more than a combined $1 billion, but in 2018 they missed that mark.
Christie’s has reported $492.3 million in worldwide jewelry auction sales in 2018, down from $556.7 million in 2017, a drop of nearly 12 percent. Sotheby’s total jewelry sales, meanwhile, totaled $414 million in 2018 after hitting $551.3 million in 2017, representing about a 25 percent decline.
Of Christie’s 2018 sales, $484.5 million—or about 98 percent of the total—was garnered at live auction and $7.8 million online (down from $8.9 million in online sales in 2017).
Both auction houses, however, sold some important pieces, with several setting records.
Christie’s largest jewelry sale of the year happened in November in Geneva. A 18.95-carat pink diamond ring dubbed “The Winston Pink Legacy” after its purchase by Harry Winston sold for $50.4 million, or $2.7 million per carat, a record per-carat price for a pink diamond sold at auction.
The Winston Pink Legacy actually topped all of Christie’s 2017 jewelry sales as well.
As that sale demonstrated, color was the theme of the auction house’s top jewelry lots in 2018.
The second largest sale was $20.5 million, or $2.6 million per carat, for an 8.01-carat pear-shaped fancy vivid blue IF diamond necklace by Moussaeieff that sold in Hong Kong in May, followed by the $18.3 million, or $2.3 million per carat, fetched by a Bulgari 8.08-carat cushion-cut fancy vivid blue diamond ring in New York last month.
The No. 4 selling lot for Christie’s last year was “The Peacock Necklace,” pictured above. The necklace features 109.08 carats of Kashmir sapphires and set a world auction record for a Kashmir sapphire necklace, garnering almost $15 million in Hong Kong in November.
The fifth highest-selling piece was a 15.56-carat heart-shaped fancy intense pink diamond pendant necklace that went for $9.5 million, or $612,950 per carat.
Christie’s noted that 2018 marked its 25th consecutive year as the leading global jewelry auction house by sales.
Sotheby’s also facilitated purchases of some extravagant jewels in 2018, but couldn’t match the extraordinary 2017 sale of the “The CTF Pink” (formerly called “The Pink Star), purchased by Chow Tai Fook for $71.2 million.
The auction house did, however, set a record for highest overall sale of royal jewels when it garnered a total of $53.1 million—more than seven times the pre-sale total estimate—for its “Royal
The white-glove sale, in which 90 percent of lots sold above their high estimates, surpassed the total of $50.3 million that the Duchess of Windsor’s jewelry garnered in 1987.
The highlight of the Bourbon-Parma auction was a natural pearl and diamond pendant from Marie Antoinette’s personal collection (seen above), which earned $36.2 million, setting a record for a natural pearl.
And just as they did at Christie’s, colorful stones also made an impact for Sotheby’s in 2018, most notably the Ai Diamond, a 5-carat fancy vivid blue diamond ring that garnered $13.8 million in Hong Kong in early October.
Though jewelry was down for Sotheby’s in 2018, the auction house did note that watch sales were up 60 percent year-over-year, totaling $88.5 million.
The Latest

Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong is scheduled for Sept. 15 to 21, and buyer pre-registration will be available until Sept. 7.

Renovations at Tiffany & Co. stores ate into profits in the company’s watch and jewelry division.

As a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.

Mark and Candy Udell of London Jewelers will receive the honor at the 24th annual Gem Awards next March.


While struggles continue at the mining and trading end of the pipeline, consumer demand for diamond jewelry is holding steady.

The “Fantasia” jewelry collection turns the intaglio animals from her “Close Encounters” collection into 3D characters.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

The special Classic Avi Chronograph 42 with an Eagles-green dial is limited to 59 pieces, a nod to the Super Bowl Philadelphia just won.

JSA has received reports of mobs swarming jewelry stores, driving cars into the storefront or smashing through the windows.

The “Kashmir” collection features centuries-old craft techniques made in collaboration with the region’s master papier-mâché artisans.

Creative Director Erica Bianchini shared why the jeweler is looking to expand into the U.S. and how it’s putting Canadian craftsmanship on the map.

Two Los Angeles Fire Department stations plan to use the donations to upgrade their equipment and tools.

Next week, the auction house will kick off a selling exhibition of jewelry by British artist Hannah Martin and Coldplay’s Guy Berryman.

“Stolen: Heist of the Century” is based on “Flawless,” the book about the middle-of-the-night theft, and will debut on Netflix in August.

Emmanuel Raheb shares the top five gifting moments outside of major holidays that jewelers should build marketing campaigns around.

The wholesale trade show’s Luxury Lifestyle section will showcase established and emerging jewelry designers.

As demand for custom jewelry grows, the company is expanding its services to support retailers.

The mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers is slated for Aug. 9 to 10 on Zoom.

Graduated stones make for elevated tennis-style pieces and dramatic statement necklaces.

Nominations in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation will be accepted through July 30.

He retired last month after 28 years traveling the world to source the very best gemstones for his family’s jewelry business, Oscar Heyman.

The charm necklace features six nautical charms of shells and coral that founder Christina Puchi collected on Florida’s beaches.

The organization elected its youngest vice president as it looks to draw in fresh talent.

Campbell joins the company as vice president of business development while Liebler is the new vice president of operations.

The medals feature a split-texture design highlighting the Games’ first time being hosted by two cities and the athletes’ journeys.

Sponsored by The INSTORE Jewelry Show 2025