The lead piece at the latest Sotheby’s jewelry auction in New York — an unmounted fancy-vivid-purple-pink diamond — failed to sell despite expectations that it would fetch up to $1.5 million.
The cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut, 3.63-carat, I2-clarity stone went unsold at the December 11 Fine Jewelry sale, which totaled $11.8 million, according to the auction house.
Other diamond and gemstone lots did find buyers, however, including pieces from David Webb, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Graff.
Here are the top five lots:

Presale estimate: $50,000 to $70,000
This ring centers a square emerald-cut Colombian emerald between tapered baguette diamonds and comes with a ring jacket of round diamonds.

Presale estimate: $180,000 to $280,000
A cut-cornered rectangular mixed-cut, 14.22-carat, fancy-intense-yellow, VS1 diamond is the star of this ring, sitting between two triangle-shaped diamonds.

Presale estimate: $120,000 to $180,000
This ring features an emerald-cut, 13.01-carat, J-color, VS2 diamond with baguette-diamond accents and a removable gold jacket.

Presale estimate: $150,000 to $250,000
The auction house offered this diamond necklace without reserve. It contains 67 graduated square emerald-cut, H to I, internally flawless to VS2 diamonds ranging from 1.01 to 3 carats — 77.80 carats in total.

Presale estimate: $120,000 to $180,000
These earrings feature two round, D-color diamonds, one a VVS2 stone weighing 3.20 carats, and the other a 3.33-carat VVS1.
Main image: The unsold pink diamond that was supposed to lead the auction. (Sotheby’s)



