Paraiba-Tourmaline and Diamond Ring Flies Past Estimate at Bonhams

A Paraiba tourmaline and diamond ring was the star of a recent jewelry sale at Bonhams, where it brought in $533,900, nearly nine times its upper estimate. 

The piece, which contained a cushion-shaped, 5.44-carat Paraiba tourmaline surrounded by brilliant-cut diamonds, carried a $40,000 to $60,000 price tag at the September 26 sale, Bonhams said last week. In total, the auction, called Exceptional Jewels from a Distinguished Collection, brought in $4.8 million, with 98% of items on offer finding buyers and many jewels exceeding their presale prices. 

“The single-owner collection was truly exceptional, representing a distinguished collection of colored-stone jewels from a family with fabulous taste and a genuine passion for selecting and wearing fine jewelry,” said Emily Waterfall, director and head of jewelry for Bonhams Los Angeles. “The entire collection was chic, classic, and elegant. The competition was fierce, especially for the…Oscar Heyman emerald ring, featuring one of the finest-quality stones I’ve ever had the privilege to handle.” 

Here are some of the other headline jewels from the sale: 

Main image: The Paraiba tourmaline and diamond ring. (Bonhams)