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A blue-diamond ring that was set to bring in up to CHF 9.6 million ($12.3 million) at a Sotheby’s auction in Geneva failed to find a buyer.
The cushion-shaped, 6.03-carat, fancy-vivid blue, internally flawless, type IIb stone, which was due to lead the sale, is a rare diamond originating from the Cullinan mine in South Africa. In total, the May 12 High Jewelry auction brought in CHF 23.4 million ($29.9 million).
Many of the jewels offered at the sale surpassed their upper estimates, including a Van Cleef & Arpels diamond bracelet that brought in CHF 486,400 ($622,733) against a high price of CHF 95,000 ($121,631) and a pair of diamond pendant earrings that reached CHF 217,600 ($278,586). The lot was estimated at up to CHF 30,000 ($38,409).
Other highlights included pieces by well-known design houses such as Bucherer, Cartier, Chopard and Bulgari.
Here are the top 10 items at the sale:
Estimate: CHF 2.2 million to CHF 2.8 million ($2.8 million to $3.6 million)
A pair of perfectly matched unmounted brilliant-cut, 18.38-carat, D-color, flawless and internally flawless diamonds.
Estimate: CHF 800,000 million to CHF 1.6 million ($1 million to $2 million)
This necklace features a graduated fringe of 13 drop-shaped Colombian emeralds weighing between 11.38 and 57.82 carats, centering an 11.76-carat cabochon Colombian emerald.
Estimate: CHF 1 million to CHF 1.5 million ($1.3 million to $2 million)
The Peacock of Ceylon, an unmounted cushion-shaped, 102.40-carat Ceylon sapphire.
Estimate: CHF 800,000 to CHF 1.6 million ($1 million to $2 million)
A ring with a pear modified brilliant-cut, 4.12-carat, fancy-pink, internally flawless diamond.
Estimate: CHF 480,000 to CHF 800,000 ($614,734 to $1 million)
This Bucherer necklace features step-cut Colombian emeralds weighing 13.24, 6.47, 4.50, 3.16 and 3.08 carats, pavé-set with brilliant-cut diamonds.
Estimate: CHF 300,000 to CHF 500,000 ($384,209 to $640,281)
Made by Van Cleef & Arpels, this ring centers a cushion-shaped, 6.51-carat Burmese ruby inside a brilliant-cut diamond surround.
Estimate: CHF 180,000 to CHF 380,000 ($230,501 to $486,583)
Formerly belonging to the wife of Italian entrepreneur Romeo Invernizzi, this Bulgari Serpenti wristwatch, designed as a coiling serpent, has a head and tail containing pear-shaped and brilliant-cut diamonds, along with cabochon emerald eyes.
Estimate: CHF 280,000 to CHF 430,000 ($358,535 to $550,594)
A pair of earrings featuring step-cut Ceylon sapphires weighing 35.74 and 30.54 carats, topped by diamonds.
Estimate: CHF 160,000 to $280,000 ($204,872 to $358,535)
Hailing from an important European collection, this Lacloche Frères necklace has a tassel with drop-shaped rubies and circular- and single-cut diamonds.
Estimate: CHF 95,000 to CHF 140,000 ($121,631 to $179,245)
These Boucheron earrings each have an oval-shaped Burmese ruby, weighing 3.98 and 3.26 carats, both in a tapered-baguette diamond surround.
Image: The 6.03-carat blue-diamond ring that went unsold. (Sotheby’s)
