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Blue Diamond Nabs $5.5M at Christie’s New York Sale

December 7, 2023  |  Leah Meirovich
Christie's 3.49ct blue main image 1280 USED 071223

A blue diamond ring stole the spotlight at the latest Christie’s sale in New York, grabbing the top spot and achieving $5.5 million.

The cushion modified brilliant-cut, 3.49-carat, fancy-vivid-blue, internally flawless ring hit the upper end of its $4.5 million to $5.5 million presale estimate, Christie’s said Thursday. It was one of several colored diamonds in the top 10, amid “lively bidding,” the auction house noted.

Christie’s sold 90% of the 152 items on offer, with many surpassing their high presale estimates. In total, the December 6 Magnificent Jewels sale brought in $38.1 million.

Jewels by well-known design houses proved popular, notably a pair of sapphire and diamond earrings by Tiffany & Co., which sold for $453,600, nearly eight times its $60,000 upper presale price tag. Private collections from World War II commander Adolphus Andrews, Jr., and his wife as well as from philanthropist Mary Lloyd Robb also performed well.

Here are the rest of the top 10 pieces:

A Cartier ring containing an emerald-cut, 23-carat, Kashmir sapphire center stone with tapered baguette diamond brackets brought in $3 million, smashing its $1.2 million upper price tag.
This Tiffany & Co. ring created around 1950, set with a cushion mixed-cut, 8.91-carat Kashmir sapphire and bullet-shaped diamonds, exceeded its $1 million high estimate to fetch $1.9 million.
A ring bearing a pear mixed-cut, 5.16-carat, fancy-vivid-yellowish-orange, VS2-clarity diamond went for $1.7 million, within estimates.
Christie’s sold this unmounted cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut, 61.47-carat, fancy-greenish-yellow, VS2-clarity diamond for $1.6 million, over its $1 million upper presale price.
A pear modified brilliant-cut, 2.06-carat, fancy-deep-blue, VS1-clarity diamond ring garnered $1.2 million, double its $600,000 presale high estimate.
Also beating expectations, this emerald-cut, 42.97-carat, J-color, SI1-clarity diamond ring by Graff realized $1.2 million against an $800,000 upper presale price.
This emerald-cut, 17.58-carat, D-color, VS1-clarity diamond ring sold for $1.2 million, above its $1 million high presale estimate.
A ring featuring a cushion mixed-cut, 7.31-carat Burmese ruby surrounded by oval and round diamonds fetched $1.1 million, just above its lower estimate.
An emerald-cut, 20.63-carat, D-color, VS2-clarity diamond ring brought in $1.1 million, within its presale price range.

Main image: The 3.49-carat blue diamond. (Christie’s)

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