A ring with a 24-carat pink diamond sold for $14.8 million at a recent Christie’s jewelry auction in Geneva, its first time on the market in seven decades.
The jewel bearing the emerald-cut, fancy-intense-pink, VVS2-clarity, type IIa Bulgari Pink emerged from the famous design house in the 1950s. The consignor’s great grandparents acquired it in India, and it spent 70 years with the same European noble family, Christie’s said Tuesday. The hammer price fell within the piece’s CHF 10 million to CHF 15 million ($12 million to $18 million) estimate.
“With strong global demand tonight, the Bulgari Pink…ended our run of live auctions in Geneva this week on a high,” said Max Fawcett, global head of jewelry at Christie’s.
In total, the November 10 Geneva Magnificent Jewels sale achieved CHF 41.5 million ($50.1 million). Many items at the auction sold for well above their presale ranges.
Here are the rest of the top 10 lots:
Estimate: CHF 330,000 to CHF 500,000 ($398,910 to $604,409)
A brooch with an octagonal-shaped, 54.76-carat Ceylon sapphire in a baguette-cut and round-diamond surround.
Estimate: CHF 1.3 million to CHF 2 million ($1.5 million to $2.4 million)
This ring features a cushion-shaped, 23.72-carat Kashmir sapphire with baguette-cut diamond side stones.
Estimate: CHF 120,000 to CHF 180,000 ($145,107 to $217,661)
A black enamel ring bearing a cushion modified brilliant-cut, 5.01-carat, fancy-intense-bluish-green, SI1-clarity diamond; a pear modified brilliant-cut, 0.19-carat, fancy-vivid-purplish-pink, SI2-clarity diamond; and a pear modified brilliant-cut, 0.18-carat, fancy-vivid-pink, VS2-clarity diamond.
Estimate: CHF 350,000 to CHF 500,000 ($423,447 to $604,409)
Van Cleef & Arpels created this Zip necklace-and-earring set in 1952. The pieces contain round rubies, emeralds and sapphires, as well as round and single-cut diamonds. The necklace has fittings for wear as a bracelet.
Estimate: CHF 600,000 to CHF 900,000 ($725,951 to $1.1 million)
An unmounted cushion brilliant-cut, 71.89-carat, fancy-light-yellow, VS2-clarity diamond.
Estimate: CHF 150,000 to CHF 250,000 ($181,486 to $302,477)
A ring with a hexagonal-shaped, 5.39-carat Colombian emerald.
Estimate: CHF 700,000 to CHF 1.2 million ($846,908 to $1.5 million)
This Harry Winston ring boasts an emerald-cut, 15.52-carat, D-color, VVS2-clarity, type IIa diamond with the potential to be internally flawless.
Estimate: CHF 800,000 to CHF 1.2 million ($967,967 to $1.5 million)
Another Harry Winston ring, The Star of Sierra Leone VI, features a pear brilliant-cut, 21.69-carat, D, VVS2, type IIa diamond.
Estimate: CHF 300,000 to CHF 500,000 ($362,989 to $604,409)
This Van Cleef & Arpels collection comprises a necklace, ring and earrings with cabochon Ceylon sapphires, round rubies, emeralds and diamonds.
Main image: The Bulgari ring featuring a 24-carat pink diamond. (Christie’s)
