Christie’s Rakes In Nearly $6M at London Sale

RAPAPORT… Christie’s garnered $5.7 million at its recent London auction, with a blue diamond fetching the highest price.

The unmounted, oval-cut, 1.02-carat, fancy-vivid-blue diamond brought in $534,800 at the November 26 sale, called Jewels Online: The London Edit, Christie’s said last week. That figure was in the middle of its presale valuation.

A round brilliant-cut, 32.10-carat, S- to T-color, VS1-clarity diamond ring by Cartier also performed well. The piece, from the collection of renowned Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich and his wife, soprano Galina Vishnevskaya, went for $401,000, hitting its upper valuation.

An Art Deco diamond bracelet by Cartier fetched $183,838, well above its $121,000 high estimate. The jewel was from the estate of Romana McEwen and had belonged to her mother, American heiress Ava Alice Muriel Astor.

Meanwhile, Christie’s sold a collection belonging to Victoria, Lady de Rothschild, a style icon, philanthropist and collector. The top item was an Art Deco rock crystal, diamond, onyx and pearl tassel brooch, which achieved $75,206, smashing its upper valuation.

Bidders from 30 countries participated in the sale, the company noted. 

Image: The 1.02-carat, fancy-vivid-blue diamond. (Christie’s)