Paraiba-Tourmaline and Diamond Ring Flies Past Estimate at Bonhams

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Diamond ring image

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: 

Emerald ring image
This ring by Oscar Heyman features a step-cut, 8.68-carat Colombian emerald flanked by step-cut trapezoid diamonds. It surpassed its $350,000 high estimate to fetch $508,500
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A bracelet composed of three rows of graduated emerald-cut Colombian emeralds interspersed with step-cut diamonds brought in $356,100, nearly double its $180,000 high price tag. 
pink sapphire ring image
Bonhams sold this ring, set with a cushion-shaped, 14.23-carat, pink sapphire and flanked by half-moon-shaped diamonds, for $305,300, more than six times its upper estimate. 
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A necklace by Black, Starr & Frost also sailed past its estimate. The piece, which contains an oval-shaped, 12.92-carat, Paraiba-type tourmaline and diamonds, went for $279,900, far exceeding the $200,000 it was originally set to fetch.
diamond ring image
This ring, set with a cut-cornered step-cut, 9.05-carat, F-color, VS1-clarity diamond, garnered $229,100, within its estimated range.
mixed stone bracelet image
Another piece by Oscar Heyman to break the top 10 is this Birds in Flight bracelet. The jewel, which features birds amid floral sprigs, is created from carved rubies, emeralds, sapphires and onyx, in a diamond setting. It soared above its $120,000 high estimate to fetch $203,700. 
saphire ring image
A ring with a cushion-shaped, 25.85-carat sapphire surrounded by round-brilliant diamonds was snapped up for $165,600, beating its $120,000 upper price.
pink spahire necklace image
This necklace by Renelle, comprising a strand of graduated cushion-cut pink sapphires set alternately with round brilliant-cut diamonds, sold for $152,000, more than double its high presale estimate.

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

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Paraiba-Tourmaline and Diamond Ring Flies Past Estimate at Bonhams

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