A ruby and diamond ring was the star of the most recent jewelry auction at Sotheby’s New York, bringing in $5.5 million after a six-minute bidding battle between three participants.
The ring, which is set with a cushion-cut, 10.33-carat Burmese ruby flanked by two pear-shaped diamonds weighing 0.71 and 0.70 carats, flew past its $2 million high estimate to take the top spot at the December 11 Magnificent Jewels sale, Sotheby’s said Wednesday. In total, the auction house sold 92% of lots on offer for $30 million, following bidding from participants in more than 35 countries.
“Following the success of recent sales in Paris and Geneva this fall, we are incredibly proud of today’s strong results, which further underscore the market’s growing confidence and sets a promising tone for our sales in the year ahead,” said Quig Bruning, head of the jewelry department for the Americas and Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) at Sotheby’s. “The enthusiasm from international collectors translated into strong bidding across the board.”
Here are the rest of the top 10 lots from the sale:
Main image: The ruby and diamond ring. (Sotheby’s)
