The top four lots Sotheby’s offered at its jewelry sale Tuesday failed to find buyers, including a blue-diamond ring the auction house expected to fetch up to HKD 50 million ($6.4 million).
The cut-cornered rectangular-cut, 9.01-carat, fancy-blue, VVS2-clarity piece was the lead item at the December 17 Important Jewels auction in Hong Kong. Other highlights that remained unsold included a cushion-shaped, 6.14-carat, fancy-light-purplish-pink, internally flawless diamond ring estimated at up to HKD 9.5 million ($1.2 million). A heart-shaped, 18.39-carat, fancy-vivid-yellow, VS2-clarity diamond ring with an upper price of HKD 8.5 million ($1.1 million) and a ring bearing a step-cut, 8.72-carat Colombian emerald and diamonds with a high estimate of HKD 8 million ($1 million) were also left on the block.
However, even without the inclusion of the showcase items, the sale brought in a total of HKD 43.5 million ($5.6 million). Colored diamonds comprised three of the top five lots purchased. Jadeite jewels and pieces from designers such as Cartier, Graff, and Van Cleef & Arpels were also popular.
Here are the top five items from the sale:
Main image: The top four unsold jewels. (Sotheby’s)
