The Beau Sancy, a 34.98 carat diamond worn in the crown of Marie de Medici at her coronation as Queen Consort of Henri IV in 1610, made $9,699,618 in Geneva in May
Exceptional diamonds and gemstones, private collections and historical jewels helped Sotheby’s achieve $460.5 million worth of jewellery sales in 2012. This is its highest ever total. There was a new world record in Geneva when a various-owner sale in May brought in $108.4 million. December auctions in New York reached $64.8 million, the company’s highest ever total for a day of jewellery sales. The annual total of $114.5 million in Hong Kong marked the company’s second-biggest year of jewellery and jadeite sales in Asia.
In 2012 Sotheby’s jewellery auctions sold an average of 84% by lot. No less than 72 lots sold for more than $1 million with six above $5 million. Throughout 2012, prominent private collections fuelled strong sale results, featuring jewels owned by Brooke Astor, Estée Lauder, Evelyn H. Lauder, Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, Suzanne Belperron and Michael Wellby. Sotheby’s held two rare ‘white glove’ auctions – 100% sold by lot – in 2012: Jewels from the Personal Collection of Suzanne Belperron in Geneva in May, and The Jewellery Collection of the Late Michael Wellby in London in December.