This 202 carat Yellow Rose diamond sold for CHF6,095,000 /US$6,710,595, the second highest price ever paid for a yellow stone above 200cts at Christie’s.
The Magnificent Jewels auction at Christie’s in Geneva today totalled CHF49,242,200 / US$54,215,662, with deep bidding from a full saleroom, on the phones and online. Led by the Yellow Rose diamond of 202 carats the auction was 97% sold by lot and 98% sold by value. Max Fawcett, Head of Jewels Europe commented: “There is nothing better as an auctioneer than a full and engaged sale room, and to achieve such strong results – 97% by lot and 140% of the low estimate – is remarkable. The market for coloured gemstones and signed jewellery is on fire and I could not think of a better way to start the 2024 season. We now look forward to Hong Kong, New York, Paris and London.”
Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale in Geneva tonight achieved a total of CHF68,990,650 / $69,668,694 / €65,939,460, led by The Rock, which sold for CHF21,681,000 / $21,894,082 / €20,722,133. Weighing 228.31 carats, The Rock is the largest white diamond ever to be sold at auction.
The Red Cross Diamond realised CHF14,181,250 / $14,320,624 / €13,554,068, with a significant portion of the proceeds benefiting the International Committee of the Red Cross. The auction was 98% sold by value and 92% sold by lot, and witnessed global participation with registrants from 20 countries across 4 continents. The next generation of collectors were active with millennial collectors comprising 50% of new registrants to the sale.
THE ROCK (228.31 carats) and THE RED CROSS DIAMOND (205.07 carats). UPDATE: THE ROCK MADE CHF21,681,000 / $21,894,082 / €20,722,133, THE RED CROSS DIAMOND MADE CHF14,181,250 / $14,320,624 / €13,554,068
The Rock, the largest white diamond seen throughout auction market history and The Red Cross Diamond will lead Christie’s sale of Magnificent Jewels in Geneva on May 11. The sale will offer a superb selection of historic and modern jewellery, alongside two diamonds that are each considered among the most exceptional gemstones to ever appear at auction. The Rock is estimated at CHF19 million -30 million (€18.58 million – €29.33 million) and The Red Cross Diamond is expected to fetch as much as €10.05 million.
The sale includes exceptional tiaras from the 19th and 20th centuries, among them the Fürstenberg Tiara, a pearl and diamond tiara bearing the mark of the famous Austrian jeweller Gustav Flach. It belonged to H.S.H. The Princess of Fürstenberg, née Countess Irma of Schönborn Buchheim (1867-1948), a member of one of the pre-eminent aristocratic families in the Habsburg Empire. An important selection of Jewels by JAR showcase Mr. Rosenthal’s superior craftsmanship and passion for innovation and design including a sapphire bracelet of 27.37 carats and a pair of multi-gem ‘disc’ pendent earrings.
(See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for April 12 and March 25, 2022)
THE RED CROSS DIAMOND. UPDATE: THIS MADE CHF14,181,250 / $14,320,624 / €13,554,068
An historically important fancy intense yellow, cushion-shaped diamond of 205.07 carat known as the Red Cross diamond will come up at Christie’s magnificent jewels sale in Geneva on May 11. Part of the price it makes will be donated to the International Committee of the Red Cross. The original rough stone was found in 1901 in a De Beers South African mine and is said to have weighed some 375 carats. Besides ranking amongst the largest diamonds in the world, a striking feature of the stone is its pavilion, which is faceted in the shape of a Maltese cross.
“This is the third time in over 100 years for Christie’s to present this extraordinary canary yellow diamond of 205.07 carats. This is a very special bond and tremendous honour. Part of the proceeds of the sale will benefit the International Committee of the Red Cross, for a cause that is even more poignant in the midst of current events.”, said François Curiel, Chairman of Christie’s Europe and Head of the Luxury Department.
This diamond and ruby bangle – a sleek and sophisticated Cartier reinterpretation of the Art Deco style – was the first anniversary gift the Duchess of Windsor received from her husband, the Duke of Windsor, on June 3, 1938. It comes up at Christie’s in Geneva on November 9 with an estimate of CHF 1 million – CHF 2 million (€920,000-€1.85 million). It is inscribed “For our first anniversary of June third”. At the time the couple were holidaying on the French Riviera in Antibes at the Villa La Croë. In December 1936, Edward VIII famously abdicated the British throne to marry the twice-divorced American Wallis Warfield Simpson. They were married in France at the Château de Candé in June 1937. It comes to auction for the first time since the landmark auction of 1987 Jewels of the Duchess of Windsor,
This Fancy Deep Blue Diamond ring of 7.03 carats mounted by Moussaieff will lead Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in Geneva on November 12.
(Image courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2019). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 11.6 MILLION CHF
It is estimated at 10-14 million Swiss francs. A superb D quality diamond ring of 46.93 carats and internally flawless clarity is estimated at 3.8-4.5 million CHF. The sale offers sought after gemstones including coloured diamonds, pearls, Kashmir sapphires, Burmese rubies and Colombian emeralds. Among the signed jewels and historic pieces is an unusual turquoise and diamond Belle Époque brooch, circa 1910, acquired by Dame Nellie Melba at the peak of her career (CHF 250,000-350,000). In a long list of famous jewellery collectors, Dame Nellie Melba was one of the era’s most prominent icons and a well-established client of Cartier. She was honoured in the late 19th century by the Savoy Hotel’s French chef Auguste Escoffier with the creation of the Peach Melba.
Belle Époque brooch, circa 1910, acquired by Dame Nellie Melba (Image courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2019). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR CHF 212,500
A Fabergé tiara wedding gift from Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1882-1945) to his bride Princess Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland (1882-1963) comes up at Christie’s sale of Magnificent Jewels in Geneva on May 15. The 1904 tiara is of symbolic design with forget-me-not flowers tied with ribbon bows, signifying true and eternal love, pierced by arrows representing cupid. Composed of nine graduated pear-shaped aquamarines, old, cushion and rose-cut diamonds, the historic tiara has a pre-sale estimate of US$ 230,000-340,000.
The Faberge Tiara
The Grand Duke’s mother, Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia, was a keen Fabergé collector, and encouraged him to order his wedding present at the atelier Fabergé in St Petersburg. At the time of their 1904 marriage Frederick was 22 and Alexandra, 21. Archives show correspondence between the Grand Ducal Cabinet of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Eugène Fabergé, revealing deliberations on a commission of an important jewel. One of the letters dated 10 May discussed the possibilities that could be offered: ‘a diamond tiara’ for 10’000 roubles or ‘an aquamarine and diamond tiara’ for 7’500 roubles, and that only using aquamarines as gemstones was not possible. Another letter referred to drawings with designs Fabergé proposed for the top section of the tiara, sent to the Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna for her son’s approval. However, these drawings went missing. Fabergé expressed concerns that he held no copies himself and did not know which design appealed to the Grand Duke.
Two weeks before the marriage Fabergé wrote to the Grand Ducal Cabinet that he was yet to receive any instructions to proceed. For a second time he asked for the return of the drawings as he could not advance his work without them. A subsequent letter referred to a completion for the wedding on 7 June, as requested by the Grand Duke by which Fabergé declared that it was impossible to execute the commission in such a short time. On the day of the wedding the Princess wore the traditional Hanoverian nuptial crown commissioned in 1761 for the wedding of King George III of England and Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The Fabergé tiara, her own special wedding gift from the Grand Duke, followed later.
THE Pink Legacy made $50,375,00 at Christie’s in Geneva last night. The largest and finest fancy vivid pink diamond ever offered at auction by Christie’s weighs just under 19 carats. The rectangular-cut gem was the top lot at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva. From the Oppenheimer Family it had been estimated at US $30-50 million. The auction achieved $110,214,250.
(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for September 25, 2018)
THE Pink Legacy, the largest and finest fancy vivid pink diamond ever offered at auction by Christie’s come up in Geneva on November 13. Weighing just under 19 carats this exceptional rectangular-cut gem will lead Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva. From the Oppenheimer Family it is estimated at US $30-50 million.
Rahul Kadakia, International Head of Jewellery commented:“The discovery of this previously unrecorded and remarkable diamond will cause immense excitement with collectors and connoisseurs of diamonds around the world. The Pink Legacy will be exhibited on a global tour prior to being auctioned on 13 November at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues. Its exceptional provenance will no doubt propel it into a class of its own as one of the world’s greatest diamonds.”
The Pink Legacy has been awarded the highest diamond color grading of VIVID by the Gemological Institute of America. Vivid coloured diamonds are the most strongly saturated gems, displaying the optimum hue of the stone. It is a classic rectangular cut diamond, a cut that is traditionally used for white stones, and weighs an extraordinary 18.96 carats. Most pink diamonds of this colour weigh less than a carat.
In the saleroom fancy vivid pink diamonds over ten carats are virtually unheard of. Only four vivid pink diamonds of over ten carats have been offered at auction. An historic level was reached last November when Christie’s Hong Kong sold ‘The Pink Promise’, an oval-shaped fancy vivid pink diamond of just under fifteen carats for US$32,480,500 (U$2,175,519 per carat), which established and remains the world auction record price per carat for any pink diamond.
La Légende a 92 carat D color Flawless heart-shaped diamond
La Légende a 92 carat heart-shaped diamond pendant signed by Boehmer et Bassenge will lead Christie’s sale of Magnificent Jewels on May 17 in Geneva. The Maison de Haute Joaillerie was launched last year and named in honour of Charles Boehmer and Paul Bassenge, Parisian jewellers of the 18th century. Working exclusively with a handful of large, D colour, flawless clarity diamonds of perfect polish and symmetry, combined with years of experience and preparation, the Maison Boehmer et Bassenge operates with an uncompromising attitude to quality. Just a few creations are produced each year.
La Légende is the largest D Flawless heart shaped diamond ever offered at auction. It is suspended from a cultured pearl sautoir. The necklace is estimated at US $14-18 million. Exceptional diamonds and gemstones will lead this spring season, along with important private properties such as the Cartier and Art Déco collection assembled by Éric Nussbaum, one of Cartier’s most eminent experts. A particular focus has been set on Italian jewellery design from the 1900s to the present day in the dedicated Dolce Vita section.
