Yellow diamonds brought a ray of sunshine to Geneva for the spring auction season, which was full of excitement in mid-May. The Allnatt diamond, a 101.29 ct Fancy Vivid yellow brilliant set in a brooch designed by Cartier in 1952, was pulled from Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels sale just before it began. Another yellow diamond, the 202.18 ct “Yellow Rose” (figure 1), was the star of Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction the following day. The GIA-graded Fancy Intense yellow pear modified brilliant with SI1 clarity sold for $6.7 million, the second-highest price ever paid at Christie’s for a yellow stone weighing more than 200 ct.
Perhaps the most significant highlight in Geneva was the sale of the “Argyle Phoenix” (figure 2), a 1.56 ct Fancy red diamond offered by Phillips that nearly tripled its presale estimate. Selling for $4.2 million ($2.7 million per carat), the GIA-graded brilliant set in an 18K gold ring broke two auction records: highest price and highest per-carat price for a Fancy red diamond. Originating from the Argyle mine in Australia, the “Argyle Phoenix” is the largest known Fancy red round brilliant diamond.
The trend of exceeding presale estimates continued later in the month at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels in Hong Kong. Cartier’s multi-gem Tutti Frutti necklace “India” (figure 3) shattered its $4.9 million high estimate and fetched $8.7 million. Adorned with carved rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and round GIA-graded diamonds, as well as sapphire, ruby, and emerald beads, the piece sold after 10 minutes of competitive bidding. Christie’s reported that more than half the lots in the auction surpassed their estimates, including a “pigeon’s blood” Burmese ruby and diamond ring that garnered $6.4 million, doubling its $3.2 million high estimate.
At the close of the season in June, Christie’s offered the 10.20 ct “Eden Rose” (figure 4) as their top lot in New York. The Internally Flawless Fancy Intense pink type IIa diamond was publicized not only for its size, but also for its pure pink hue and lack of secondary tones. Set in an 18K rose and white gold ring and surrounded by 12 carats of pear- and marquise-shaped colorless diamonds, the GIA-graded round brilliant exceeded its high estimate of $12 million, selling for $13.3 million, or $1.3 million per carat.
Yellow diamonds brought a ray of sunshine to Geneva for the spring auction season, which was full of excitement in mid-May. The Allnatt diamond, a 101.29 ct Fancy Vivid yellow brilliant set in a brooch designed by Cartier in 1952, was pulled from Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels sale just before it began. Another yellow diamond, the 202.18 ct “Yellow Rose” (figure 1), was the star of Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction the following day. The GIA-graded Fancy Intense yellow pear modified brilliant with SI1 clarity sold for $6.7 million, the second-highest price ever paid at Christie’s for a yellow stone weighing more than 200 ct.
Perhaps the most significant highlight in Geneva was the sale of the “Argyle Phoenix” (figure 2), a 1.56 ct Fancy red diamond offered by Phillips that nearly tripled its presale estimate. Selling for $4.2 million ($2.7 million per carat), the GIA-graded brilliant set in an 18K gold ring broke two auction records: highest price and highest per-carat price for a Fancy red diamond. Originating from the Argyle mine in Australia, the “Argyle Phoenix” is the largest known Fancy red round brilliant diamond.
The trend of exceeding presale estimates continued later in the month at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels in Hong Kong. Cartier’s multi-gem Tutti Frutti necklace “India” (figure 3) shattered its $4.9 million high estimate and fetched $8.7 million. Adorned with carved rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and round GIA-graded diamonds, as well as sapphire, ruby, and emerald beads, the piece sold after 10 minutes of competitive bidding. Christie’s reported that more than half the lots in the auction surpassed their estimates, including a “pigeon’s blood” Burmese ruby and diamond ring that garnered $6.4 million, doubling its $3.2 million high estimate.
At the close of the season in June, Christie’s offered the 10.20 ct “Eden Rose” (figure 4) as their top lot in New York. The Internally Flawless Fancy Intense pink type IIa diamond was publicized not only for its size, but also for its pure pink hue and lack of secondary tones. Set in an 18K rose and white gold ring and surrounded by 12 carats of pear- and marquise-shaped colorless diamonds, the GIA-graded round brilliant exceeded its high estimate of $12 million, selling for $13.3 million, or $1.3 million per carat.
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