The October 19 Christie’s sale of Magnificent Jewels featured diamonds – all colors and shapes – at its gallery, 20 Rockefeller Plaza. With 347 lots sold from the 401 offered totaling $35,652,800, and 86.53 percent sold by lot, several special gems were the subject of some intense bidding. The Rose of Dubai, a 25.02-carat fancy pink diamond, was the top lot. It realized $240,000 per carat with more than four potential buyers fiercely competing to acquire the gem; it hammered home at $6,008,000. All prices given reflect a buyer’s premium. There was a world record price of $262,400 achieved for anopal and precious gem necklace by Louis Comfort Tiffany, and ablack enamel miniature model of a piano manufactured by Cartier andSteinway also surpassed its presale estimate of $40,000 to realize$318,400. A pear-shaped diamond D, flawless diamond of 33.11 carats sold for $2,480,000, or $74,900 per carat, purchased by the international diamond specialist Laurence Graff, who also purchased a pear-shaped diamond fringe necklace by Harry Winston for $486,400. Another Harry Winston design, an oval cut fancy vivid blue, IF diamond ring of 4.24 carats, went to an anonymous bidder. For more information, www.christies.com.
13 Dec 2005 / 0 Comment
Antiques and The Arts Weekly is the nation’s leading weekly publication on the antiques and the arts trade, and is available both in print and online.
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