IV, held on Monday at the Wilson Hotel, concluded with mixed results. While the event achieved a total of nearly $9 million, the top four expected highlights failed to find buyers.
The most valuable lot—a pendant necklace featuring a 53.14-carat old mine brilliant-cut fancy vivid yellow diamond, further adorned with circular-cut diamonds—went unsold. It was expected to fetch between 2.1 million and 3.1 million Swiss francs ($2.4 million – $3.5 million).
Three other high-profile pieces also did not sell:
- A Van Cleef & Arpels ring with a 7.10-carat Kashmir sapphire surrounded by diamonds, estimated at $900,000 – $1.5 million.
- A 1.85-carat fancy vivid orangy pink diamond, estimated at $650,000 – $1 million.
- A ring set with a 10.69-carat unheated Burmese oval ruby, flanked by half-moon diamonds and accented with brilliant-cut diamonds, estimated at $475,000 – $740,000.
Despite these setbacks, the auction performed well overall. Out of 143 lots, 114 were sold, representing a solid 80% sell-through rate.
According to Benoît Repellin, Phillips’ Worldwide Head of Jewellery, 87% of the sold items surpassed their low estimates, and over half exceeded their high estimates.
Art Deco pieces proved especially popular, bringing in 807,720 Swiss francs ($960,232)—almost three times their low estimate. An impressive 93% of these pieces sold above their high estimates.
Repellin also highlighted the strong performance of natural pearls, which totaled 708,660 Swiss francs ($842,467), or 327% above their low estimate.
“There was continued enthusiasm for signed jewels,” he added. “We saw 86% of them sell, with most far exceeding pre-sale estimates.”
While some top-tier pieces did not change hands, the auction’s overall success reflects continued demand for rare and historically significant jewels.
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