Legendary auction house Christie’s is on a roll, this time with a “white-glove sale,” meaning a 100% sell-through! Christie’s Geneva Magnificent Jewels auction, held Wednesday at the Hotel des Bergues, saw all 115 lots sold out, a headline-making achievement. The sale raked in over $72.3 million, with 77 lots exceeding their high estimates. What this champion moment revealed was a growing appetite for colored diamond rings.
Taking the top spot was an exceptionally colored diamond and ruby ballerina ring by Boucheron, which went under the hammer for $12.7 million. Hot on its heels was a similarly stunning Graff colored diamond and diamond ring that sold for $5.8 million. In third place was a vibrant ruby and diamond ring that amassed $4.1 million, featuring a cushion-shaped ruby of 10.17 carats. According to Forbes, the competitive bidding saw one standout buyer: Moussaieff Jewellers, the London-based, family-owned high jewelry house known for catering to Middle Eastern royalty, influential politicians, and international celebrities. They snagged the top blue diamond ring, a 6.24-carat fancy deep blue diamond, after five intense minutes of bidding.
In fourth place was a spellbinding piece, the ‘Apricot Blossom’ bangle by contemporary high jewelry maestro JAR. The bangle, crafted in round diamonds, reddish-orange and yellow enamel, blackened silver, and yellow gold, was the most intricate of the top five. It came from a private collection titled “A Bouquet of Gems: A Superb Collection of Jewels by JAR,” which included 21 iconic pieces by the American-French artist Joel Arthur Rosenthal. Another statement necklace by JAR, set with old-cut and round diamonds, also made it to the top five. The collection alone brought in a remarkable $7.1 million.
Rounding out the top 10 were breathtaking jewels by Harry Winston, Bulgari, Reza, and Boucheron, each a masterpiece in its own right. This record-breaking event reaffirmed Geneva’s status as the beating heart of the high jewelry world.
