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Christie's $30-Million Sale Includes $6.7-Million Blue Diamond Ring And Pieces By Bulgari, Cartier

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Christie's

The Christie’s New York sale of Magnificent Jewels on April 16 exemplified the solid investment value of fancy colored diamonds and signed pieces by big name brands. The top lot in the sale, which totaled $30,315,875, was a $6.7-million rare blue diamond ring, followed by five other diamond rings that each sold in excess of $1-million. The top price paid at the auction was for a ring set with two rare fancy blue diamonds of 3.0 and 2.61 carats. It sold for $6,744,500, over a pre-sale estimate of $6-8-million.

Christie's

Christie's

The ring was among several pieces set with fancy colored diamonds, including a pink diamond ring of 6.11 carats that sold for $1,395,000, and a fancy intense yellow diamond ring weighing 37.65 carats, which sold for $1,005,000. 

Christie's

Christie's

The sale also included several large colorless diamond rings that sold for more than $1-million each, including: a rectangular-cut, internally flawless, D-color, 16.33-carat diamond, for $1,575,000; a marquise-cut D color diamond of 16.69 carats for $1,455,000; and a rectangular-cut, G-color, 21.06-carat ring, which sold for $1,095,000.

Bulgari

Christie's

Pieces signed by famous makers were also highlights, including a gold, ruby and diamond Zip necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels that sold for $483,000 against a low estimate of $150,000. A 16.88-carat sapphire and diamond ring by Bulgari sold for $375,000, more than four times its low estimate (part of the collection of philanthropists Florence and Herbert Irving). Another highlight was a diamond, sapphire, emerald and gold Dolphin brooch by Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co., which sold for $68,750. Another piece by Schlumberger, a multi-gem and gold bangle bracelet, sold for $81,250.

Christie's

The sale included two pieces made by Cartier, including an 18.36 carat diamond ring that sold for $435,000, and an Art Deco enamel and gold “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” charm bracelet that sold for $118,750 – more than seven times its low estimate.