RAPAPORT... A 10.01-carat diamond ring was the top seller at the most recent Christie’s auction, fetching $625,000.
The piece, featuring a marquise brilliant-cut, D-color, internally flawless stone, which sold within its estimate, went under the hammer without reserve at the sale, which ran from November 23 to December 9, Christie’s said last week. Total sales came to $6.9 million at the auction, which the company named Jewels Online & Colorful Whimsy: Jewels by Michele della Valle, referring to one of the featured designers.
Three other pieces offered without reserve took spots in the top five. Those included an old European brilliant-cut, 7.22-carat, F-color, SI1-clarity diamond ring, which fetched $137,500, toward the lower end of its valuation. A necklace by Alexandre Reza set with cultured pearls and a total of 54.19 carats of diamonds went for $112,500, smashing its $30,000 high estimate, while a 3.61-carat, pigeon’s blood Burmese ruby ring by the same designer brought in $93,750, far exceeding its $15,000 upper valuation.
Rounding out the top five was a Van Cleef & Arpels ring bearing a Colombian emerald weighing approximately 32 to 34 carats, surrounded by diamonds. That piece beat its $70,000 high estimate to achieve $112,500.
Meanwhile, 64 items by Michele della Valle, which were all offered without reserve, also went up for auction, Christie’s noted. The top seller in that group was a pair of blue topaz and diamond star earrings, which sold for $30,000, more than three times its upper valuation.
Christie’s sold 96% of the goods on offer, with participation from bidders in 36 countries. Some 15% of those were new customers, the auction house added.
Image: The 10.01-carat diamond. (Christie’s)
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