Starting at 1:30 PM CET on March 18, 2019, Gros & Delettrez, along with experts Dominique Chombert and Françoise Sternbach, introduce one of the most exclusive auctions of the season with a selection of Vintage Chanel accessories. Featuring necklaces, bracelets, handbags, clothing and other accessories from the leasing fashion house, the live online auction boasts over 300 lots, and a 100-page catalogue is available online. We’ve picked some of the highlights below. More details here....
Watches by Patek Philippe dominated sales at GWS Auctions’ Luxury Timepieces and Master Jewelry Pieces auction in January. Top of the auction list at the California event was a Gubelin Travel Time Limited Edition 150th Anniversary 18K Yellow Gold watch, one of only 50 made. This ultra-rare wrist watch features a solid 18k yellow gold 38mm case with large crown and push buttons, see-through sapphire exhibition case back, Swiss handmade manual wind movement with two...
Personalisation may feel more commonplace than ever these days—everyone seems to have an embossed iPhone case or Goyard tote, and meddle with another’s Spotify or Netflix playlist at their own peril. Watches too, are now objects of self-expression, with engraved case backs now giving way to personalised internal bridges and mainplates. For the London-based high jewellery watchmaker Backes & Strauss, however, bespoke has always meant something more rarefied and unique. As the world’s oldest diamond...
Diamonds have been revered for their beauty for millennia. Nowadays, coloured diamonds offer a strong return on investment—even in the current global market. Debatably less complex than the cryptocurrency market and, decidedly, more beautiful than stocks, fancy coloured diamonds (FCDs) are increasingly turning the heads of wealthy investors. Thanks to a surge in demand for FCDs over the last decade—and their reputation for being a safe long-term investment—it’s no wonder connoisseurs are adding them to...
Christie’s Geneva will auction the largest Fancy Vivid Pink diamond, The Pink Legacy, on 28 November 2018. Weighing just under 19 carats, the rectangular-cut gem is the highlight of the auction house’s Magnificent Jewels sale, which will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel de Bergues in Geneva. The Pink Legacy diamond descends from the Oppenheimer family—it is currently estimated to fetch from $30-50 U.S. million. A remarkable diamond Rahul Kadakia, international head of jewellery...
An extremely rare and pure 102.35-carat diamond was sold to a private collector through Sotheby’s Diamonds this February (2018). The price paid for the exceptional jewel—which achieved perfection in all critical criteria: colour, clarity, cut and carat—far exceeded that of any colourless diamond sold at auction. Sotheby’s Diamonds chairman Patti Wong called the diamond, whose buyer cannot be revealed, a ‘masterpiece of nature’. Speaking of the sale, she said: ‘When the new custodian of...
The legendary Farnese Blue diamond is expected to fetch in excess of $4 million when it makes its auction debut at a Sotheby’s jewels sale. The historic 6.16-karat pear-shaped blue diamond was passed down through four of the most important royal families in Europe: Spain, France, Italy and Austria. It will embark on an international tour and will be offered as part of Sotheby’s sale of Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels in Geneva on 15...
Sotheby’s sparkling new venture—Sotheby’s Diamonds—is turning heads with its exquisite designs and craftsmanship. ‘At Sotheby’s Diamonds, the diamond itself is the muse, theme and inspiration. Each jewel starts with the stone, each concept and design revolves around a particular diamond, which becomes its central theme, its hero and shining light. They are prized artworks in their own right’ In the last few decades, the jewellery industry has experienced a surge in creativity and innovation not...
A surprising lot at Sotheby’s auction caught everybody’s attention. A diamond bought at a car boot sale was sold for £656,750 at Sotheby’s auction. The famous auction house opened its doors once more for one of their most exciting fine jewellery sales to date. The evening was filled fantastic jewels and priceless pieces but the star of the show was the ‘Tenner’ diamond. The cushion-shaped 26.27-carat diamond drew a popular crowd at Sotheby’s. After hearing...
The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, unveils its latest exhibition that draws parallels with Van Cleef & Arpels’ high jewellery and traditional Japanese crafts. For centuries, Japan’s city of Kyoto has been a central hub for the creative arts. This year, the city’s National Museum of Modern Art will house its latest exhibition Mastery of an Art: Van Cleef & Arpels—High Jewellery and Japanese Crafts. The retrospective will focus its attention on French high-jewellery...
