If one thing’s apparent from Bonhams latest London Jewels sale (which ended Sept. 21), it’s that emeralds are making a statement. The top lot was an exquisite necklace by British jeweler Graff that features a detachable (and massive) pear-shape emerald drop from a string of pear-shape diamonds—a lot of them. The piece went for more than a half million dollars (approximately $575,366), exceeding its estimated value by five times.
Not far behind was a pair of Colombian emerald and diamond earrings, also by Graff, which quadrupled its presale estimate, ultimately going for $237,540. Intriguingly, the pair features two stones of slightly different weights—7.22 carats and 8.71 carats—delicately strung from a brilliant-cut diamond knife-wire link and embellished with even more diamonds.
“The 200-lot sale represented a broad range of jewelry styles from 18th- and 19th-century antique examples, exquisite art deco jewels, mid-20th century pieces by heritage brands as well as superlative diamonds, colored gems, and natural pearls,” said Emily Barber, Bonhams’ head of jewelry in the U.K., in a statement. “Interest was global, with bidders converging from Asia, the USA, and Europe. The strong selling prices illustrate the strength of the jewelry market across all categories, with many of the top lots secured after spirited bidding by private collectors.”
The auction house’s next jewelry sale, Jewellery and Fashion, is set for next week (Sept. 28) in Denmark and will offer 196 lots of jewels and fashion items.
Top: A model wearing Bonhams’ top-selling Graff detachable emerald and diamond necklace (photos courtesy of Bonhams)
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