No hearts were stolen at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels sale on Friday. But two were handsomely paid for.
A pair of exceptionally rare, fancy vivid, heart-shape colored diamonds fetched more than $18 million during the auction—which was held live, though the majority of bidding was done remotely (see the photo below of the nearly empty auction room).
The auction took in an impressive $56.4 million in total, with the colored, heart-shape diamonds fetching $10.5 million (the fancy blue) and $8.1 million (the fancy pink), respectively.
Both richly colored diamonds, pictured above, are set in a classic ring design and flanked by a pair of colorless diamonds.
“Today’s results are a clear indication that the appetite for top quality jewels in Asia remains undiminished,” said Wenhao Yu, deputy chairman of jewelry for Sotheby’s Asia, in a prepared statement. “The hottest colored diamonds in the most romantic of cuts and settings proved irresistible.”
The auction also offered up a jewel with British royal pedigree—a Garrard & Co. antique diamond and enamel bracelet that was given to Princess Margaret on her 21st birthday. Signed by Garrard, the London-based jeweler to the British crown, the bracelet was spotted on Princess Margaret many times in public. The stylish royal remounted some of her older jewels into modern designs, but the bracelet bracelet was kept in its original antique setting. Its hammer price Friday was $209,674.
The bidding was for the bracelet was robust, and Yu added, “young and established collectors in the region have shown a growing interest in jewels with a royal connection and steeped in European history, and this was confirmed today, as they faced fierce competition from bidders around the world for Princess Margaret’s 21st birthday bracelet.”
The second top-selling lot of the entire sale was an imperial green jadeite bead necklace comprising 37 beads of notable size—the largest jadeite bead necklace ever to receive a special Gübelin certificate for its imperial jade quality.
The beads exhibit perfectly matching color, according to Sotheby’s, as well as “outstanding translucency and excellent luster.” The necklace sold for an astounding $10.4 million.
Top: The two fancy colored diamond rings that together fetched more than $18 million during Sotheby’s Hong Kong sale Friday (all photos courtesy of Sotheby’s)
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