Sotheby’s New York December 7, 2022, Live Magnificent Jewels Sale Realises a Sales Total of US$ 50 million with Top Lot Golden Canary Diamond being Sold for US$ 12.4 million

Sotheby’s New York December 7, 2022, Live Magnificent Jewels Sale turned out to be a very successful event, with competitive and deep bidding bringing in a Sales total of US$ 50 million, with 81% of the total of 161 Lots on offer, being sold, propelling Sotheby’s running total of global jewelry sales for the year 2022, to over US$ 450 million, believed to be a five-year high in annual sales achieved by the Company.

The climax of the auction was when top lot of the sale, the famous “Incomparable Diamond” reborn as the Golden Canary Diamond, the largest Internally Flawless diamond ever graded by the GIA, a 303.3-carst, Internally Flawless, fancy-deep brownish-yellow, pear modified brilliant-cut diamond, bearing Lot No.76 and with an estimate of USD 15 to 20 million, sold just under the lower estimate for USD 12,389,000, contributing an amout of approximately 25% to the total Sales realized at the Sale, and becoming the third-most valuable yellow diamond ever sold at an auction.

The next highlight of the Sale was Lot 64, titled An Exquisite Diamond Ring, with an estimate of USD 2 to 3 million, selling within the estimate for USD 2,349,000. This Lot, also a property from a Highly Important Collection is a Size 6½ Platinum Ring stamped PT950 on the interior of the shank of the ring, and set with an emerald-cut diamond weighing 25.03 carats.

GIA report no. 6193449993 accompanying the Lot, states that the diamond is D-Colot, Flawless, with Excellent Polish and Symmetry. A letter from GIA states that the diamond has been determined to be Type IIa.

Based on the highest prices achieved, the next highlight of the Sale is Lot 32 – A Superb Sapphire and Diamond Ring – with a pre-sale estimate of USD 1,100,000 – 1,600,000, but selling even above the upper estimate for USD 2,167,500.

Ring size 8¼ Platinum ring is claw-set with a cushion-shaped blue sapphire weighing 16.46 carats, flanked on either side by three marquise-shaped diamonds. The sapphire is of blue hue, a bright, medium tone and strong saturation, The diamonds weighing approximately 1.20 carats, are approximately F-G color and VS clarity.

AGL report no. 1087732 dated September 4, 2018 states that the sapphire is of Kashmir origin, with no indications of heating. SSEF report no. 101746 dated August 27, 2018 states that the sapphire is of Kashmir origin, with no indications of heating, Further the report states that, this color variety of sapphire may also be called ‘royal blue’ based on SSEF reference standards

A third report by Gübelin, report no. 17102109 dated November 8, 2017 states that the sapphire is of Kashmir origin, with no indications of heating.

The Lot that achieved the fourth most value at the Sale was Lot 30 – A Highly Important Ruby and Diamond Ring, with an estimate of USD 1.2 miillion to 1.8 million, and achieving a price within the estimate and closer to the upper estimate, of USD 1,623,000.

The platinum and 18k gold, size 6 ring is claw-set on an 18k gold mounting with a cushion-shaped ruby weiighing 12.23 carats, flanked by a pair of half-moon shaped white diamonds on the shoulders of the ring. The ruby is medium very slightly pinkish red with strong saturation and slightly included with faint rutile silk and small crystals. The diamonds, estimated to weigh a total of approximately 1.90 carats are approximately F-G color and VVS-VS clarity.

AGL report no. 1127432 dated November 3, 2022 states that the ruby is of Burmese origin, with no indications of heating.

Lot 84- A Rare and Important Colored Stone and Diamond Bracelet by Lacloche Frères
Lot 84- A Rare and Important Colored Stone and Diamond Bracelet by Lacloche Frères

The Lot that achieved the fifth most value at the Sale is an Egyptian Revival Jewel by Lacloche one of several such jewels presented by Sotheby’s to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb and paying a tribute to the contributioon of ancient Egyptian culture to modern civilisation. The Lot bearing No. 84 and titled A Rare and Important Colored Stone and Diamond Bracelet by Lacloche Frères, with an estimate of USD 1.0 -1.5 million, sold within the estimate and closer to the lower estimate for USD 1,197,000.

The Platiinum Bracelet of length 7¼ inches, signed Lacloche Freres, circa 1925, is composed of three panels, the central panel depicting Pharaoh and a kneeling scribe, a winged sun disc and royal scepters to the right. The panels on either side of the central panel  depict a figure of the Egyptian goddess Nekhbet. The bracelet is set throughout with old European-cut and single-cut diamonds, accented by buff top rubies, emeralds and sapphires.

The sixth most valued lot of the Sale is Lot 29 – A Rare and Important Fancy Gray Diamond Ring by Hemmerle, with an estimate of USD 1,500,000 – 2,000,000, but sold slightly below the lower estimate for USD 1,108,800.

The Lot which is a property from an Important Detroit Collection, is a size 4, Iron and 18k gold ring stamped Fe for Iron and 750 Au for 18 karat gold, provided with sizing spheres, is set with an emerald-cut Fancy Gray Diamond weighing 10.67 carats, set at an angle within a matte gray mounting,
GIA Report No. 2135796072 dated October 28, 2015, states that the diamond is Fancy Gray, Natural color and SI-1 clarity.

The seventh highest-valued Lot of the Sale is Lot 10 – A Charming Unmounted Fancy Gray-Blue Diamond, with an estimate of USD 600,000 – 800,000, but selling above the upper estimate for USD 1,008,000.
The Lot which is the Property of a Distinguished Family is a cushion brilliant-cut, Fancy Gray-Blue, Natural Color, SI-2 Clarity diamond weighing 3.69 carats. The diamond is in excellent condition and accompanied by GIA report no. 2225343197 dated April 19, 2022 stating that the diamond is Fancy Gray-Blue, Natural Color and SI2 clarity.

The eigth most-valued lot of the sale achieving the same sale price as the seventh most-valuued Lot of USD 1,008,000, was Lot 42 – An Important Diamond Necklace, with an estimate of USD 600,000 – 800,000.
The Lot, which was the property from a Private Texas Collection, is composed of a line of graduated oval and marquise-shaped diamonds suspending a detachable drop set with one oval and one pear-shaped diamond. The length of the Platinum Necklace is 15 ½ inches, The Seven largest stones in the Necklace weigh respectively 18.05, 7.02, 5.06, 4.16, 4.02, 3.25 and 3.01 carats.
The 27 diamonds that do not have GIA reports, weighing a total of approximately 29.00 to 33.00 carats, are approximately G-I color, VVS2-SI2 clarity.

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