The ‘Marie-Thérèse Pink Diamond' Fetches $14 Million At Christie's

Forbes

5 hours ago

The 'Marie-Thérèse Pink Diamond' achieved more than $13.9 million
The 10.38-carat 'Marie-Thérèse Pink Diamond,' which may have been once owned by Marie Antoinette achieved more than $13.9 million (including buyer's premium), nearly double its high estimate at Christie's New York Magnificent Jewels auction on Tuesday. Its hammer price was $11.8 million.
The fancy purple-pink modified kite brilliant-cut diamond has passed through French, Bavarian and Austrian imperial and royal families. In addition to its royal provenance, the gem was mounted on a ring created by renowned Franco-American jewelry artist, JAR.
The pink diamond was believed to be in a group of jewels that Marie Antoinette entrusted to her coiffeur on the eve of her failed escape from Paris in 1791, hoping to one day reclaim them, Christie's said in a previous statement. These jewels were passed down to her only surviving child, Duchess Marie Thérèse de Angoulême, and later to her niece, Duchess Marie Thérèse de Chambord.
'Generations later,' Christie's said, a will identified the diamond's next known owner as Queen Marie Theresa of Bavaria, who referred to it as 'a pink solitaire diamond from Aunt Chambord.' The gem last appeared at auction in Geneva in 1996, offered by a member of a European royal family. Since then, it remained out of public view until this sale.
'The Blue Belle' 392.52-carat Ceylon sapphire sold for more than $11.3 million
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The number two lot of the sale was the 'The Blue Belle,' a 392.52-carat sapphire that is one of the largest known sapphires in the world. It fetched more than $11.3 million (including buyer's premium). Bidding took nearly 15 minutes. About half that time was spent in near silence as auctioneer Max Fawcett, head of Christie's Geneva jewelry department, coaxed two phone bidders to increase their bids from $8.1 million to the final hammer price of $9.5 million, as seen through Christie's livestream of the sale.
Like the pink diamond, The Blue Belle has its own storied history. It was unearthed as rough whose size and shape are unknown in 1926 at Pelmadula, Ratnapura. It had a 'highly prized peacock blue color and excellent clarity,' according to the documentation Christie's uncovered. It was owned by the well-known gem and jewelry dealer, Macan Markar in Colombo.
British motor magnate, Lord Nuffield, acquired the gem in 1937. It is believed he planned to give it to Queen Elizabeth (later The Queen Mother) on King George VI's coronation. Instead, the jewel was sold privately and passed through several owners before appearing at Christie's Geneva auction in 2014 where it sold for $17.3 million.
The sapphire is the centerpiece of an 18k white gold necklace covered in round and oval shaped diamonds.
The 138-lot Christie's New York Magnificent Jewels auction was a 'white glove' sale, meaning all the lots sold, achieving more than $87.7 million, a record for a various-owner jewelry sale at Christie's in the Americas.
Also among the top lots were three gem-set necklaces with historic Indian Mughal provenance, all sold well above their high estimates.
A Mughal antique carved emerald necklace fetched more than $6.2 million
The first is a Mughal carved emerald necklace consisting of three carved Colombian hexagonal and two carved pear-shaped Colombian emeralds with an approximate total weight of 1,150 carats. The largest emerald of approximately 470 carats is inscribed with the name 'Ahmad Shah Durr-I Durran,' founder of the Durrani Empire of Afghanistan and northwest India. It achieved more than $6.2 million, more than double its high estimate.
A Mughal antique multi-gem and emerald necklace fetched more than $5.5 million
The second is a Mughal multi-gem and emerald necklace featuring four Colombian emeralds weighing nearly 800 carats. The necklace is further adorned with a drop-shaped spinel bead, a baroque ruby bead and baroque natural pearls. It sold for more than $5.5 million, nearly double its high estimate.
A Mughal three-strand spinel and natural pearl necklace fetched more than $3 million
The third piece is a Mughal three-strand spinel and natural pearl necklace with eight inscribed stones, in the Mughal tradition of memorializing gemstones to record their royal provenance. These spinels bear the names of some of the most powerful figures in history, including Muhammad ibn Tughluq-Shah, the Sultan of Delhi, the first Mughal emperor, Babur, and emperors Jahangir and Shah Jahan. The spinels have an approximate total weight of more than 2,000 carats. The necklace fetched more than $3 million, well above its high estimate.
A 66.74-carat unmounted round brilliant-cut diamond sold for 3.8 million
Diamonds did well in the auction. The top lot in the group was the number three lot overall: a 66.74-carat unmounted round brilliant-cut diamond with D color, VVS1 clarity and 'excellent cut, polish and symmetry,' according to the reports. The Type IIa diamond sold for $3.8 million.
A Harry Winston diamond pendant necklace sold for more than $2.4 million
This is followed by a platinum and 18k white gold necklace by Harry Winston featuring a 17.50-carat pear brilliant-cut diamond of D color and VVS1 clarity, 5.01-carat round brilliant-cut diamond D-color and SI1 clarity. The remainder of the necklace is covered with round, pear, emerald and marquise diamonds. The necklace sold for more than $2.4 million, well above its high estimate. It was the number seven lot in the overall sale.
A necklace with a 25.45-carat pear brilliant-cut flawless, D-color diamond fetched more than $2.3 ... More million
Next is a platinum necklace centered with a 25.45-carat pear brilliant-cut flawless, D-color diamond. It fetched more than $2.3 million, besting its high estimate. It was the number eight lot in the sale.
In addition, the New York auction featured a collection of approximately 26 jewels from the estate of Anne Hendricks Bass, including pieces by Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Cartier and 11 jewels by JAR. Every piece but one sold for more their high estimate. The group of jewels totaled more than $8.8 million, with some pieces fetching more than four times their high estimate.
Van Cleef & Arpels diamond pendant earrings fetched nearly $2 million
Among the highlights of this portion of the sale is a pair of Van Cleef & Arpels earrings featuring pear brilliant-cut D-color diamonds of 11.93 and 11.83 carats, marquise, pear-shaped and round diamonds, platinum and white gold. It sold for nearly $2 million, besting its high estimate. It was the ninth best lot in the auction.
JAR sapphire, emerald and diamond necklace sold for more than $1.5 million
Another highlight is a JAR necklace featuring 22 drop briolette emeralds with rows of faceted sapphire beads and round diamonds set in platinum and 18k white gold fetched $1.5 million, five times its high estimate.
Van Cleef & Arpels ruby and diamond 'mystery-set' flower brooch fetched $1.5 million
Another private collection titled, 'Color and Ingenuity: The Collection of Lucille Coleman,' had 'one of the most significant groups of 'mystery-set' jewels ever to appear at auction,' Christie's said in a statement. The top lot of the collection was a Van Cleef & Arpels ruby and diamond mystery-set brooch that achieved more than $1.5 million, almost three times its high estimate, setting a new world record price for a mystery set jewel sold at auction. This group of jewels totaled $7.4 million, with proceeds benefitting the late collector's philanthropic institutions.
A Cartier Art Deco multi-gem and diamond shoulder brooch that sold for $340,200
Signed jewels performed well. For example, a Cartier Art Deco multi-gem and diamond bracelet achieved $831,600, nearly three times its high estimate and a Cartier Art Deco multi-gem and diamond shoulder brooch, sold for $340,200.