Luxury Sales at Christie’s Geneva achieved a total of Sfr.112,005,520 / $113,685,603

Luxury Sales at Christie’s with high energy in the salerooms resulting in a total of SFr. 112,005,520/ $113,685,603 collectively for the Important Watches, Fine & Rare Wines and Magnificent Jewels auctions held from 15-17 May 2017. A world record price at auction was achieved for reference 2497 by Patek Philippe known as the Haile Selassie, which sold on Monday for just over SFr. 2.9 million. The Fine & Rare Wine auction on Tuesday was highlighted by a 29-lot collection of Bouchard Père et Fils, La Romanée, which was 100 per cent sold.  

Strong overall sell through rates of 88 per cent by lot, for the first set of Luxury sales this season confirms that this market is confident, buoyant and growing with significant additional participation from Asia. New clients have been transacting with Christie’s all week, with more than 100 new registrants for the Important Watches sale alone.  

“The Luxury Sales this week were well attended both in the saleroom itself as well as a significant increase in online bidding this season across all three sales. Geneva has proven once again to be the right place to offer the most exquisite jewels, the rarest wines and important watches. A fantastic result was achieved for the heart-shaped diamond which sold for just under $15 million, setting a new record for a heart-shaped diamond sold at auction, surpassing the previous record of $10.9 million set at Christie’s in May 2011.” Commented François Curiel, Christie’s Chairman Europe and Asia.

The Top lot of the Luxury sales was the much anticipated flawless, D colour, 92.15 carats, heart-shaped diamond, set by Boehmer et Bassenge into a very stunning sautoir, which sold for SFr.14,767,50 / $14,989,012 - price per carat $163,016 after three minutes of bidding in the room and telephone, setting a new record for any heart-shaped diamond sold at auction.