18.04-carats Emerald-Cut Diamond Ring Sold For $828,500 At Bonhams

White diamonds and fancy coloured diamonds went under the hammer at Bonhams New York December Fine Jewelry sale this week (3 December 2018).

The top performing lot during the two-hour sale was an important diamond ring which sold for $828,500 against its estimate of $400,000-600,000.  Coming from a private collection, this was the first time the 18.04-carats emerald-cut diamond had come to auction.

Caroline Morrissey, Head of Sale, Bonhams Jewelry (U.S.), said: “We saw some fierce bidding for this magnificent diamond and are delighted with how well it performed.”

The second top performing lot was a diamond solitaire ring by Royal De Versailles. The round brilliant-cut diamond, weighing 7.01-carats, F colour, VS1 clarity, sold for $275,000, exceeding its pre-sale estimate of $180,000 - 250,000.

Other colourless diamonds which dazzled in the December sale included:

• A diamond solitaire ring centering a pear-shaped brilliant-cut diamond, weighing 5.03-carats, D-colour, internally flawless clarity, Type IIa, which sold for $250,000.
• A pair of heart-shaped diamond earrings, weighing 4.04 and 4.00-carats, G colour, VS2 and VS1 clarity respectively, sold for $112,500.
• A diamond ring centering a round, brilliant-cut diamond, weighing 7.92-carats, G colour, sold for $150,000.

Staying with diamonds, buyers also competed for A Fancy Coloured Diamond and Diamond Ring. Centering a cushion-shaped Fancy Light Yellow diamond, VVS2 clarity, weighing 18.76-carats, this sold for $231,250 against its pre-sale estimate of $100,000 - 150,000.

Sapphire from historic Kashmir mine achieves five times its estimate

Demand for a historic Kashmir sapphire was high during the sale with buyers attracted to one particular lot, A Sapphire and Diamond Ring, dated circa 1900. Featuring a square cushion-shaped Kashmir sapphire, weighing 3.00-carats, this sold for $125,000 ($41,666 per carat) against its pre-sale estimate of $18,000 - 25,000.  The Kashmir has no indications of heat or clarity enhancement.

In addition to the Kashmir sapphire, Bonhams also offered a Ceylon (Sri Lanka) sapphire for sale.   The Sapphire and Diamond Ring by Oscar Heyman, the great American jeweller, features an oval-shaped sapphire, weighing 17.03-carats.  It sold for $106,250 against its pre-sale estimate of $60,000- 80,000. The sapphire has no indications of heat or clarity enhancement.

Jewellery from Art Deco and 1950s’ eras catch the eyes of buyers:

The sale also featured diamond jewellery dating from the Art Deco and post war periods including:

• A Diamond Bracelet, dated circa 1950, which sold for $23,750. Made with exceptional craftsmanship and featuring a highly flexible geometric scroll design, the bracelet is a wonderful example from the 1950s’ flamboyant period.

An Art Deco Rock Crystal and Diamond Clip Brooch by Cartier: This clip, dated circa 1925, is a rare example of the traditional clip designs created in the Art Deco period.  It sold for $21,250.  Cartier clips are particularly sought after by collectors globally and have achieved strong prices in Bonhams sales around the world.