ArtCult - Les nouvelles du marché de l'art.-RECORD SALE OF JEWELS BY CHRISTIE'S-MARKET

Christie's Geneva sale of Magnificent Jewels held in Geneva on November 11, 2014 achieved SFr.147,256,875/ US$150,216,738 / €120,853,717, selling 89% by lot and 94% by value, realizing the highest total for any Magnificent Jewels sale in the world.

This extraordinary result, combined with the Patek Philippe 175 and the Important Watches sale, concluded Christie's 2014 autumn sale week with a grand total of SFr.181,327,938/US$185,011,232/€148,815,838, the highest total since the first Christie's auction in Geneva in 1969. The Blue Belle of Asia realised SFR.16,9M/US$17,2, establishing a new record price for any sapphire sold at auction.

Christie's Geneva welcomed over 600 registrants to the sale from over 30 countries. The JAR “Parrot Tulip” bangle bracelet realized SFr.3,525,000/US$3,595,853 against a pre-sale estimate of SFr.190,000-290,000, and established the second highest price for a creation by JAR. Jewels from major collections also fetched exceptional prices such as the Art Deco natural pearl and diamond necklace from the private collection of the Baroness Edouard de Rothschild which sold for SFr. 5,093,000 /US $5,195,369.

GENEVA MAGNIFICENT JEWELS HIGHLIGHTS

THE BLUE BELLE OF ASIA :This magnificent sapphire of 392.52 carats bought for SFr.16,965,000/US$17,295,796 set a new world record price for any sapphire sold at auction.

THE CARTIER TIGERS :After a bidding battle between collectors seated in the room and on the telephone, the legendary Cartier tigers, formerly in the collection of the Duchess of Windsor, were acquired for SFr.3,077,000/US$3,138,848. The consignor Sarah Brightman intends to offer a portion of the proceeds from the sale to The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation.

EMPRESS EUGENIE'S « FEUILLES DE GROSEILLIER » BROOCH :The spectacular and historic antique brooch once part of the French Crown Jewels sold for SFr.2,285,000/US$2,330,929. This piece, created by Bapst Jewellers in 1855, was previously owned by the Metropolitan Opera of New York.

Main results:

Lot	Description	Estimate (SFr.)	Price Realized	Buyer
348	The Blue Belle of Asia A cushion-shaped Ceylon sapphire of 392.52 cts and diamond necklace $44,063 per carat WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR A SAPPHIRE	6,650,000-9,500,000	SFr.16,965,000 $17,305,996 €13,923,175	Private collector
392	A pair of coloured diamond ear pendants set with a pear-shaped fancy vivid blue SI2 diamond of 6.95 cts and a pear-shaped fancy vivid pink VS2 diamond of 6.79 cts	11,500,000-14,500,000	SFr.15,509,000 $15,820,731 €12,728,236	Laurence Graff
311	A kite brilliant-cut fancy pink VS1 diamond ring of 15.62 carats $391,125 per carat	2,400,000-3,400,000	SFr.5,989,000 $6,109,379 €4,915,172	Anonymous
337	The Queen of Burma An oval-shaped Burmese ruby ring of 23.66 cts, by Cartier $253,386 per carat	5,250,000-6,650,000	SFr.5,877,000 $5,995,128 €4,823,254	Anonymous
326	A pear-shaped and brilliant-cut diamond necklace suspending a flawless D colour pear-shaped diamond of 20.20 cts	2,850,000-4,800,000	SFr.5,541,000 $5,652,374 €4,547,499	Middle-Eastern Trade
391	An Art Deco natural pearl and diamond necklace	670,000-950,000	SFr. 5,093,000 $5,195,369 €4,179,825	Middle-Eastern Trade
267	A coloured diamond necklace with five yellow cushion-shaped diamonds of 53.09, 35.58, 34.13, 17.25 and 17.17 cts	2,400,000-3,350,000	SFr.4,085,000 $4,167,109 €3,352,560	International Trade
343	A pear-shaped light pink VVS1 diamond of 40.48 cts $90,241 per carat	3,250,000-5,250,000	SFr.3,581,000 $3,652,978 €2,938,927	Middle-Eastern Trade
305	A gold diamond and green garnet “Parrot Tulip” bangle, by JAR	190,000-290,000	SFr.3,525,000 $3,595,853 €2,892,968	Anonymous
360	A pair of natural pearl and diamond ear pendants of 104.31 and 101.57 grains	2,650,000-3,300,000	SFr.3,413,000 $3,481,601 €2,801,049	Anonymous

Christie's sale of watches also recorded tremendous prices, notably for a PATEK PHILIPPE, REFERENCE 2499 First Series, an 18K pink gold perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with moon phases, manufactured in 1951 sold for . SFr. 2,629,000, a PATEK PHILIPPE, REFERENCE 2523 , an 18K gold two crown world time wristwatch with 24 hours indication and blue enamel dial, manufactured in 1953 which went for SFr. 2,225,000, a PATEK PHILIPPE, REFERENCE 2497, an 18K white gold perpetual calendar wristwatch with sweep centre seconds, phases of the moon and bracelet, manufactured in 1953 sold for a world record price of SFr..2,045,000, a Patek Philippe Reference 5016/1, an 18K white gold wristwatch with perpetual calendar, tourbillon, retrograde date, moon phases, original guarantee and box, manufactured in 2010 sold for SFr. 713,000, a Rolex Reference 6263, a stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with black non-oyster sotto Paul Newman dial, circa 1970 which went for SFr.461,000 and a Breguet No 1135 "Petite montre à répétition quarts, échappement libre à levées naturelles" Sold on 13 January 1806 to Monsieur Le Duc de L'Infantado for the sum of 4,200 francs which fetched SFr. 605,000 in favour of the Breguet Museum.

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