On 12 November 2013, The Orange, the largest fancy vivid orange diamond ever offered at auction (14.82 carats), achieved $35,540,612 / SFr.32,645,000 ($2.4m per carat) at Christie’s Geneva, setting a world record price per carat for any diamond sold at auction, as well as a world record price for an orange diamond.
- Photo Credit: Denis Hayoun Diode SA Geneva
Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction fetched a record total result of $125,360,131 / SFr.115,146,625 / €93,591,177, selling 89% by lot and 96% by value.
The exceptional jewels formerly part of the collection of Simón Itturi Patiño, known as ‘The Andean Rockefeller’, sold well above their pre-sale estimates totalling $14.7 million / SFr.13.5 million.
The sophisticated jewellery collection of Parisian style icon Hélène Rochas attracted the interest of numerous international collectors and sold 100%, realising a total of $2.3 million / SFr.2.1 million.
Top Lots
The property of a Royal family, a spectacular seven-strand natural pearl necklace sold for $9 million / SFr.8.3 million.
An impressive 58.29 carat sapphire lavishly mounted in the unique and multi-gem ‘Côte d’Azur’ brooch designed by Anna Hu sold for $4.5 / SFr.4.2 million ($78,400 per carat), setting a world auction record per carat for a Burma sapphire and a record price for a contemporary designer.
A magnificent Art Deco emerald and diamond necklace, by Van Cleef & Arpels, formerly from the collection of Princess Faiza of Egypt, daughter of King Fouad I of Egypt (1868-1936), sold for $4.2 million / SFr.3.8 million.
An exceptional Burmese ruby and coloured diamond ring, set with an oval-shaped ruby, weighing approximately 5.09 carats, sold for $2.6 million / SFr.2.4 million ($515,000 per carat).