A set of pear-shaped diamond earrings sold for $10.4 million
Surprise twist in diamond sale
Posted June 10, 2014 | By Stephanie Chan • Staff Journalist
Two new world records for jewellery have been set at a Christie’s
auction, but in a twist, the piece expected to lead the sale was
eventually not purchased.
One of the record prices set during the auction house’s Magnificent Jewels sale in Hong Kong on 27 May was for a pair of diamond earrings that sold for US$9.7 million (AU$10.4 m).
Each individual earring consisted of a 25-carat pear-shaped diamond surmounted by a 2-carat diamond and spaced by a smaller brilliant-cut diamond. The pair was set in 18-carat white gold.
The other record was made for an intense green diamond ring, which sold for US$3.6 million (AU$3.9 m). The 6-carat cushion-shaped fancy green stone was surrounded by brilliant-cut pink diamonds and mounted in 18-carat rose gold.
Prior to the auction, Christie’s had anticipated that a rare Golconda diamond pendant necklace would lead sales. The Eye of Golconda pear and cushion-shaped diamond and emerald necklace featured two Golconda diamonds weighing 7 and 40 carats respectively – the latter being the largest Golconda diamond ever to be auctioned in Asia.
The piece was expected to fetch between US$8.5 million (AU$9.1 m) and US$10 million (AU$10.7 m), but it reportedly did not sell.
Overall, the action sold a total of US$92 million (AU$98.6 m) in jewellery, with other highlights including the sale of a pear-shaped fancy pink diamond ring for US$6 million (AU$6.4 m), a jadeite bangle for US$5.2 million (AU$5.6 m), and three unmounted diamonds which individually sold for prices ranging from US$4.7 million (AU$5 m) to US$4.9 million (AU$5.3 m).