Unapologeticaly Iris – The Iris Apfel Collection Auction

Posted on February 19, 2025February 19, 2025 by Liz Bailey

Highly anticipated, Christie’s Sale of Iris Apfel’s collection took place as a timed auction from New York, running from 28th January until 13th February. The sale included 220 lots from the late ‘Matriarch of Maximialism’s’ personal collection across fashion, furnishings, textiles, accessories and of course, jewellery.

Known and celebrated for her bold and bright signature style, Apfel was a renowned interior designer, fashion icon, model, curator and collector. Her irreverent, eclectic and playful style was absolutely reflected in the incredible lots on offer.

Accessories

It seems fitting that the lot to ‘kick off’ this stylish sale was a selection of eighteen pairs of glasses. In bright hues, zebra prints and heart shapes, this striking mixed lot certainly set the tone for the rest of the sale. Estimated initially at $400-600, the bids were sitting at over ten times that amount a mere few days into the two-week timed sale, and one lucky bidder secured this lot for $15,120.

Another lot that was unsurprisingly popular was lot 48, ten pairs of eyewear. Only two days into the sale the bidding was at $3,500 against a modest $200-300 estimate, and bidding concluded at an incredible $16,380.

Another lot of Apfel’s accessories included a selection of evening bags. Including all the hallmarks of Apfel’s signature style to include embroidery, bold colours, feathers and embellishments, this popular lot sold for $10,080.

Furnishings

The daughter of an antique dealer and an expert on interiors (having decorated the White House for no less than nine Presidents!) bidders were offered a glimpse into Apfel’s extraordinary collection of interiors and decorative objects.

Animals were a huge feature in Apfel’s interiors collection, multiple paintings of Maltese dogs (a clear favourite), Black Forest bears, and even a giant carved ostrich were just a few of the animal lots on offer. The carved 1970s Italian ostrich stood 124cm high and had been featured in Apfel’s Architectural Digest issue of 2016, estimated at 6,000-8,000, this big bird sold for $16,380.

Vibrant prints, colours, and an eclectic mixture of items from Greek style all the way to the present day ensured the catalogue was a visual treat!

A personal favourite of mine was a pair of wonderful Italian armchairs. Modelled with a scallop shell back, dolphin armrests and raised on shell legs, these 20th century carved and silvered chairs exuded sheer opulence! Estimated at $2,000-3,000, these chairs reached $8,820. The back and seat in scallop-shell form, the arms modeled as dolphins raised on shell-form legs, the back legs on each example attached backwards. 40 in. (101.5 cm) high, overall.

Fashion

Hotly anticipated was Apfel’s selection of fashion and couture pieces. Taking up just under half of the sale, there were ninety-six lots from Iris’s collection, ranging from group lots of unattributed vintage clothing at the lower end of the offering, all the way to custom couture pieces Iris wore in printed publications. This wonderful mixture of high-low dressing was absolutely Apfel’s trademark and lent an accessibility to collectors of all levels.

Designer garments by Carolina Herrera, Balenciaga, Dries Van Noten, Moschino, Christian Dior, Alice & Olivia, Valentino, Prada, Jean Paul Gautier, Iris Apfel x H&M and countless other designers were offered with estimates from $100-200 to $1,200-1,800.

Lot 51: A MULTICOLOR FEATHER COAT
LABELED DIOR HAUTE COUTURE, PARIS, 21ST CENTURY

Amongst the top sellers was this fabulous Dior Haute Couture feather coat that Apfel had been photographed in by James Mollison for the Collectors series, featured in a 2018 Issue of Christie’s Magazine. This piece instantly attracted bids and reached $9,000 very early on in the timed sale, finally settling at $11,970 at the conclusion of the sale.

A heavily beaded and embroidered coat by Stacey Bendet for Alice & Olivia in 2022 was also fought for by bidders and reached $6,048 against a $400-600 estimate.

Another garment by this designer was an eye-catching A-line skirt detailed with Iris’ own embroidered and sequinned portrait sold for $7,560.

Jewellery

Another layer of Apfel’s iconic style was of course her jewellery. This sale featured sixteen lots of jewellery, all beautifully bold and eye-catching!

Group lots of brightly coloured lucite bangles, costume jewellery acquired from travels to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, China and the Hindu Kush region, beaded necklaces, rhinestone suites, and Southwestern American jewels were all a part of this spectacular offering of stylish jewellery.

The top-selling lot for the jewellery was this wonderful selection of turquoise, lucite and resin costume jewellery. Featuring an Alexis Bittar bangle, Jianhui London necklaces and bracelet, Rara Avis bracelets, blue hardstone studded lucite cuffs and bangle among others, this beautiful collection sold for $9,450 against an estimate of $300-500.

Pieces from Apfel’s own line of costume jewellery Rara Avis, originally sold through the Home Shopping Network were also amongst the lots on offer. Her playful lucite bangles set with googly eyes were trademark Iris and one of the most popular designs from Rara Avis at the time. These typically retail on the secondary market between $300-400, however with the added provenance, this lot of fifteen bangles (six by Rara Avis) sold for $6,300.

To arrange a jewellery valuation, call us on 01883 722736 or email us on [email protected].

What makes Austrian emeralds so rare and unique?

Posted on February 14, 2025February 14, 2025 by Liz Bailey

A lot that stood out to me around the salerooms last week was this this pretty cluster ring. Sold at Woolley & Wallis and described as ‘An unusual emerald and diamond ring, late 19th century,’ this ring was set with a principal oval emerald cabochon and surrounded by cushion shaped diamonds.

Accompanied by a certificate from Gemmological Certification Services, the emerald’s origin was stated as Austrian, with indications of moderate clarity enhancement. The unusual factor, then, in this lot was the origin of the emerald! Usually at auction we can see Zambian (increasingly!) and the historically favoured Colombian emeralds. An emerald from an altogether different locale in Austria, was an unusual thing indeed!

The Austrian emerald deposit lies in the Habachtal Valley. Located in the Hohe Tauern National Park, and a favourite with hikers, this valley is known for its emerald deposits and rich mining history!

The first written reference to the Habachtal emeralds is in 1797, although in 1992, Roman jewels in the Treasure of Lyon-Vaise included emerald necklaces and earrings set with emeralds mined in the Habachtal Valley. These pieces are thought to have been buried for fear of Germanic raids and the coins allow its burial to be dated to after AD 258.

The first international appearance of Habachtal emeralds was in 1861 at the London World Industrial Exhibition. Mining operations by Samuel Goldschmidt began in the early 1860s, and he sold these crystals from his Viennese storefront. Following his death in the 1870s, the mines were ran by various English companies until around 1913 – purportedly selling the stones as ‘Indian emeralds’ “because the deposit was not known to most of the people in gem trade and would have sold for a much lower price.” (Laing Antiques).

The ring above dates to this later period of English owned mining in the Habachtal area and could well have been originally sold as an ‘Indian’ emerald. Identifying features for Habachtal emeralds are typically heavily included, with “highly-ordered graphite, and extremely water-rich melt inclusions.” (Rainer, 2020). Sold as Indian emeralds and typically assessed as lower quality owing to their multiple inclusions, examples of Habachtal emeralds are not frequently identified! Below is an example of a diamond and 2.10ct Austrian emerald ring currently retailing for €14,500.

Habachtal emeralds are still mined in the present day, although it much lower quantities than the late 19^th century. The yield is typically small scale and is reserved for collectors of specimens, much like the example below sold at Christies in 2023.

To arrange your own jewellery valuation, call us on 01883 722736 or email us on [email protected]

The Perfect Jewellery Gift for Valentine’s Day: Iconic Pieces They’ll Love

Posted on February 5, 2025February 6, 2025 by Helen Doyle

Valentine’s Day is celebrated annually on 14th February and has a surprisingly complex and layered history, blending ancient Roman traditions with Christian beliefs and medieval romance.

By the Victorian era, Valentine’s Day became a widely celebrated occasion, with flowers becoming common traditions. Today, Valentine’s Day is a global holiday expressing love and affection through various gestures and celebrations. There are also variations of the holiday including Galentine’s when one can celebrate friendships.

However you choose to celebrate, there is no getting away from the fact that it is fast approaching. With that in mind I am here to provide you with some expert guidance on how to choose the best items of jewellery this Valentine’s, for the one you love.

Tiffany & Co.

Arguably the most romantic of jewellers in the world, we couldn’t write about Valentine’s Day without mentioning Tiffany & Co., particularly a Tiffany & Co. engagement ring.

In 1887, Charles Lewis Tiffany, founder of Tiffany and Co., acquired an exceptional fancy yellow diamond from a mine in South Africa and it is known as The Tiffany diamond. It has been displayed in various settings throughout its history, with its most notable appearance as a pendant on a diamond necklace worn by Audrey Hepburn during a promotion of Breakfast at Tiffany’s in 1961.

The diamond, originally weighing 287.42 carats in its rough form, was sent to Paris where Tiffany’s chief gemmologist, Dr. George Frederick Kunz, cut the fancy yellow diamond into a beautiful, brilliant cushion-cut. It was here where Tiffany’s remarkable association with exquisite diamonds began.

Nowadays Tiffany & Co. is known to produce the most iconic engagement rings in the world, with the most popular style being The Tiffany Setting, distinguished by its 6 prongs/claws. This arrangement elevates the diamond well above the band allowing maximum light to enter the stone from all angles, therefore enhancing the diamond’s natural brilliance and sparkle and minimizing the amount of metal covering the stone. It is also held on a simple plain band ensuring that the diamond remains the centrepiece. Sales of the Tiffany engagement ring equate for 26% of their total sales. This remarkable success can be attributed to the iconic status of the brand, particularly the legendary Tiffany Setting introduced in 1886.

The price of a Tiffany Setting ring ranges anywhere from a few thousand up to six figure sums depending on the quality of the diamond.

The 1.65ct diamond single stone ring above has an insurance value of £75,000

Cartier Love bracelet

Nothing says love like a Cartier love bracelet. Created in 1969 by Italian jewellery designer Aldo Cipullo for Cartier, the bracelet was born as a unisex ‘modern handcuff’ with Cartier making the radical decision to leave the functional or decorative screws visible.

Its oval shape means it sits tight around the wearer’s wrist, and its physically screwed on to signify the permanence of true love, since two people are needed to secure the screws. The Love bracelet has become a symbol of love and commitment due to this design.

Today the bracelet is just as popular and it is rumoured that New York hospitals keep mini Love screwdrivers on the wards, in case they need to remove the bracelet in an emergency.

Its longevity and success is down to the design, according to Pierre Rainero, Cartier’s director of image, style and heritage. “For me, the Love bracelet is a success worldwide since it was created because of a combination of many different dimensions – first design, and second, symbolism. The design is linked to its meaning, because the screw, is the meaning of the object and the symbolic value is immediately visible through the very simple idea,” he explains. “The Love bracelet has become a permanent staple in modern style.”

Nowadays, the Cartier Love bracelet is seen on the wrists of many famous celebrities, including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sporting matching Love bracelets on the cover of TIME magazine in 2020, while Meghan has been spotted wearing hers on numerous occasions over the years.

This year Cartier have released a brand-new Love Bracelet with a width of 4.8mm it the medium size with a slimmer and thicker versions available. This new version has an insurance value of £5,850.

Van Cleef and Aprels Alhambra

The Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra collection is seen as a symbol of enduring femininity, luck and love. It was in 1968 when the brand’s designers were captivated by the four-leaf clover motif and incorporating Art Deco influences, they created the iconic Alhambra pendant, with the initial design featuring a stylised quatrefoil shape set with mother-of-pearl.

It quickly gained popularity and over the years, the collection has expanded to encompass various interpretations of the Alhambra theme: bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings and even watches, all adorned with gemstones and precious metals like mother-of-pearl, onyx, carnelian, turquoise, and diamonds.

De Beers Talisman

The De Beers Talisman collection is a line of fine jewellery that prominently features rough diamonds, highlighting their raw beauty by juxtaposing them with polished diamonds, creating a unique aesthetic that celebrates the natural, unrefined quality of rough stones, while still showcasing De Beers’ expertise in diamond cutting and setting.

The collection often utilises their “serti poinçon” technique to encapsulate the rough diamonds in the metal, giving them a distinct appearance.

The unisex collection is enjoyed by men and women.

Ruby

Rubies have been treasured throughout history for their beauty and symbolic meaning of passion, love, power, protection, and good luck. They feature prominently in royal crowns, ancient artifacts, and works of art. Fine rubies are gemstones prized for their vibrant red hue, intense brilliance, and enduring beauty.

They belong to the corundum mineral family, which also includes sapphires. Their mesmerizing red colour comes from trace amounts of chromium in their chemical structure. The most desirable rubies exhibit a vivid “pigeon’s blood” red – a rich, saturated hue with a hint of blue undertones. Other shades include purplish-red, orangish-red, and brownish-red, but the “pigeon’s blood” remains the rarest and most sought-after. It is the colour, clarity and origin which can contribute to a rubies value along with a lack of any lab treatment. Large fine natural examples with good colour can command very high prices.

Locations, like Myanmar (Burma), Madagascar, and Mozambique, are known for their exceptional quality.

No matter what gift you give or recieve this Valentine’s Day, ensure that you get it accurately valued for insurance purposes by calling us on 01883 722736 or emailing us on [email protected].

The year of the snake, or the year of Serpenti?

Posted on January 29, 2025January 29, 2025 by Liz Bailey

Bulgari’s Serpenti Watch Collection, its History and Value

Arguably one of Bulgari’s most iconic collections across both jewellery and watches, the Serpenti collection has been and continues to be a firm favourite. Seen adorning countless celebrities, from Elizabeth Taylor in the early days of the Serpenti watch, to Adele in the present day, who has been spotted wearing her yellow gold and diamond set Serpenti watch to basketball games, these timepieces are a wonderful blend between sculpture, design and watchmaking. With a new edition of Serpenti watches launched in January of this year, the Serpenti watches have had a hold over watch collectors for over 75 years.

The first Bulgari Serpenti collection was launched in 1948, created from the brand’s Tubogas technique patented in 1881– featuring gold or steel strips wrapped around a core. This simple yet effective design was the unassuming starting point for the breathtakingly detailed creations that were to follow.

It was in the 1960s that the Bulgari Serpenti watch gained its scales and cult status. Featuring individually applied enamel and gemstone hexagonal scales to each Serpenti watch and movements hidden within the mouth of each snake, Bulgari created wearable sculptures that were frequently seen gracing film stars and Vogue magazine covers. Although prevalent in mainstream media, fewer than 100 of these early Serpenti bracelet watches were created, and the variety in their designs, dials and movements is remarkable.

We would recommend an insurance valuation in the region of £150,000-175,000 each for the above pieces.

Bulgari did not just use neutral, earth tones for its 1960s Serpenti bracelet watches. Bright enamelled creations in pink, green, blue, yellow, red and cream were created in this creative and colourful decade.

More complex a creation still are the gem-set Serpenti watches. Incredibly rare and sought after by collectors, examples set with turquoise, tiger’s eye, lapis lazuli and even onyx scales were meticulously created. One such example is currently available to purchase on 1^st Dibs for £542,000. Set throughout with individual coral cabochon scales and accented with pear cut ruby eyes, this piece is adorned with a Jaeger Le-Coultre movement. This particular piece was exhibited at the Houston Museum of Natural Science as part of the Bulgari: 130 Years of Masterpieces, Houston, Texas, May 2 – October 5, 2014.

1970s and 80s Serpenti Watches

Having previously collaborated with esteemed watchmakers such as Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin, and later Movado in creating the tiny movements for these snake bracelet watches, Bulgari began to produce its own movements from around 1978 onwards, and this decade marked a return to the its Tubogas roots, with comparatively slimmed down designs of snakes that wrapped twice or three times around the wearer’s wrist.

The Modern Day Serpenti Watch

In 2009, Bulgari marked its 125^th anniversary by reintroducing the Serpenti in a new, more geometric form. This more contemporary look aligned with Bulgari’s Serpenti jewellery line and continues to feature in the brand’s most current collections.

The most recent iterations of the Serpenti watch were launched on 21^st January 2025. For the first time ever, Serpenti watches with in-house BVS100 automatic movements are available to purchase. Designed with an exhibition case back to highlight the movement, these watches will retail anywhere from $10,200 for a steel model, all the way to $52,000 for a rose gold Serpenti, and €139,000 for the diamond-set Serpenti Seduttori. These will be available to purchase in the UK from April.

Valuations of Bulgari Serpenti Watches

Bulgari’s current Serpenti collection of watches to purchase in the UK currently are retailing between £4,920 and £83,000 at the time of writing. As seen above, the sculptural snake creations from the 1960s hold the most value owing to their rarity, the sheer craftsmanship involved and of course their place in design history. With the ongoing innovation and sartorial appetite for these iconic watches continuing to flourish, we would expect subsequent values to increase, particularly for earlier models and limited references.

A little light on the diamond markets

Posted on January 29, 2025January 29, 2025 by Aurélia Turrall

The price of diamonds is said to be tumbling and crashing with major players such as De Beers even cancelling sight holdings over the summer due to poor demand. And yet… When I scroll through the big brands, all I see are numbers going up, up and up! So, let’s not panic too quickly and think that all our investments – that is if you’re lucky enough to have been able to invest in jewellery, watches and diamonds – are all collapsing and you’ve lost everything.

The main issue here, and seems to be across the board, is a form of misinformation. The media is quick to react to market trends but doesn’t take into consideration other factors that apply when jewellery is made and then sold. To make a piece of jewellery one needs the raw material, diamonds and gold for example, along with workforce. The only factor in this equation which has dropped are indeed the diamonds. But all other costs keep climbing.

So why has the diamond market slowed down? Which market are we even talking about? Has the jewellery market slowed with the depreciation of diamond?

It does appear that both synthetic and natural diamond markets have weakened. With more companies offering the cheaper option to natural diamonds, it’s no wonder that the synthetic diamond market has plummeted, even with the best marketing. Giant De Beers had indeed noticed the trend would not pick up and decided, in June 2024, to close its synthetic diamond branch “LightBox lab-grown diamond”.

Lab-grown diamonds have almost become synonym of fashion jewellery and De Beers’ strategy was to give natural diamonds their spark back and focus on high-end diamond jewellery. Both markets have slowed, with the synthetic diamond market doing so even more than the natural diamond market. Is it a bad thing? That’s open to discussion: making diamonds more accessible and traceable than natural, but robbing customers of the experience of getting to buy a piece of natural history. There are endless arguments for and against.

But still, why has the natural diamond market also slowed down? That is in part due to sluggish Chinese demand and worldwide geo-political issues. However, the best diamonds, D, Flawless, are still in high demand, as are the bigger carat diamonds. The larger the carat weight the bigger the jump in percentage increase. There is a huge difference between a 1 carat diamond and a 1.50cts diamond for example. With all criteria remaining the same, the increase can be more than 50% per carat depending on the retailer. De Beers are currently retailing a 1ct brilliant-cut diamond G, VS2, for £15,800 and a 1.50cts with identical colour and clarity for £34,200.

Other than for solitaire diamonds of a certain colour and clarity (for example H/I coloured diamonds with a clarity under VS2), when it comes to completed jewellery pieces, the prices do not seem to be declining either. Why? Because couples are still getting engaged, young people are still having “big” birthdays commemorated with diamond gifts. Whatever the reason, diamonds maintain their desirability and durability.

A pair of Tiffany & Co. Victoria diamond earrings have gone from £3,100 in 2003, £4,925 in 2010, £8,775 in 2021 and up to a current value of £9,125.

It still seems good business and good investment to be buying jewellery and diamonds. Though one might need to hold on to a few middle market diamonds until the values pick up again, when it comes to branded pieces, such as De Beers or Tiffany & Co. as we have cited, it still seems to be a safe investment with return on investment definitely worth the waiting for. With values of signed pieces creeping up and diamond markets fluctuating as do the insurance values. Be sure to keep get your valuations updated as you could be under-insured and very possibly over-insured too.

Make Mine a Marquise! The Fancy Cut Set to Shine in 2025

Posted on January 22, 2025January 23, 2025 by Liz Bailey

Whilst 2024 was undoubtedly the year of the oval engagement ring, 2025 looks to feature the marquise cut much more prominently!

According to the Rapaport Diamond Report Volume 47, no. 48 – marquise cut diamonds are benefitting from an “excellent market – the most expensive fancy shape – supported by shortages.” According to the list, these exclusive shapes can currently price in at up to 15% more than their shorter fancy cut counterparts – suggesting that these elongated fancy cuts are set for a good year ahead.

Celebrity influence naturally plays a role in the demand for fancy shapes. Selena Gomez’s engagement ring from Benny Blanco in December 2024 features a principal marquise cut diamond. Paying homage to her 2015 song “Good for You” in which she compares herself to a marquise cut diamond, this ring features a sizeable marquise cut stone accented beautifully with a round brilliant cut diamond band.

History of the Marquise Cut

The marquise shape is an elongated oval with pointed ends. This distinctive navette shape diamond dates to 18th century France and King Louis XV, who commissioned a stone fashioned in the shape of his lover Marquise de Pompadour’s lips. The marquise cut diamond was born!

Value Factors of Marquise Cut Diamonds

Universally with natural diamonds, of course the famous 4 Cs (colour, clarity, cut, carat weight) are the key determining factors for value with these stones. The better the colour grade either on the colourless or fancy colour scale, with minimal inclusions, excellent cut grade and maximum carat weight are all attributes of the most valuable stones.

Another incredibly important factor to consider particularly for elongated fancy shapes such as the marquise cut is the proportion, and more specifically, the length to width ratio! This ratio is deduced by dividing the length by the width – and much is due to personal preference however owing to the alignment of the facets, a slight deviation of the LWR or cut grade can result in undesirable optical effects such as the dreaded ‘bow tie’ (a dark shadow to the centre of the stone). This visually heavy optical effect of course not only minimises the brilliance of the stone but has a negative impact on the value.

Buyer Beware!

Above is an image of a 1ct marquise cut lab grown diamond, currently available to purchase online at only £365. As seen in the past year, the price of production for lab grown diamonds and therefore their subsequent retail prices are at an all-time low, with long term valuations set to look even lower and resale value almost negligible for synthetic diamonds.

To compare as closely as possible, 1ct natural marquise cut diamonds with identical colour, clarity and cut grades, fluorescence and similar length-width ratio to the above lab grown stone (D, VS1, Excellent, none, 1.9-2.3) are retailing currently between £3,500 and £8,290 on a reputable online retailers website.

This massive discrepancy in prices and of course continued value for natural stones is not to be taken lightly – we would recommend purchasing your natural diamonds from a reputable source, with notable laboratory certification, and of course, ensuring that in the long run you have adequate and continued cover through a thorough insurance valuation from our specialist team.

The Pearl Renaissance

Posted on January 13, 2025January 23, 2025 by Liz Bailey

According to Jewellery Net’s Pearl Report 2024-5, “The pearl industry is witnessing a renaissance of sorts, ushered in by shifting perceptions of the pearl among a more discerning clientele.” Eagerly awaited by jewellers, retailers and auctioneers for some time, this ‘renaissance’ certainly appears to be bolstering values and signalling a buoyancy in the top end of the market, in particular for fine cultured pearls that had previously been waning.

The pearl report points towards the ‘sustainable nature’ of pearls as a key factor in attracting a refreshed and renewed interest, as well as attention from a younger ‘Gen Z’ demographic. Indeed, it appears that in 2024, the secondary market at auction has reflected this, with continued high prices for natural pearls, and a revived interest in certain aspects of the cultured pearl market.

Natural pearls:

In terms of desirability, natural saltwater pearls have been and continue to be the most sought-after type of pearls at auction. Performing steadily and consistently well in years gone by, 2024 echoed a strength in the market for rare larger pearls, blemish free, with a pleasing body colour and where applicable evenly matched within a jewel. Other factors such as designer attribution, historical provenance and market scarcity also played a key role in achieved prices across 2024.

Christies witnessed the sale of some spectacular natural pearl jewellery this year, frequently fetching hammer prices in excess of six figures. One such example was a natural saltwater pearl and diamond single strand necklace. Featuring forty-three pearls (eleven of which were cultured) graduating in size from 7.25mm to 12.20mm, this piece achieved a final hammer price of $378,000 in their June New York Magnificent Jewels Auction.

Remarkably, in this same sale, a pair of slightly baroque natural saltwater pearl and diamond earrings measuring 14.8mm in diameter each achieved a hammer price of $277,200, demonstrating the demand for these relatively rare, large, well matched natural saltwater pearls in the international market.

Fine Victorian natural pearl jewellery performed incredibly well at auction this year, with some of the highest hammer prices achieved going to late 19^th century pieces. A spectacular enamel, pearl, diamond and gem-set piece by Marcus & Co dating to 1895 sold at Bonhams this June for a staggering £165,500. This piece was set with two natural pearls, to include a 13.5mm bouton pearl, and a later 13.25ct natural pearl drop together with over 15 carats of diamonds. This beautiful lot achieved the highest hammer price for pearl jewellery sold at Bonhams in 2024, and achieved a house record for jewellery by Marcus & Co.

A fabulous auction result for Gloucestershire saleroom Chorleys was achieved in the same month, with a Victorian natural saltwater pearl necklace and detachable pendant/brooch. Showcasing a principal natural pearl of 8.46ct, a sizeable natural pearl drop, and slightly graduated natural saltwater pearl beads measuring 5.2mm-6.9mm, this piece fetched a hammer price of £85,000.

Elsewhere, records were set this year with the largest ever discovered natural freshwater pearl from Scotland selling in August. This impressive round freshwater pearl measured 10.5-10.6mm in diameter and fetched a £75,000 hammer against an estimate of £40,000-60,000.

Cultured pearls

Previously the victim of a downturn in value, hammer prices for cultured pearls in 2024 were incredibly promising. With some fantastic prices achieved for the finest cultured pearls on offer, this market trend offered a glimpse into a hopefully much more buoyant future for cultured pearls – although it is worth noting that low prices and unsolds remained the general pattern for smaller, worse quality and unattributed cultured pearl jewellery.

Top hammer prices this year were reserved for large, well-matched, symmetrical round cultured pearls, with a great lustre and blemish-free surface. One such example was a necklace by the ‘founder’ of cultured pearls’ eponymous company Mikimoto. Featuring one long strand of 140 round cultured pearls measuring at least 12mm in diameter each and terminating with a pavé set diamond clasp, this piece reached $44,800 at Bonhams in September 2024. For the sake of comparison, a Mikimoto strand of 8mm pearls, nearly twice the length with similar pavé set diamond clasps sold for £5,500 in 2021.

Cultured pearls set in designer jewellery also achieved great hammer prices at auction. Featuring much smaller cultured pearls at only 3.5-4mm each, an exquisitely made gem-set sautoir by Van Cleef & Arpels dating to 1975 caught the attention of bidders at Bonhams in June of this year, and subsequently sold for £38,400 inclusive of buyer’s premium.

Similarly, a more contemporary design in the form of cuff bangle by Bulgari set with sixteen cultured pearls of around 7.5-8mm in diameter together with 7-8 carats of pavé set diamonds sold at Christies Paris in the same month for €25,200. A similar example of a Bulgari Parentesi bangle set with twelve cultured pearls and approximately 7 carats of diamonds remained unsold with an estimate of £6,000-8,000 at an auction in November 2022.

These examples show an extremely promising upwards turn for fine cultured pearl jewellery in 2024, which – with any luck, will stabilise if not grow well into 2025.

Conch and Melo pearls

Conch and Melo pearls are another category of natural pearls to retain a high desirability and value, weathering the ‘storm’ experienced by their cultured counterparts. Owing to their rarity, gorgeous hue, and unique ‘flamed’ lustre, these non-nacreous pearls have long been incredibly valuable. Auction results of 2024 echoed this continued buoyancy in value, with a fine 19mm melo pearl and sapphire ring by Hemmerle selling at Bonhams in June for £52,100 inclusive of premium.

An impressive suite of jewellery comprising no less than seven conch pearls set within a pair of drop earrings and a cocktail ring was accompanied by two GIA reports and sold at Christies Hong Kong for HK$1,008,000 in May.

Whether set in jewellery or offered as a loose gemstone, conch and melo pearls remain highly sought-after, with a 24.54ct melo pearl selling in 2022 for $31,875, and a 10.01ct conch pearl selling in the previous year for $11,475 at Bonhams.

Keeping in mind the strength of prices for both natural and cultured pearl jewellery across the salerooms in 2024, it is vital to ensure that your insurance valuations offer adequate cover and that your jewellery is documented by a specialist.

For further information on our insurance valuations from our nationwide team of specialists, contact us via [email protected].

The 12 days of Christmas – A gift guide!

Posted on December 22, 2024December 18, 2024 by Aurélia Turrall

In 2014, Sotheby’s sold a copy of Mirth Without Mischief for $23,750, dating from 1780 in which the first version of the famous Christmas carol Twelve days of Christmas appeared for the first time.

Christmas Carol, Sotheby’s 2014, estimate $7,000 - 10,000, Containing The Twelve Days of Christmas; The Play of the Gaping-Wide-Mouthed-Wadling-Frog; Love and Hatred; The Art of Talking with the Fingers; And Nimble Ned's Alphabet and Figures. London: Printed by J. Davenport ... for C. Sheppard,1780. No copy has appeared at auction in the past 40 years; only 1 copy recorded (Opie collection, Bodleian Library, who dates it c. 1780), all others in Worldcat are e-books. Not in Cotsen

Some historians believe it could be French and could have been created as a memory game, to help Christians learn and remember the principles of their faith. Though this could and has been refuted by some, let’s have a look at what is gifted during the Twelve Days of Christmas.

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree.
Day 2: two turtle doves
Day 3: three French hens
Day 4: four calling birds
Day 5: five gold rings
Day 6: six geese a-laying
Day 7: seven swans a-swimming
Day 8: eight maids a-milking
Day 9: nine ladies dancing
Day 10: 10 lords a-leaping
Day 11: 11 pipers piping
Day 12: 12 drummers drumming

So many days of festivities, so many outfits! Here is my choice for what I would wear during the Twelve Days of Christmas.

The Twelve days start on the 25^th December, and it is a full day of socialising so the perfect purse for this occasion would be an Art Déco velvet and coral bag by Cartier, dating 1920s, which sold at Bonhams for £2,295.

On the 26^th, in keeping with the Christmas colours I would wear a sapphire, ruby and diamond swivel ring. Sure to grab people’s curiosity if I flip from ruby to sapphire during the course of the day. A ring such as the below would sell for approximately £1,000 at auction.

On the 27^th, when guests have come and gone, I can sit back and admire the Christmas tree. But whilst doing so, I would wear another Cartier piece reminding me of a fancy Christmas tree: a ruby and diamond brooch mounted in platinum dating the 1920s.

With approximately 2 carats of diamonds, this brooch sold for USD 47,880, with a pre-sale estimate of USD 40,000 – 60,000

On the 28^th, to remind me that time is still passing by even though it seems to have stopped for a few days, I would look down at my Patek Philippe 4282 in onyx, malachite and yellow gold with diamond highlights. A combined delight of wearing both an exceptional timepiece and quality jewellery.

This watch sold at Dawsons Auctioneers in 2022 for £14,000 against a pre-sale estimate of £2,000-3,000.

On the 29^th, there might be some event, show or concert to see. And for this, I would take inspiration from non-other than the Princess of Wales. Last year she wore Van Cleef & Arpels Magic Alhambra earrings, retailing for £6,000, up from £5,400 the previous year. Seems to always be good investment to buy a renowned jewellery brand!

On the 30^th, I would wear a jewel set with a restorative gem as the legends have it. This would be quartz. And who else would I wear but Pomellato who have based their name in declining all coloured quartz in every style possible based on one specific design: the Nudo ring.

Ranging from £1,800 with a rose quartz ring, the collection goes up to £5,700 with a pair of prasiolite and diamond earrings.

With quartz’ powers to energise, remove all negativity and give peace and optimism, I’m all set for New Year’s Eve celebrations.

On the 31^st, I would wear the present I found under the Christmas tree. And just like it was beautifully wrapped, it too looks like a present: the Tilda Bow diamond ring by Graff.

With a little over 2 carats of diamonds, it retails for £13,000 and would be the gift that keeps on giving every time you would glance at it!

2025 will be the year of the Wood Snake in Chinese culture. Snakes symbolise eternity and in zodiac signs, they are said to be hardworking and driven. I can’t think of a better way to start the year and to embody those images. And for that the perfect bangle sold by Bonhams in 2020 for USD 2,800, set with 1.25 carats of diamonds, and coiled in the tradition of snake and serpent bangles found in all antique jewellery.

On the 2^nd January I would subtly remind the people around me how they make me feel with the Tiffany T Smile pendant necklace. Retailing for £3,250 and set with under 0.20 carat of diamond, it could be seen as a costly reminder but worth every penny!

On the 3^rd as I “hit the town” for some shopping to enjoy the new year’s sale, I would need something practical to plan my day and for that I choose a Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso Classic Duetto, at £16,500.

With its guilloché blue or silver dial to suit day or evening mood, the Reverso is chic and understated with perfect lines. One of my all-time favourites.

On the 4^th it would be a day of catching up with friends and discussing the sales purchase. And to do that, pairing a simple outfit with Chanel jewellery seems like it would be the go-to look: faux pearl and paste crystal earrings, in gunpowder metal. This vintage pair of earrings sells for £645.

Finally, as a reminder of the good and bad times, those past and to come, I would choose to wear a diamond eternity ring as I start the new year at work. As a symbol of the circle of life, the unbreakable bonds that make us who we are, and the diamonds’ sparkles representing an echo of life’s dazzling surprises. Graff’s Emerald Cut diamond ring retails for £60,500 and is set with 7.60 carats of diamonds, that’s a lot of dazzling!

These are the jewels I would wear for 12 consecutive days after Christmas. I never said it was going to be a cheap Christmas… Wishing you Best Wishes for the New Year.

If you recieved some beautiful Christmas gifts this year, make sure you have them valued correctly for insurance purposes – get in touch to find out more about our valuation services by emailing [email protected] or calling us on 01883 722736.

Inside the Record-Breaking Sale of the Anglesey Necklace

Posted on November 15, 2024November 22, 2024 by Liz Bailey

Sotheby’s Royal & Noble Jewels Sale took place in Geneva on Wednesday 13^th November. This historic sale presented a spectacular selection of historic fine jewellery, with provenance relating to several royal and noble families, including Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria and his family, Countess Mona Bismarcak, King Umberto II of Italy, the Ducal House of Bavaria and the Princely Thurn und Taxis family. Featuring 174 lots, this auction featured a stunning selection of tiaras, necklaces, rings, suites, cufflinks, tie pins, cigarette cases, seals, pocket watches and many more jewels with illustrious provenance.

The Anglesey Necklace

Designed as a pair of old cushion-shaped diamond tassels connected by three rows of collet-set old cushion-shaped and circular-cut diamonds, length approximately 670mm, fitted case.

Undoubtedly the most anticipated lot of the sale was the Anglesey Necklace. This highly important and historic jewel is an incredibly rare survivor of the Georgian court, set with a breathtaking 300 carats of diamonds and crafted with hugely innovative techniques for the time. An outstanding jewel to be in private hands, this piece has been known as the Anglesey Necklace, owned by the Paget family for centuries, thence a private collector, and offered for auction as the centrepiece to this historical sale. Estimated at 1,600,000 – 2,200,000 CHF (£1.4 to 1.9 million), this significant Georgian necklace finally sold at 3,550,000 CHF (£3,154,246.00).

Formerly in the collection of the Marquess of Anglesey, the Anglesey Necklace has featured in two important jewellery exhibitions of the 20^th century, first in 1959 as part of The Ageless Diamond Loan exhibition in London, sitting alongside many famous Royal and aristocratic diamond jewels including the Williamson Pink Diamond and the brooch set with the Cullinan III and IV diamonds belonging to Queen Elizabeth II. Twenty years later in 1979, the necklace featured in the American Museum of Natural History’s Bicentennial Exhibition.

A Marie Antoinette Connection? The lore of the Anglesey Necklace

The lore surrounding this jewel carried a huge significance and of course an impact on the subsequent value. Although there is no formal or documented evidence of a connection between the Anglesey necklace and the jewel that sparked the French Revolution, there are of course compelling factors that could plausibly link the two.

The sheer grandeur and scale of this piece narrows down the few noble ladies who could have owned this jewel. Set with nearly 300 carats of rare, Golconda diamonds (the South African mines were not discovered until 1867) and encased within unconventional, innovative and cutting-edge open back settings to allow the full radiance of these valuable stones.

There are no documents detailing this piece in the collection of the Paget family until the later part of the 19^th century. From its creation in the late 18th century, this is a monumental jewel to not be featured in inventories and documents of the time. As Sotheby’s point out,

“it is unclear exactly how the Paget family came in possession of this diamond jewel, a link to the first Marquess seems plausible given its date.”

In 1785, a diamond necklace created for Marie Antoinette was stolen in Paris. Records show that six months later, a London jeweller William Gray purchased 300 diamonds from the Marie Antoinette necklace totalling 600 stones. Stylistically, the tassels on the Anglesey necklace and the sketches of Marie Antoinettes necklaces do appear incredibly similar, which adds to this compelling tale.

More recently, in American-born British conservative politician and society figure, Sir Henry “Chips” Channon’s diary published in 2022, there is reference to this seeming connection. He mentions a part of Queen Marie Antoinette’s infamous necklace,

“at least two ropes of it, the rest, according to history, was broken up before the French Revolution but I believe the Anglesey tassels, which Marjorie sometimes wears, are a part of it.”

Sir Cecil Beaton photographed the Anglesey Necklace, as it was then known, being worn as a négligé by the glamorous and sophisticated Marjorie Paget, Marchioness of Anglesey, during George VI’s coronation 1937. The necklace was also worn at Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953.

Irrespective of the alleged connection to the French Revolution, the Anglesey Necklace is a rare survivor of an incredibly opulent Georgian Court. Designed to be worn in many ways, knotted at the neck, worn as a négligé, draped over the back, or even as a belt, this superb diamond necklace is without a doubt “one of the most outstanding Georgian jewels” (Andres White Correal – Head of Royal and Noble Jewels, Chairman, Sotheby’s Jewellery), and a historic result at auction for jewellery of the period.

To find out more about our jewellery valuation service by calling us on 01883 722736 or emailing [email protected]

Exploring The Boodles National Gallery Collection

Posted on November 6, 2024November 11, 2024 by Aurélia Turrall

I was recently privileged enough to handle a very unique piece of jewellery by Boodles: The Boodles National Gallery Collection’s Play of Light Lake Keitele bangle.

In light of one of the nation’s favourite museum’s 200^th anniversary, Boodles has created a special National Gallery Collection of jewellery. The National Gallery is considered one of the world’s greatest art collections and open its doors in 1824, after the British government purchased 38 paintings from the heirs of John Julius Angerstein that same year.

The museum now holds paintings by Botticelli, Caravaggio, Cézanne, Constable, Ingres, Holbein, Seurat, Titian…to name but a few. But it wasn’t always a guarantee that these masterpieces would be remain within the collection, safely. During the Blitz, the collection was distributed in safe houses, until it found its way to a Welsh slate mine, where the artwork stayed between 1941-45. When the bombing was less intense, the museum decided to show one painting a month. This is the origin of the museum’s current Picture of the Month. The picture was taken down every evening for safe storage in the museum’s underground strong room.

Now, 200 years after the museum opened, Boodles have celebrated the extraordinary collection by creating a unique line of high jewellery inspired by the artists and their creations.

The paintings have generated four specific themes around which the jeweller “plays” with: Perspective, Brushstrokes, Motherhood and Play of Light.

Perspective

Inspired by Canaletto’s view of Venice and mastering of perspective, Boodles have created the Perspective Collar set with 12 main Ashoka diamonds weighing 9.04cts total, and 14.29cts of remaining diamonds. A jewelled architectural delight, it is mounted in platinum and reflects the Doge’s palace beautifully.

“The Ashoka cut diamond was perfect for Perspective, the vertical lines and unique cut worked so well with the idea of an architectural landscape” says Boodles Director of Design, Rebecca Hawkins.

Brushstroke

For the Brushstroke collection, “we drew on for inspiration [from] the brushstroke technique used by particular artists. We found that within some paintings, such as Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, 1888, the brushstrokes employed were very visible- you could literally see the way in which the paint had been applied to paper. This in turn inspired our Brushstrokes suites.”

The use of aquamarine in this collection is a statement to the use of blue brushstrokes in Cézanne artwork, along with the feminine rose gold and scintillating diamonds, giving this collection a dynamism echoed in his technique.

Motherhood

In Motherhood collection, there is a clear selection of “soft” gems and colours. The pendants, rings and bracelets all use diamonds, but also pink diamonds, and moonstone, where “pear and oval shaped diamonds [are] nestled together, reflecting the idea of an embrace.”

In the Motherhood Aquamarine pendant, the use of aquamarine reminds me of water and of babies in utero, with the moonstone’s shimmering warm colours, all encompassed within the solid and indestructible diamond frame. But of course, it also echoes the Madonna with child. The interpretation is up to the eye of the beholder. This pendant retails for £15,000, while its counterpart in diamond and pink diamond retails for £29,000.

Play of Light

In the fourth collection, Boodles designers concentrated on colour and how the same colour can have many different tones. Just as a diamond can range from D-Z and fancy colours range from Faint to Fancy Deep.

“In our Play of Light collection for example we used different gradients of the same colour diamond or gemstone to reflect the detailed dabs of colours found in the paintings. We used yellow diamonds, which gradually became lighter until they flowed into white diamonds, or soft pastel blues deepening to a darker blue.”

Four main pictures were the base for inspiration: Seurat’s The Morning Walk, Monet’s Water-Lilies, Pierre-August Renoir’s Moulin Huet Bay, Guernsey, and Akseli Gallen-Kallela’s Lake Keitele.

The Play of Light Rose Gold Drop Earrings use a variety of gems, including vari-coloured sapphires, tsavorite garnets (green), vari-cut diamonds and rose gold for added softness and extra shimmer. They retail for £23,500 and are accompanied by a necklace and a bracelet, each retailing at £28,000 and £76,500

The piece in this collection I was lucky enough to discover was inspired Finnish painter Akseli Gallen-Kallela’s Lake Keitele painted in 1905.

“Boodles designers responded to the distinctive zigzag pattern on the water’s surface in Lake Keitele, 1905 by Akseli Gallen-Kallela, now mirrored by rows of marquise cut diamonds.”

In each of the pieces, the reflection of the water is represented with the use of graduated brilliant and marquise-cut diamonds, each serving as a mirror of light, with more or less fire depending on the light. Just as in the painting by Akseli Gallen-Kallela there are white and blue tones but also specs of red and green and yellow. It is the special always varying shimmer of the stones, that make this collection so unique.

The earrings use 2.79cts of marquise-cut diamonds and 1.44cts of round brilliant-cut diamonds. The necklace uses respectively 3.05cts and 0.86cts and the bangle is set with 22 principal marquise-cut diamonds weighing 6.99cts, and 4.59cts of brilliant-cut diamonds. The water’s movement is here “mirrored by rows of marquise cut diamonds to create a mesmerising piece.”

It was also mentioned that the design reminded someone of a DNA chain. Whether you take your inspiration from impressionism art or science, if the result is as beautiful as this collection is then there truly is no limit!

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