Sotheby's sale of Magnificent & Noble Jewels raises $40.46mn
18 May '07
4 min read
Sotheby's sale of Magnificent and Noble Jewels raised a total of CHF 49,461,480 ($40,462,953). The sale concluded tonight on a high note, when the final two lots, The Donnersmarck Diamonds, sold for CHF5,704,000 ($4,666,271) and CHF3,968,000 ($3,968,000) respectively, making them by far the two top lots in the sale.
David Bennett, Chairman of Jewellery for Sotheby's Europe & the Middle East, said after the sale: “We are absolutely delighted with today's results, and particularly with the fantastic prices achieved for the magnificent Donnersmarck Diamonds, which once again highlight Sotheby's exceptional record for handling jewels with aristocratic provenance.
We are honoured to have been chosen by the family to handle these unique and historic jewels and are pleased to have seen the two stones staying together. The results of today's sale, the highest achieved in Geneva this week, are testament to the current strength of the market for fine gemstones and period jewels. We witnessed truly international bidding, with many new buyers from the emerging economies.”
The Donnersmarck Diamonds, exceptional yellow stones with a fascinating and impeccable provenance - one a magnificent pear-shaped diamond weighing 82.48 carats, the other a magnificent cushion-shaped diamond weighing 102.54 carats were each estimated at CHF1,800,000-2,400,000. With bids coming from up to five potential buyers for each of the stones, both from the room and from the telephones,the successful bidder eventually paid CHF 9,672,000 ($7,912,373).
The Prince Henckel von Donnersmarck was delighted with the sale achieved by Sotheby's for the Donnersmarck Diamonds. He congratulates the buyer of the diamonds and said: “I can assure the buyer that he will never regret the purchase because these diamonds are indeed unique for their size, beauty, character and of course, their history.”
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