A Rainbow of Jewels But a Golden Sapphire at the End...
23rd July 2020
The second day of our Summer Fine Art sale included a big selection of jewellery for every budget and, encouragingly, bidding was brisk throughout the 400 lots on offer, with a number of strong prices well above expectations.
The strength of demand for gold was evident when a charm bracelet weighing 41.56 grams made £1750, seven times estimate and a 74.5gram strap bracelet leapt to £6250, eight times estimate.
Rings with a rainbow of precious stones found eager bidders: an aquamarine and diamond cluster ring made £2750, a Georgian emerald five stone ring made £2120, an Art Deco sapphire and diamond ring with a 5.8 carat central stone made £4750, a ruby and diamond ring with a 2.45 carat cushion-cut ruby made £6870 and a 1.4 carat diamond solitaire ring made double expectations at £6250.
Jewellery for the discerning gentleman proved to be no less popular. A pair of 18-carat gold and sapphire cufflinks by Cartier, signed and in a Cartier box, took £3750; an 18-carat gold chronograph pocket watch and a 9-carat chain ticked just above its estimate to make £4000; an 18-carat gold dress watch by Cartier appealed at £4500; and a Rolex stainless steel Oyster Perpetual watch from c.1950 took a multiple-estimate £4250.
The end of the sale saw three highlights: a Victorian diamond set brooch made £5000 and an elegant Victorian diamond tiara (converting to a necklace) attracted keen interest to make £8120. Best of all and the last lot of the sale, a stunning brooch with a 31.4 carat yellow sapphire stone surrounded by no fewer than twenty old circular-cut diamonds had all the telephones booked. Determined bidding took the price far above its £5000-8000 estimate to settle at a sale-topping £55,000.
The total for the sale was just over £320,000 (inc BP).
