A new world record for any jewellery auction was set on 17 May 2016 when Sotheby’s sale of Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels in Geneva realised US$175,097,419.
The sale was led by the largest-ever pear-shaped fancy vivid pink diamond at auction - Unique Pink weighing 15.38 carats, which was sold for US$31,561,200 (price per carat: US$2,052,094) and set a record for a stone of its type.
Speaking after the sale, David Bennett, worldwide chairman of Sotheby’s international jewellery division, commented: “Exactly one year after having set the world record for a jewellery sale, Sotheby’s Geneva has raised the bar once again with a great sale and a great result for the Unique Pink. It is difficult to imagine a diamond that better illustrates the term vivid pink than this outstanding stone. The colour is simply astonishing and, for its size, it is in my experience truly unique. We set out to curate a sale that would speak to today’s collectors and the response has been overwhelming – confirmation, if ever it were needed, that when you have the right material, demand is as deep as it’s ever been. This was a sale that had the perfect mix of great gemstones and jewels, the vast majority of which were sourced from private collections.”
Auction at-a-glance:
Sold by lot: 83%
Lots sold above high estimate: 70%
Three lots sold for over US$10 million. Six lots sold for over US$5 million
Online buying: new record for an online purchase in a live auction at Sotheby’s; 41% increase in the number of lots sold online compared to the equivalent sale last year
← Back