Left: The Art of de GRISOGONO, Creation 1, the new world auction record for any D-colour flawless diamond
Right: Rahul Kadakia in the rostrum in Christie’s Geneva selling the top lot of the Magnificent Jewels auction

Geneva – The Christie’s Geneva November series of sales achieved a total of CHF144,007,100 / $144,903,265, attracting over 4,600 visitors to the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues. This brings the total for Christie’s Geneva auctions in 2017 to CHF256,012,620 / $258,588,868 with 27 lots sold for over $1 million.   

The Magnificent Jewels auction concluded Christie’s November Geneva sales, which was led by The Art of de GRISOGONO, Creation 1, an emerald and diamond necklace set with a rectangular cut, D-colour, flawless diamond of 163.41 carats. This was the largest flawless D-colour diamond ever to come to auction and sold for CHF33,500,000 / $33,705,994, setting a new world auction record.

A further highlight of the sale was LE GRAND MAZARIN, a light pink diamond of 19.07 carats, and one of the most famous and important Golconda diamonds in history. It was the final lot of the auction and sold for CHF14,375,000 / $14,463,393. LE GRAND MAZARIN is a legendary diamond of historic Royal French provenance; the magnificent stone has been in the collection of four kings, four queens, two emperors and two empresses. This is the first time that the spectacular diamond has been sold at public auction since the famous sale of the French Crown Jewels in 1887. 

Together, the two auctions of Magnificent Jewels and Beyond Boundaries: Magnificent Jewels From A European Collection achieved a total of CHF117,776,875 / $118,501,094.

Summary by sale of the November sales season:

MAGNIFICENT JEWELS

Sale total: CHF105,422,500 / $106,070,751

Sold 88% by value and 75% by lot

A further highlight of the auction was when lot 495, a rectangular cut fancy intense blue diamond of 8.67 carats, sold for CHF 13,137,500 / $13,218,284. The auction room was attended by collectors from over 30 countries and online by over 500 participants, the highest ever for any Magnificent Jewels auction in Geneva.

BEYOND BOUNDARIES: MAGNIFICENT JEWELS FROM A EUROPEAN COLLECTION

Sale total: CHF12,354,375 / $12,430,343

Sold 100% by value and 100% by lot

On 13 November, Magnificent Jewels from a European Collection, the first of 10 auctions featuring property from the Beyond Boundaries collection, realised CHF12,354,375 / $12,430,343 / €10,654,581, with every single one of the 110 lots sold above the pre-sale high estimate. This ground-breaking collection of Art Nouveau and Art Deco jewels sparked international interest. Following the extensive international pre-sale tour including Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong and London, the sale welcomed registered bidders from over 30 countries across 5 continents.

The top lot of the auction was an Art Nouveau pendent necklace by René Lalique, selling for CHF 972,500 / $978,480 against a pre-sale estimate of CHF 90,000-130,000, and setting a new world auction record for any piece of Art Nouveau Jewellery as well as for a piece of Jewellery by René Lalique. In addition, individual auction records for makers were set including Eugène Feuillâtre, Paul Brandt and Ostertag, marking a new era for this period of jewellery at auction. Read the full press release here.

RARE WATCHES

Sale total: CHF12,758,375 / $12,836,827 

Sold 91% by value and 95% by lot

The auction of Rare Watches on 13 November realised a total of CHF12,758,375. Demand for high quality timepieces was particularly evident and over 70% of the sale was purchased by private clients, echoing the high percentage of consignments from private collectors around the world. Throughout the day there was active participation online via Christie’s LIVE^TM, with over 200 registrants to Christie’s online platform from around the world.

The top lot of the sale was a “Senza Luna” by Patek Philippe, reference 3448 in white gold, a perpetual calendar watch without the moon phase indication, made in 1981, which sold for CHF972,500 / $978,480. It is the only example to date of a “Senza Luna” watch confirmed by the Extract from the Archives of Patek Phillipe to have been made with a dial without moon phase disc.

FINEST & RAREST WINES & SPIRITS

Sale total: CHF 2,714,100 / $2,734,962

Sold 100% by value and 98% by lot

Christie’s Finest & Rarest Wines & Spirits auction achieved CHF2.7 million, selling 98% by lot in an animated auction room with strong bidding from the room, the internet and telephones. The top lot of the sale came from a private collection of Lafite-Rothschild from 1945-2009; lot 37, 12 bottles of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, 1982, sold for CHF60,000, more than double the pre-sale estimate.

These exceptional results underline Geneva as a key destination for offering the best Grands Crus and Spirits, with an ever-widening interest from collectors around the world year on year. Buyers came mainly from Europe, with a noticeable increase of bidding from Asia and the US. The market is very thirsty for Burgundy, both young and old, and the sale presented exceptional examples and collections, helped by Geneva’s geographical position. Furthermore, interest in rare Madeira is growing and we are creating a market here in Geneva and beyond; 100% of the Madeira lots offered in sale sold. 

ONLY WATCH

Sale total: CHF10,776,500 / $10,830,382

Sold 100% by value and 100% by lot

The 7th edition of Only Watch on 11 November raised a total of CHF10,776,500 and was sold 100% to benefit research of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The auction room welcomed watchmakers, collectors and philanthropists, alongside 300 supporters, and many more bidders joined the sale via Christie’s online bidding facility and on the telephones. Bidders from a total of 45 countries participated in the sale. There was much competition for each of the 50 unique watches, donated by leading watch manufacturers and the atmosphere in the room was electric, with several rounds of applause, especially when H.S.H Prince Albert II of Monaco sold the last lot. Read the full release here.

CHRISTIE’S ONLINE

This week’s success in Geneva is mirrored in Christie’s most recent online sales of Watches, Wine and Jewels, which averaged sell through rates of 85% by lot.