An important Cartier brooch and a Cartier art deco necklace were the two top lots in the Bonhams Art of Jewels: Fine Jewellery and Iconic Gems sale that realised £2.7 million on December 9th at New Bond Street. There was much international interest around the sale, with bidders coming from the UK, the US, Hong Kong and the Middle East.
The rare diamond and natural pearl bow brooch, made by Cartier, circa 1960, exceeded its pre-sale estimate of £150,000 – 200,000 to sell for £300,000 to a private buyer. The diamond ribbons suspended two exceptional, large natural saltwater pearls.The second Cartier piece was an impressive Art-Deco diamond necklace, made in 1936, which demonstrated the pioneering nature of the French jewellery house during the inter-war period. Made up of numerous cuts of diamond set in pierced geometric plaques, the necklace exceeded its pre-sale estimate of £100,000 – 150,000 to sell for £264,000, also to a private buyer.
Diamond single-stone rings also proved high in demand, including a 5.01 carat, E colour, VVS2 clarity, brilliant-cut diamond ring, by Garrard, that sold for £180,000 and a two-stone ring, set with a 5.03ct, J colour, VVS2 clarity, pear-shaped diamond and a 5.02ct, fancy light yellow, VS2 clarity, pear-shaped diamond that sold for £117,600, almost three times its pre-sale estimate.
Further highlights included a selection of fine antique jewellery and a mid 19th century bracelet set with a 5.08ct carat Colombian emerald sold for £74,400.
Jean Ghika, Director of Bonhams Jewellery Department comments “we are delighted to announce these results. Our international buyers fought to secure the top two pieces by Cartier. We were also honoured to be chosen to handle the sale a private collection of jewels, never before seen on the open market, that realised a total of £500,000”.
Bonhams
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge, and a further five throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Boston in the USA; Toronto, Canada; and France, Monaco, Australia, Hong Kong and Dubai. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 27 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 57 specialist areas. By the end of 2009, Bonhams had become UK market leaders in ten key specialist collecting areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, go towww.bonhams.com