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Phillips Announces Highlights from The Hong Kong Jewels Auction on 5 October
Featuring a Dazzling Array of Rare Fancy Coloured Diamonds, Exceptional Burmese Rubies, Colombian Emeralds, Important Sapphires and Vintage Signed Jewels
HONG KONG – 7 September 2023 – Phillips is pleased to announce highlights from the upcoming Hong Kong Jewels Auction on 5 October, taking place at the company’s new saleroom in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District. Presenting close to 100 lots, the sale will feature a thoughtfully curated selection of coloured and colourless diamonds, rare gemstones, vintage jewels and signed pieces by leading jewellery makers such as Cartier, Bulgari, Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron, De Beers, and Chopard, among others. Leading up to the auction, highlights from the sale will be exhibited in Singapore (8-9 September) and Taipei (16-17 September).
Louisa Chan, Head of Sale, Hong Kong, Phillips Jewels, said: “This season, we are delighted to bring together some of the most spectacular fine jewellery – from fancy coloured diamonds, natural unheated Burmese rubies and sapphires, an array of Colombian emeralds, to vintage signed jewels. Highlighting the sale are a selection of fancy coloured diamonds certified by GIA, including a blue diamond and a pair of yellow diamonds that have round brilliant-cut cutting style, which is very uncommon for coloured diamonds. We have witnessed heated bidding which resulted in high sell-through rates from our Spring jewellery sales in Hong Kong and New York. This season’s Hong Kong sale is emblematic of the very best of today’s market and we look forward to carrying on the sturdy buying momentum to our saleroom in October.”
Rare Fancy Coloured Diamonds
Leading the sale is a 1.63-carat round brilliant-cut fancy intense blue diamond ring. Natural blue diamonds comprise only about 0.02% of mined diamonds, and its colour is caused by trace amounts of boron in the crystal lattice. Roughs of blue diamonds are so rare to come by that every discovery is handled with utmost care to ensure the potential of such natural treasure is fully maximized. Manufacturing a blue diamond is a long and strenuous process that calls for the most experienced experts, and the presented lot is an exquisite example. Its rarity is further heightened by its unusual round brilliant-cut, which is barely found in coloured diamonds as it is known to result in high wastage of raw materials during the cutting process and less effective in augmenting colour concentration. With its rare cut and fancy intense colour grade this exceptional blue diamond is highly collectible.
Unlike blue diamonds, natural yellow diamonds owe its colour to nitrogen. Also highlighting this season’s sale is a pair of 9.69- and 9.71-carat fancy intense yellow diamond and diamond earrings, also fashioned into round brilliant-cuts. A single 9-carat round brilliant-cut fancy intense yellow diamond is an unusual find, to gather two of such rare specimens in matching colour grade, clarity, size, face-up brilliance, and fire is yet another epitome of rarity.
Also on offer is a 5.41-carat fancy orangy pink diamond and diamond ring. In the past decade, the popularity of pink diamonds has soared phenomenally due to its enigmatic charm, even more so when the Argyle Mine in western Australia, which produced over 90% of the world’s pink diamonds, announced its closure in end of 2020. Now that there is no discovery of new mines, or any comparable ones in existence, it is only logical that the prices of pink diamonds continue to increase. Fancy pink diamonds of over 2 carats are highly collectible, and a specimen like the present lot which weighs more than 5 carats is the ultimate dream of any collector.
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A 1.63-carat Fancy Intense Blue Diamond Ring
Estimate: HK$ 9,500,000 – 12,500,000/
US$ 1,220,000-1,600,000
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A Pair of 9.69- and 9.71-carat Fancy Intense Yellow Diamond and Diamond Earrings
Estimate: HK$3,300,000 – 4,400,000/ US$425,000 – 560,000
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A 5.41-carat Fancy Orangy Pink Diamond and Diamond Ring
Estimate: HK$1,950,000 – 3,900,000/ US$250,000 – 500,000
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Burmese Rubies
Adored and revered in many cultures throughout centuries, rubies are often associated with power, wealth, success and health. Ruby is not only known as the ‘King of Gemstones (ratnaraj)’, but also the ‘Gemstone of Kings’. Highlighting this season is a selection of the finest natural rubies sourced from Burma, now Myanmar, a source of the gems since 600 A.D. It is worth noting that Burma is yielding fewer and fewer rubies in recent decades, even more scarce are rubies from the region that are of significant size like the present 4.00-carat Burmese unheated ruby and diamond ring offered in this season’s sale. Any exceptional unheated specimens command unfathomable per carat prices at international auctions in the past five years, only surpassed by coloured diamonds.
Colombian Emeralds
The finest Colombian emeralds exhibit a richly saturated and homogeneous bluish green hue, and often possess a variety of internal inclusions, or fingerprints of nature, due to the delicate balance of their formation and the demanding methods taken to obtain these precious gems. Untreated examples with high clarity are thus extremely rare and sought after. This season, Phillips presents a spectacular 13.17-carat Colombian emerald and diamond ring, free from oil treatment, with a highly desirable intense colour and a well-proportioned cut.
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A 4.00-carat Burmese Unheated Ruby and Diamond Ring
Estimate: HK$2,500,000 – 3,500,000/ US$320,000 – 450,000
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A Burmese Unheated Ruby and Diamond Necklace, rubies weighing 40.35 carats in total
Estimate: HK$1,400,000 – 2,000,000/ US$ 180,000 – 260,000
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A 13.17-carat Colombian No-Oil Emerald and Diamond Ring
Estimate: HK$3,900,000 – 4,800,000/ US$500,000 – 620,000
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Important Sapphires
Burma has been home to the world’s finest rubies and sapphires since ancient times, and its sapphires are particularly known for their superb, rich and vibrant blue hue. Modern Burmese mines yield very few sapphires of gem-quality, even fewer of which exceeds 10 carats after cutting and polishing. Offered in this season’s sale is an exceptional sapphire that is free from any heat treatment weighs more than 20 carats which is surely the dream of gemstone collectors. Another revered pedigree of sapphires is Kashmir. Since their discovery, Kashmir sapphires have acquired a legendary status for their unmatched rich blue hue and velvet texture. Kashmir sapphires constitute a minuscule percentage of the globe's total sapphire supply. Thus, finding an example is a truly unusual stroke of good fortune, such as the present lot, an unheated gem quality Kashmir surpassing five carats.
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A 22.15-carat Burmese Unheated Sapphire and Diamond Ring
Estimate: HK$3,000,000 – 4,000,000/
US$385,000 – 520,000
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A Pair of Burmese Unheated Sapphire and Diamond Ear Pendants, sapphires weighing 39.68 carats in total
Estimate: HK$1,750,000 – 2,500,000/ US$220,000 – 320,000
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A 5.39-carat Kashmir Unheated Sapphire and Diamond Ring
Estimate: HK$1,900,000 – 2,800,000/ US$240,000 – 360,000
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Vintage Signed Jewels
Vintage jewellery has become a popular trend among seasoned collectors and fashionistas who desire unique, storied pieces. This season, Phillips is pleased to present a selection of exquisite vintage brooches by powerhouses. A bird brooch from Van Cleef & Arpels is designed with rope twist detail that was typical of the 1960s, another brooch from Bulgari featuring vibrant blue hues of turquoise and sapphires is dated from the same era, with the classic magnificence that is the Italian House’s signature. Also on offer is an art deco diamond and enamel brooch by Lacloche Frères with timeless art deco design.
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VAN CLEEF & ARPELS
A Gold, Sapphire, Emerald and Diamond Brooch, 1966
Estimate: HK$40,000 – 65,000/
US$5,200 – 8,500
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BULGARI
A Turquoise, Sapphire and Diamond Brooch, 1960s
Estimate: HK$320,000 – 400,000/
US$40,000 – 52,000
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LACLOCHE FRÈRES
Art Deco Diamond and Enamel Brooch
Estimate: HK$125,000 – 140,000/
US$16,000 – 18,000
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Boucheron Jewels and Watches at No Reserve
Boucheron’s love for animals is plainly evident, the French maison has incorporated the theme of bestiary in its creations since it was founded in1858. This season, a selection of Boucheron jewels and watches will be offered with no reserve, making it an unmissable opportunity for signed jewellery aficionados.
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BOUCHERON
White Gold, Sapphire, Amethyst and Diamond Wristwatch, ‘Tourbillon
Shéhérazade’, Ref. WA010215
Estimate: HK$280,000 – 480,000/
US$36,000 – 62,000
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BOUCHERON
Diamond and Sapphire’Hera’, Ring, ‘Animaux de Collection’
Estimate: HK$80,000 – 150,000/
US$10,000 – 20,000
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BOUCHERON
Gem Set and Diamond ‘Kaa’ Ring, ‘Animaux de Collection’
Estimate: HK$55,000 – 80,000/
US$7,000 – 10,000
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Images: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/6j9v68mp7chqytbvib4l5/h?rlkey=1dvucypho62d616frij4kbvvf&dl=0
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The Hong Kong Jewels Auction: 5 October, 2 pm HKT
Location: Phillips Asia headquarters, G/F, WKCDA Tower, West Kowloon Cultural District, No. 8 Austin Road, West Kowloon
Previews:
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Dates
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Location
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8 - 9 September, 11 am – 6 pm
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Singapore – The St. Regis Hotel, 29 Tanglin Rd Singapore
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16-17 September, 11 am – 6 pm
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Taipei – Bellavita, B1 Art Gallery, Bellavita, No.28, Songren Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei
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28 September - 4 October,
10 am - 7 pm
5 October, 10am - 12pm
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Hong Kong - G/F, WKCDA Tower Cultural District, 8 Austin Rd W, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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ABOUT PHILLIPS
Phillips is a leading global platform for buying and selling 20th and 21st century art and design. With dedicated expertise in the areas of 20th Century and Contemporary Art, Design, Photographs, Editions, Watches, and Jewelry, Phillips offers professional services and advice on all aspects of collecting. Auctions and exhibitions are held at salerooms in New York, London, Geneva, and Hong Kong, while clients are further served through representative offices based throughout Europe, the United States and Asia. Phillips also offers an online auction platform accessible anywhere in the world. In addition to providing selling and buying opportunities through auction, Phillips brokers private sales and offers assistance with appraisals, valuations, and other financial services.
Visit www.phillips.com for further information.
*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium; prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium.
PRESS CONTACTS:
HONG KONG – Ingrid Hsu, Public Relations and Communications Director, Asia Ingridhsu@phillips.com +852 2318 2043
HONG KONG – Jiayi Zhang, Public Relations Coordinator Jiayizhang@phillips.com +852 2318 2080
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