Tatler Singapore

Famous Gemstones Sold at Auction

From sparkling sapphires to elegant emeralds, coloured gemstones are back in vogue. Our experts share their favourite jewels that have gone under the hammer

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WENHAO YU / SOTHEBY’S ASIA

“The 1927 Cartier bracelet from Sotheby’s Magnificen­t Jewels and Noble Jewels sale in November 2019. It had a 47.07-carat, royal-blue Burmese sapphire and I was honoured to bid on behalf of a client from Asia. It went from US$2 million to US$5 million in just two minutes. After a battle that lasted almost half an hour, it was sold for over US$6 million.”

JEAN GHIKA / BONHAMS

“The cushion-shaped, 10.09-carat antique ‘no oil’ Colombian emerald, which was sold at a Bonhams Hong Kong auction in November 2014 for HK$7.2 million.”

LUCIA SILVESTRI / BULGARI

“A beautiful cushion-cut, 31-carat Sri Lankan sapphire was auctioned by Christie’s in Geneva in 2011. I almost bought it but at the very end, the price shot up and I had to bail out. I will never forget it.”

ANDREW COXON / DE BEERS

“It would have to be the oval-shaped, 10.10-carat Fancy Vivid blue diamond known as The De Beers Millennium Jewel 4, which was sold by Sotheby’s Hong Kong in April 2016 for US$31.8 million. In 2000, I had valued it at US$5 million.”

ELENA BASAGLIA / GEMFIELDS

“In November 2018 we sold Inkalamu, a 5,655-carat Zambian emerald crystal with remarkable clarity and a perfectly balanced golden-green hue. It’s difficult to estimate how many individual gems will be cut from it, but I’m sure its offspring will continue its legacy for generation­s to come.”

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