From sparkling sapphires to elegant emeralds, coloured gemstones are back in vogue. Our experts share their favourite jewels that have gone under the hammer
1/5 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.”
See also: The Rise Of Coloured Gemstones And How To Wear Them
2/5 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.”
3/5 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.”
4/5 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.”
5/5 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.”
See also: Classic High Jewellery Pieces Every Woman Should Own
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