NEW YORK – A 28.86-carat D-color diamond sold for $2.12 million via Christie’s, setting a record for a jewel sold in an online auction.
The auction house’s Jewels Online ran June 16-30, with sales totaling $4.16 million. It drew bidders from 27 countries and five continents.
“The spectacular 28.86 carat D color diamond received immediate attention upon its announcement,” said Rahul Kadakia, international head of jewelry at Christie’s. “The stone possesses a transparency and purity which can only be found in the world’s finest diamonds. The sale of this exceptional stone established the record for a jewel sold in an online-only auction, demonstrating greater client confidence in Christie’s digital ability and online sale platform. We now look forward to the beginning of our live auction season for jewelry spanning all major Christie’s global sale sites led by a US$8m Fancy Intense Blue IF Diamond of 12.11 carats offered in Hong Kong on July 9.”
The diamond received 31 bids from four countries. Estimated at $1 million to $2 million, it was the highest valued lot ever offered in a Christie’s online sale.
Christie’s Jewels sales calendar for July 2020 includes live and online auctions in Geneva, Hong Kong, London, New York and Paris. The global sales will collectively feature over 1,000 jewels, including colorless diamonds, colored diamonds and rare gemstones, along with signed creations by Belperron, Bulgari, Cartier, Graff, Harry Winston, JAR, Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels and Verdura, with estimates ranging from $5,000 to $8 million.
Honoring a Legacy: How Smith & Son Jewelers Exceeded Every Goal With Wilkerson
When Andrew Smith decided to close the Springfield, Massachusetts location of Smith & Son Jewelers, the decision came down to family. His father was retiring after 72 years in the business, and Andrew wanted to spend more time with his children and soon-to-arrive grandchildren.
For this fourth-generation jeweler whose great-grandfather founded the company in 1918, closing the 107-year-old Springfield location required the right partner. Smith chose Wilkerson, and the experience exceeded expectations from start to finish.
"Everything they told me was 100% true," Smith says. "The ease and use of all their tools was wonderful."
The consultants' knowledge and expertise proved invaluable. Smith and his father set their own financial goal, but Wilkerson proposed three more ambitious targets. "We thought we would never make it," Smith explains. "We were dead wrong. We hit our first goal, second goal and third goal. It was amazing."
Smith's recommendation is emphatic: "I would never be able to do what they did by myself."
