(PRESS RELEASE) NEW YORK — On Thursday, amidst the growing impact of the coronavirus on the jewelry and diamond market, Fortuna held its first-ever virtual live jewelry auction. While most other auction houses have shut their doors or postponed sales, Fortuna felt a great sense of responsibility to its consigners, who were understandably more eager to make a sale in these uncertain times. The March Fine Jewels sale, which was held exclusively online and over the phone, saw the greatest volume of online bidders in Fortuna’s history. In fact, nearly 90% of winning bidders came from online platforms; and Fortuna’s mobile app saw a 20% increase in use, compared to their previous auction in February.
Fortuna’s digital efforts are hardly new, and their state-of-the-art bidding technology has granted the boutique NY auction house the ability to reach buyers globally. With recent developments in global health, the company has heavily ramped up its online presence for March, adding video shots of jewelry to their online catalog, and even introducing a new service: virtual previews for clients who are unable to come and see the pieces up close. As an added measure to protect the health of clients and staff, Fortuna was quick to employ strict hygiene protocols recommended by global and national health authorities. Those who attended previews in-person were provided gloves and hand sanitizing stations; and jewelry being handled by clients were sanitized immediately after each point of contact.
While the auction saw a great influx of live online bids, it also achieved greater quantities of pre-bidding activity. One lot that particularly enthused collectors was the Mauboussin Art Deco Diamond and Rock Crystal Brooch. The brooch came with a letter of authenticity from Mauboussin, as well as a copy of the original archive drawing from the jewelry firm—an extremely valuable point of interest to any collector. This beautiful piece of art history achieved $18,750 at auction, surpassing its high estimate and more than doubling the starting bid. The sale also featured a Cartier Egyptian Revival Diamond Cuff, a bold statement piece depicting Horus, the Egyptian god of sky. The lot achieved $31,250 at auction, far surpassing its starting bid of $18,000—confirming the strength that vintage Cartier commands at market.
Upcoming Fortuna Auction Sales
The heightened sanitation efforts and significant improvements to Fortuna’s digital catalog browsing experience will continue for the upcoming Important Jewels and Important Watches sales, taking place on April 30th. If you have jewelry or watches you would like to submit for April’s auction, the last day to consign is March 30th. Visit www.FortunaAuction.com or call (212) 389-9040 for a free online valuation.