Sale by Phillips Hong Kong June 5 June 2021 2:30pm HKT
Phillips Hong Kong is holding its tenth jewellery sale, marking a milestone for this British auction house that has firmly established itself in this region as the centre for jewellery selling excellence. The sale offers a carefully curated selection of jewels, each chosen by a team of international experts, ensuring a quality and range second to none. The sale will tempt jewellery lovers with diamonds both coloured and colourless as well as an array of signed jewels and exquisite coloured gems as well as one-offs by contemporary designers.
The sale has an impressive offering of colour diamonds which are the ultimate luxury and are appreciated by royalty, collectors and connoisseurs for their rare beauty and tantalising hues. Unlike anything else in the gem world, they have the brilliance of the diamond thanks to the refractive qualities of this stone as well as being blessed with the purest of colour, captured for eternity in the hardest mineral on earth. Coloured diamonds represent less than 1% of all diamonds found on earth and were formed deep within the earth’s crust millions of years ago due a serendipitous fluke of nature. Colour is determined by which chemicals are present during their creation and in the case of blue diamonds it is boron that gives them their celestial hue. As for saturation, the deeper and more even the colour the better, Fancy Vivid is the most desirable colour grading and represents only 5% of all colour diamonds followed by Fancy, which is also highly unusual.
Blue is the colour of royalty making diamonds of this hue highly desirable. Look no further than the famous Blue Hope and its enigmatic history to understand the allure and historical significance of blue diamonds, forever associated with majesty. Colour diamonds are associated with specific mines and blues have only been unearthed in a handful of locations in Australia, India and Africa and they are rarely found in sizes about 2 carats. Phillips is able to offer one of the earth's greatest treasures in the form of a set of Fancy blue diamond earrings (Lot 659, pre-sale estimate: $500,000 to $770,000) and a transformable pendant and ring (Lot 658, pre-sale estimate: $500,000 to $770,000) that are the star of the sale and would be the jewel in the crown of anyone’s jewellery collection. The blue diamonds are evenly saturated and masterfully cut to reveal their lively sky-blue colour, enhanced by a halo of brilliant-cut diamonds.
Diamond lovers will know that D-Flawless is the top clarity grading for colourless diamonds. These absolutely perfect miracles of nature are clear of any impurities or flaws, even when viewed under magnification in a gem-grading laboratory. In real life, this means that they shine brighter than lesser graded diamonds and have a water-like purity to them that catches the light with the utmost brilliance. Look out for an impressive and rare D-Flawless 10.59-carat diamond platinum ring from the storied Letšeng mine in Lesotho (Lot 665, pre-sale estimate: $700,000 to $830,000). The Letšeng mine, in the kingdom of Lesotho carved out of a pocket of South Africa, is highest diamond mine in the world. Despite the extreme conditions of operating a mine at high altitude, work continues as this source produces the highest value per carat of diamonds of anywhere in the world. What’s more, it has yielded an impressive array record-breaking, large, top quality diamonds that consistently have been the highlight of auctions around the world.
The emerald-cut is the most unforgiving as its long, clean planes reveal the smallest of flaws in any gem, which is why it is usually only premium quality diamonds that are cut to this shape. Case in point: the D-Flawless emerald-cut earrings with diamonds weighing 3.05 and 3.13 carats respectively. (Lot 662, pre-sale estimate: $140,000 to $270,000). Brilliantly simple in its design, the focus is entirely on the beauty of these flawless diamonds.
When diamonds meet great design then the magic begins. Diamonds appear to dance in the Harry Winston bracelet (Lot 611, pre-sale estimate: $250,000 to $380,000) with a staggering 55 carats of diamonds in multiple cuts and sizes in a flexible mesh. This style of setting an array of diamond cuts and sizes, all at different angles is a recurring motif in Harry Winston jewels that perfectly captures the glamour of New York in the King of Diamonds inimitable style. French elegance with an Art Deco air emanates from the diamond and onyx bracelet by Chanel (Lot 556, pre-sale estimate: $20,000 to $33,000). The geometric design coupled with the soft fluidity of its construction makes this a classic jewellery box staple that will never go out of style and add a chic highlight the simplest little black dress.
Even when not playing a central role, diamonds are the perfect foil to vivaciously bright gemstones. The mesmerising Cartier bombé style ring (Lot 598, pre-sale estimate: $200,000 to $255,000) features an impressive 4.00-carat pigeon blood ruby from Burma with no indication of heat. The intense red of the ruby is surrounded by a dazzling frame of brilliant-cut diamonds to fiery effect. Likewise, the magnificent deep green of emeralds comes alive with the bright white fire of diamonds in a ring Van Cleef & Arpels circa 1965 (Lot 654, pre-sale estimate: $300,000 to $425,000). The impressive octagonal Colombian emerald of the most desirable lush verdant tone comes to life thanks to the baguette-cut diamonds on the shank and the graduated brilliant-cut diamonds that frame it. This is the ultimate cocktail ring with all the elegance and prestige associated with Van Cleef & Arpels, the famous Place Vendôme jeweller. Another Colombian emerald jewel not to be missed is a pair of striking earrings (Lot 612). Two cushion-shaped emeralds of 8.01 and 8.61 carats respectively gently sway below the Cluster-style ear clips by Harry Winston. The cool white of the pear and marquise cut diamonds are the perfect contrast to the velvety green depths of these eye-catching emeralds.
Hong Kong jewellery designer Karen Suen plays with colour to bring a fresh look to an eye-catching pair of earrings (Lot 570, pre-sale estimate: $32,000 to $45,000). Ms Suen ably combines traditional green jadeite with the electric blue of Paraiba tourmalines to stunning effect in these earrings that lightly span the ear in a glorious fan of colour. A future classic and highly wearable, these earrings are sure to appeal to a fashion-conscious woman with an eye for fun.
Sale date: 5 June 2021 2:30pm HKT at JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Viewing 2-5 June at JW Marriott Hotel as above
International Tour
Taipei
22-23 May, 11am-6pm
B1 Art Gallery, Bellavita, No.28, Songren Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei
RSVP [email protected]
Taichung
26 May, 11am-6pm
Fong-Yi Art Gallery, B1, No. 110, Sec. 1, Wuquan W. Rd., West Dist., Taichung City, Taiwan
RSVP [email protected]
