Those in the market for some fresh fall finery are in luck.
Christie’s Jewels Online auction is taking place from now until October 23, giving collectors a chance to bid on more than 150 lots of fine jewelry and coveted pieces by Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels, and other top houses.
The star of the sale is a dazzling Kashmir sapphire. The 16.58-carat cabochon gem sits at the center of a platinum ring, with tapered, baguette-cut diamonds on either side. The showstopper is expected to fetch between $800,000 and $1.2 million. The sale also includes several other notable Kashmirs, including a 5.82-carat modified octagonal step-cut sapphire and diamond ring (estimate: $200,000–$300,000) and a 4.81-carat cushion mixed-cut sapphire and diamond ring (estimate: $150,000–$250,000).
Kashmirs are considered the finest sapphires in the world, prized for their beauty, scarcity, and cultural significance. They were discovered in a remote part of the Himalayas after an avalanche in the Zanskar range in 1881 exposed a rich deposit of sapphires. From 1882 to 1887, miners extracted some of the largest and most beautiful stones from the Padar region of Kashmir, before the deposit was eventually exhausted. (Business dried up over the subsequent decades, though the Kashmiri government announced plans for new sapphire mining operations in May 2024.)
The sapphires went on to become a favorite among aristocrats in 19th-century Europe and remain coveted among jewelry collectors. Some cultures even believe the Kashmirs calm the mind, relieve stress, and bring loyalty and wisdom.
Sapphires aside, the auction includes some other beauties for the fingers, such as a 24.99-carat diamond ring (estimate: $400,000–$600,000) and another diamond ring featuring an emerald originally recovered from the Atocha shipwreck of 1622 (estimate: $30,000–$50,000).
Rarities from the collection of Max and Cecile Draime are also up for grabs. Highlights from the 38 lots include a Tiffany & Co. tanzanite and diamond pendant necklace (estimate: $30,000–$50,000) and a pair of Graff diamond cluster earrings (estimate: $20,000–$30,000).
Select pieces from the auction will be on display at Christie’s Rockefeller Center galleries from October 17 to 22, meaning you can peruse the beauties in person before purchasing.
