The recent Sotheby's jewellery auction on July 12 saw the top five items remain unsold.
Meanwhile, a diamond jigha, or turban ornament, secured the highest price The Belle Époque piece contains variously shaped diamonds, including a pear-shaped drop in a detachable segment that doubles as a brooch, bringing in $1.3 mn. In total, the July 12 Important Jewels sale garnered $11.1 mn.
However, the five lots with the highest presale prices failed to sell. Those included a jadeite, diamond and ruby necklace with an upper estimate of $2.3 mn; a Burmese ruby and diamond necklace; and a ring with a 21.35-carat yellow diamond. The latter two had high estimates of $1.5 mn. Two other rings remained on the auction block, both bearing presale price tags of up to $1.4 mn - one with a 3.70-carat green diamond, and the other with a brilliant-cut, 11.69-carat D-flawless stone.
Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished
