$11 Million Briolette Breaks Record at Christie’s Hong Kong Sale

(IDEX Online News) - A D-color IF diamond briolette of 75.36 carats sold for a world record price of $11,151,245 ($148,000 per carat) at Christie’s Hong Kong Sale of Magnificent Jewels on May 28. The price comfortably hit the upper range of its pre-sale estimate of $8.5-$12.5 million.

The auction, which raised $82,947,664, was 81 percent sold by lot and 85 percent by value.

Other top lots included a diamond and emerald drop fringe necklace mounted by Boucheron that sold for $5.7 million; a pair of Burmese ruby and diamond ear pendants by Etcetera that reached $3.9 million, and a suite of jadeite and diamond jewelry that was bought for just over $3 million.

"This marks the third record-breaking diamond result at Christie’s in New York, Geneva and now Hong Kong, all in one season,” said Vickie Sek, director of the Jewellery & Jadeite Department, Christie's Asia. “Collectors continue to show immense depth when bidding for great gems and masterpieces in the world of jewelry auctions.”