Winter Jewels

New York and Online, 10 - 21 December 2015

From the legendary Victory diamond to the perfect everyday accessory, this season’s Jewellery auctions present an extraordinary range of jewels for all levels of connoisseurship and for every occasion.

The Magnificent Jewels sale at Christie’s New York will feature an unprecedented offering of diamonds, important gemstones and signed jewels from the world’s most renowned jewellery houses, including Cartier, Graff, Harry Winston and Van Cleef & Arpels. The Christie’s Jewels Online Boutique featuring Fred Leighton, an inaugural online pop-up shop for the holiday season, will follow on 11–21 December. Learn more about the stories behind the season’s top offerings, view our Holiday Wish List curated by our very own specialists and discover esteemed private collections, including the Estate of Carroll Petrie.

Videos

  • A New York icon’s trove

    Specialist Daphne Lingon takes us behind the scenes of the estate of philanthropist and socialite Carroll Petrie

  • Diamond in the rough

    Discover the historic Victory diamond, named for the Allied victory during World War I and yielded from a rough of over 770 carats

All videos

A New York icon’s trove

Diamond in the rough

Special Features

  • Christie’s December Instagram roundup
  • With a flurry of brilliant gemstones and luxurious baubles showing up on Instagram feeds, it seems that our Magnificent Jewels auction and Christie’s Jewels Online Boutique are just around the corner
  • Read more

Holiday Wish List

Christie’s specialists on the jewels they would most like to have this holiday season

  • A Pair of Natural Pearl and Diamond Ear Pendants

    Estimate
    $300,000–500,000
    Property
    Property of a Lady

    These exquisite and rare pair of matched natural pearls have all the characteristics that a collector would want — beautiful lustre, well-matched, impressive size and in a fitted case by Garrard, once the crown jewellers appointed by Queen Victoria. The pendants were from a private collection and most likely a wedding present in the 1930s to a relative of the consignor’s. Since then, they were almost never worn and are in pristine condition.

  • Lapis Lazuli and Diamond Long Chain Necklace, by Fred Leighton

    Price
    $15,000

    I love lapis — it’s a medium blue toned-stone, sometimes with golden specks, that works for both formal and informal occasions. This chain can be thrown on with blue jeans every day, because it picks up the ‘denim blue’ shade of the jeans. Its length also makes it a perfect layering piece to go with the longer 70s-style shirts that are so in right now. It’s a great fashion piece.

  • An Art Deco Coral, Diamond and Onyx Bracelet, by Cartier

    circa 1930, 7 1/2 ins., with French assay marks for platinum
    signed Cartier, Paris, with maker's mark
    Estimate
    $80,000–120,000
    Property
    Property of a Private Collector

    This beautiful bracelet was made during the Art Deco period in the 1930s by Cartier, widely known as the finest jeweller at this time. The bracelet has great colour and dimension with its stacking fluted coral beads finished with diamond collet at the top and an intricate diamond clasp with diamonds and black onyx. This highly collectible piece is from a private collection and coming on the market for the very first time.

  • The ‘Perfect’ Pair of Diamond Pendant Earrings

    Price
    $45,000

    These drops are very high colour, very high quality. They can suit a formal setting, but they’re also not too large to wear on a daily basis. I think it’d be terribly chic to wear them with a crisp white shirt, whether it’s with jeans or irreverently with a ball gown. The movement of the drop exudes an element of fun whatever the occasion! Ultimately, it’d make an important, lasting purchase.

  • A Colored Diamond and Diamond Ring, by J.E. Caldwell

    signed ‘J.E.C Co.’ for J.E. Caldwell, no. G 257
    Estimate
    $400,000–600,000

    This stunning example of Belle Époque jewellery, which is characterized by delicate platinum mountings and white diamonds with a feminine tone, was made by J.E. Caldwell, one of the most reputable American jeweller firms founded in Philadelphia at the beginning of the 20th century. This ring incorporates a coloured diamond that the GIA has graded as ‘fancy to fancy intense blue’, a rare and highly sought-after colour in the market. The range in colour is due to the fact that the stone could not be removed without damaging the mounting. It’s unusual that a coloured diamond such as this would have remained in its original mounting and that it has not been recut in order to enhance the colour, so it has retained its original charming proportions. Whether this is a fancy or fancy intense blue, this is a rare stone and a truly rare find.

  • Pink Gold and Diamond Cuff Bracelet

    Price
    $12,500

    Cuffs are very on trend right now. There are several of them in our sale. I picked this one that, unlike the typical cuff, has some ‘give’ and flexibility, making it remarkably comfortable. The coiled wire in an intricate lattice pattern with its slight spring ensures that it’s not too stiff for daily wear. The pattern is beautiful, but the best part is that there are diamonds interspersed on the cuff, making it dressier and also giving greater contrast to the gold. The cuff is very wearable and classic for anytime, anywhere.