Most hotels were closed; the streets were nearly empty; there were no crowds to visit the auction houses prior to the sales… This was the scene preceding the normally well attended events put on by Christie’s and Sotheby’s at their biannual auctions during November in Geneva, Switzerland. Both before and after the auctions, Cynthia Unninayar spoke with the intrepid auction goer and antiques expert, Ioannis Alexandris — one of the very few prospective buyers invited by the houses to privately peruse the goods before the virtual auctions—to get his take on the situation and the jewels.
“I arrived in Geneva just before the lockdown,” Ioannis Alexandris explains, “and was one of the invitees who could examine the jewels before the auction. The restrictions due to Covid-19 clearly made the trip and the private showings very difficult, but still doable.” He adds that he spent many hours at the previews, accompanied by the person showing the jewels as well as one or more security guards.
“Still, it was worthwhile,” he smiles. On sale were historical and noble-provenance jewels as well as exceptional gemstones and diamonds. “Among the signed pieces from important jewelers were those by Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Mauboussin, Bulgari and Chaumet.” Because of the pandemic, the number of lots was much lower than previously, and Ioannis felt that “it was a buyer’s market.”
In terms of diamonds, one of the most talked about lots was The Spirit of the Rose, a remarkable 14.83-carat vivid purplepink diamond offered by Sotheby’s, which included its Russian provenance and cutting history. “It is a wonder of Nature both in terms of color and cut, truly magnificent,” he adds. At Christie’s, much attention was given to a Graff brooch that featured a 107.46-carat fancy yellow diamond, as well as a 3.96-carat fancy deep blue pear-shaped diamond and platinum ring.
Sapphire (16.45 cts) and diamond ring, Kashmir, no heat, no enhancement, in gold setting. Christie's: CHF725,000.
Sapphire necklace with 89.31-ct center, bracelet with 93.36-ct center, earrings (15.32, 16.71 cts), Ceylon, no heat, Van Cleef & Arpels. Sotheby's: Estimate: CHF500,000-800,000; unsold.
Sapphire (35.42 cts) and diamond pendant, Ceylon, no heat, by Harry Winston. Christie's: CHF587,500.
Emerald and diamond brooch, Colombian origin, with none to a minor amount of oil, 1930s, by Cartier. Sotheby's: CHF182,700.
An emerald and diamond parure of floral and foliate design in closed-back settings, collet-set with three step-cut emeralds highlighted with oval and circular-cut emeralds, single- and circular cut diamonds, supporting a pear-shaped 11.94-ct emerald. Formerly in the collection of Manuel de Guirior y Portal de Huarte y Edozain, First Marquis de Guirior. Sotheby's: CHF988,000.
Necklace of pear-shaped emerald of 6.97 cts, cushion-shaped emeralds of 9.89 and 4.36 cts, octagonal-cut emeralds of 9.61 to 1.88 cts with diamonds, by Bulgari. Christie's: CHF1,770,000.
Cushion-shaped no-heat ruby (9.44 cts) and diamond ring, by Graff, East African origin. Sotheby's: CHF327,600.
Spinel and diamond brooch, vari-shaped red spinels, old and single-cut diamonds, silver, 9.5 cm. Christie's: CHF93,750.
Cushion-shaped Ceylon sapphire (67.21 cts) and diamond ring. Christie’s: CHF500,000.
"The Spirit of the Rose," a 14.83-ct oval modified brilliant-cut fancy vivid purple-pink diamond. Sotheby's: CHF24,393,000.
Fine ruby and diamond necklace by Chaumet, ca 1905, composed of 16 clusters of cushion-cut rubies, 0.68 - 4.37 cts. Sotheby's: CHF302,400.
Fancy deep blue pear modified brilliant-cut diamond (3.96 cts), SI1 clarity, in platinum setting. Christie's: CHF1,590,000.
Cushion-shaped Kashmir sapphire (43.95 ctw) and diamond bracelet, no heat, no clarity enhancement. Christie's: CHF2,190,000.
Fancy vivid yellow rectangular step-cut diamond (28.88 cts), kiteshaped diamonds, in platinum and gold setting. Christie’s: CHF2,850,000.
