Royal Provenance, Modern Brilliance

Ioannis Alexandris — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 22:08:15 +0000

The November/December 2025 auctions delivered a spectacular sequence of sales, with some of the most historically compelling and visually arresting jewels to appear at auction in recent years. Over a few days, collectors witnessed a fascinating dialogue between royal provenance, sculptural modern jewelry, exquisite antique pieces, and rare natural diamonds—each piece weaving its own story of heritage, artistry, and market strength.

Christie’s opened the week with its Magnificent Jewels on 11 November in Geneva, followed by the digital Jewels Online. Among the star attractions was the Mellon Blue, a fabulous 9.51-carat Fancy Vivid Blue diamond ring once owned by Rachel Lambert Mellon. With its VVS1 clarity, Type IIb classification, and blazing saturation, the stone typified the near-mythic rarity of top-tier blue diamonds. Its blend of historical provenance and gemological prestige positioned it as the crown jewel of Christie’s 2025 offering.

The ‘Vanderbilt Sapphire’ brooch features a 42.68-ct Kashmir no-heat sapphire, set in a Tiffany brooch. Sold at Phillips Geneva for CHF 2,876,000.

Bulgari clip featuring 24.33-ct heart-shaped yellow sapphire, 21.98-ct oval blue sapphire, 11.10-ct pink topaz, and 10.49-ct cabochon emerald. Sold at Christie’s Geneva for CHF 120,650.

The 9.51-ct ‘Mellon Blue’, a modified pear brilliant-cut fancy vivid blue diamond, natural color, VVS1 clarity, potentially Internally Flawless, Type IIb set in platinum. Sold at Christie’s Geneva for CHF 20,525,000.

‘The Shah Jahan Emerald’ is a 30.60-ct carved Colombian emerald, minor clarity enhancement. Sold at Christie’s Geneva for CHF 660,400.

Phillips had a few stars of its own. Among them was the Vanderbilt Sapphire, a 42.68-carat sugar-loaf Kashmir sapphire set in a Tiffany & Co. brooch. Coming from the storied Vanderbilt family, the unheated stone impressed with its rich Royal Blue color and exceptional provenance. It soared to CHF 2,876,000 at Phillips’ Geneva sale, nearly triple its low estimate.

Jadeite (Fei Cui) bead and diamond necklace. Sold at Christie’s Hong Kong for HKD 10,668,000

Art Deco “Tutti Frutti” bracelet by Cartier. Sold at Christie’s Hong Kong for HKD 16,360,000.

Royal Blue Kashmir sapphire (104.61 ctw) and diamond (121.81 ctw) necklace, no indications of heating, Sold Christie’s Hong Kong for HKD 125,450,000.

Late 19th century, cushion-shaped Colombian emeralds of 3.91 and 3.71 cts, no indication of clarity modification in fissures, old-cut diamonds, silver and gold, 1890s and later. Sold at Christie’s Geneva for CHF 292,100

Two unmounted Royal Blue Kashmir sapphires, 3.96 cts and 3.86 cts, no indications of heating. Sold at Christie’s Geneva for CHF 711,200.

Tiffany & Co. Brazilian Paraiba tourmaline (13.54 cts) and diamond necklace, indications of heating at low temperature, along with a pair of earrings featuring oval modified brilliant-cut Paraíba tourmalines of 3.45 and 3.19 cts, in platinum. Sold at Christie’s Jewels Online December 2025 auction in New York, for USD 4,223,000 for the necklace and USD 1,270,000 for the earrings.

Ring with a 12.78-ct cushion-shaped Burmese ruby between triangular diamond shoulders, no indications of heating, and minor amount of orange oil in fissures. Sold at Sotheby’s Geneva for CHF 1,079,500.

Ring set with a cushion-shaped 7.91-ct Kashmir sapphire, no indications of heating. Sold at Sotheby’s Geneva for
CHF 330,200.

Highly significant diamond brooch/pendant, featuring a 13.04-ct oval diamond surrounded by old mine- and mazarin-cut diamonds, early 19th century. Provenance: Emperor Napoleon I (1769-1821) and lost as he fled Waterloo; King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia (1770-1840) presented by Lieutenant von Pless; and the Hohenzollern Family Jewels. Sold at Sotheby’s Geneva for CHF 3,527,000.

Historically important unmounted cushion-shaped green beryl weighing 132.66 cts, worn by Emperor Napoleon I at
his coronation. Sold at Sotheby’s
Geneva for CHF 838,200.

Historical ring set with an old-mine brilliant-cut 13.86-ct light pink diamond, the mount embellished with old-mine and rose-cut diamonds, natural color, VS2 clarity, mid-19th century. Provenance: Neslishah Sultan (1921-2012). Sold at Sotheby’s Geneva for CHF 2,917,000.

Van Cleef & Arpels 7.69-ct Royal Blue Kashmir sapphire and diamond ring/pendant combination, no indications of heating. Sold at Sotheby’s Geneva for CHF 914,400.

Ring with a 3.55-ct cushion-shaped Burmese ‘Pigeon’s Blood’ ruby flanked by pear-shaped diamonds, no indications of heating. Sold at Sotheby’s Geneva for CHF 304,800.

Ruby, sapphire and diamond necklace, ‘Plumes’, circa 1960, signed Schlumberger. Sold at Phillips Geneva for CHF 283,800.

Historically important natural pearl and diamond transformable jewel (circa 1840) and a brooch (circa 1860) designed as a graduated garland of vines set throughout with old mine-cut diamonds, accented by rose-cut diamonds, suspending a series of drop-shaped and slightly baroque drop-shaped natural pearls. Sold at Sotheby’s Geneva for CHF 355,600.w

For collectors seeking potential and creative freedom, The Rainbow Collection—a trove of 300 unmounted colored diamonds—offered pure possibility. From vivid pinks to fiery oranges and steely greys, the assortment was both a designer’s palette and a connoisseur’s dream.

Christie’s digital counterpart, Jewels Online, further broadened the market. With over CHF 8.3
million achieved, the sale showcased signed pieces, vibrant gemstones, and accessible diamonds, welcoming newer collectors and offering seasoned buyers a more discreet, curated browsing experience.

Diamond tiara, designed as a garland of wild roses, each flowerhead centering a stamen set ‘en tremblant’ with an old mine-cut diamond framed by rose-cut diamond pistils, the petals, leaves, and rose buds pavé-set with similarly shaped diamonds, circa 1840. Sold at Sotheby’s Geneva for CHF 393,700.

On November 12, Sotheby’s Geneva presented a remarkable narrative of royal heritage and extra-ordinary gemstones across two consecutive sales: Royal & Noble Jewels in the afternoon and High Jewelry in the evening. With a combined total surpassing CHF 41 million, the day was steeped in both opulence and history.

Late 19th century 10.07-ct Burmese ruby and rose-cut diamond brooch, circa 1880, no indications of heating. Sold at Christie’s Geneva for CHF 2,280,400.

The undisputed highlight was Napoleon’s Lost Diamond Brooch, dating to around 1810, centered with an 13.04-carat diamond and framed by nearly a hundred old-mine cuts. Said to have been abandoned in Napoleon’s carriage during his retreat from Waterloo, the brooch remained within the House of Hohenzollern for over two centuries. Its dramatic sale, reaching roughly CHF 3.5 million, nearly 18 times its high estimate, was a testament to the enduring magnetism of imperial provenance.

Further deepening the Napoleonic narrative was a 132.66-carat green beryl, believed to have been worn during Napoleon’s 1804 coronation. Modestly estimated yet monumental in historical value, the gem for nearly 20 times its high estimate.

A gentler, more romantic lineage appeared in the 13.86-carat light pink diamond ring of Princess Neslişah Sultan, while the natural pearl and diamond hair ornament of Kunigunde of Saxony celebrated 19th-century aristocratic aesthetics through its Sévigné-style reinterpretation.

Sotheby’s evening sale had earlier offered a contem-porary rarity with The Glowing Rose, a 10.08-carat Fancy Vivid Pink diamond of exceptional purity, but it was withdrawn from the sale.

Oval Imperial pink topaz within an openwork border of foliate design, set with old mine- and rose-cut diamonds, circa 1840. Sold at Sotheby’s Geneva for
CHF 44,450.

Multi-gem earrings, with zircons, sapphires, pink and green sapphires, aquamarines and diamonds, 18K rose gold, and silver (French marks), signed JAR, Paris. Sold at Christie’s Geneva for CHF 381,000.

Ring set with a 16.26-ct cushion-shaped Colombian emerald flanked by brilliant-cut diamond shoulders, the gallery channel-set with baguette diamonds, minor oil in fissures. Sold at Sotheby’s Geneva for CHF 120,650.

Kashmir sugarloaf 15.17-ct sapphire and diamond ‘Trombino’ ring, signed Bvlgari, no indications of heating, in 18K gold. Sold at Christie’s Geneva for
CHF 1,041,400

Together, Christie’s, Phillips, and Sotheby’s delivered a tapestry of jewels spanning centuries, from imperial relics to modern masterpieces. Rare colored diamonds dominated demand, royal provenance fueled emotional bidding, and online formats expanded accessibility. Geneva’s Fall 2025 auctions were not just sales—they were a celebration of the enduring allure of jewels.

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Royal Provenance, Modern Brilliance