Royal Indian Jewels and Artefacts fetch $109 million at Christie’s New York

With 400 lots on offer, a staggering 387 lots were sold, with the Belle Époque diamond bracelet by Cartier fetching the highest bid of USD 10,603,500

Belle Époque diamond Diamond Devant-De-Corsage Brooch by Cartier fetched the highest price of USD 10,603,500

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20 Jun 2019, 4:08 pm

The much awaited June sale ‘Maharajas & Mughal Magnificence’ at Christie’s witnessed an array of breathtaking jewels from a bygone era, with stories that transcend time and more importantly, diamonds and coloured gemstones, whose provenance and rarity are beyond the faculty of our imagination.

The auction that took place in New York on Wednesday left the audience gobsmacked with jewels and objets d'art from the Palaces of Indian Royalty. Belle Époque and Art Deco pieces stole the show, while pieces redolent with diamonds, spinels and emeralds were also a big hit.

Among 400 lots that went under the hammer, a staggering 387 pieces were sold – in a statement, Christie’s said that this is the highest total for any auction of Indian art and Mughal objects, and the second highest auction total for a private jewellery collection. The sale of jewels with a glorious history dating back to 500 years or more is only second to the sale of Elizabeth Taylor’s jewellery that fetched a whopping $144 million in 2011.

Among many pieces that were sold, a Belle Époque diamond Diamond Devant-De-Corsage Brooch by Cartier fetched the highest price of USD 10,603,500. Old diamonds entrenched in Indian history received incredible amounts with the ‘Mirror of Paradise’ diamond ring having gone for USD 6,517,500. The diamond is said to have come from the legendary Golconda mine and is also the oldest diamond known to mankind. The Arcot II diamond that once belonged to the Nawab of Arcot was sold for USD 3,375,00.

Mirror of Paradise’ diamond ring fetched USD 6,517,500

Jewels from the ostentatious courts of the Nizams of Hyderabad exceeded expectations as well – the Nizam of Hyderabad antique necklace with uncut antique diamonds, emerald and enamel received a handsome sum of USD USD 1,155,000 and a ceremonial sword fetched USD 1,935,000, but the winning piece was an antique diamond riviere necklace, which sold USD $2,415,000.

Many pieces by Cartier went under the hammer for princely amounts. A Natural Pearl & Diamond Necklace was sold for a whopping USD 1,095,000. A gorgeous pearl and diamond bracelet by Cartier that once belonged to Maharani Sita Devi was sold for USD 1,155,000.

Natural Pearl & Diamond Necklace by Cartier sold for USD 1,095,000

The auction that witnessed participants from 45 countries including Hong Kong, parts of Europe, U.S. and India took place for a marathon 12 hours according to Chrisie's.

Highlights from the auction include:

A Belle Époque Devant-de-corsage, by Cartier, Paris, 1912, which sold for $10,603,500 to a private collector in the room.
The Mirror of Paradise, 52.58 carats, D Color, IF, which achieved $6,517,500
The Shah Jahan Dagger which sold for $3,375,000, establishing the record price for an Indian jade object and record for a piece with Shah Jahan provenance
An Antique Imperial Spinel, Pearl and Emerald Necklace, which realized $3,015,000
Golconda Diamond Rivière Necklace, from the collection of the Nizams of Hyderabad, which sold for $2,415,000.

An Antique Diamond Reverie necklace with thirty-three graduated old-cut diamonds, the seven central diamonds weighing from late 19th century, once belonged to the Nizams of Hyderabad. This stunner of a necklace sold for USD 2,415,000.