Buyers were out in force at the Cheffins Jewellery, Silver & Watches Sale which took place at the firm’s Cambridge sale rooms on Thursday 4th August. Featuring a massive 661 lots, the sale grossed over £418,000, with a sale rate of 95 per cent as a number of lots in each of the three sections saw prices well over their pre-sale estimates.
Leading the 283-lot jewellery section was an aquamarine and diamond ring from Boodles, which sold for £12,000, six times over its lower presale estimate of £2,000, to a UK-based private buyer. Similarly, a cat’s eye chrysoberyl and diamond pendant/brooch achieved £11,000, against an estimate of £3,000 - £5,000 and a natural saltwater pearl and diamond necklace sold for £5,500, against an estimate of £1,000 - £2,000.
Boodles ring, sold for £12,000 at the Jewellery, Silver & Watches Sale
The second-hand watch market also continues to bear fruit, with a number of significant sales at the auction. A Daniel Roth Swiss platinum ‘Masters Ellipsocurvex Papillon’ sold for £13,000 against an estimate of £4,000 - £6,000, to a private buyer based in Australia; a lady’s Rolex steel and gold ‘Oyster Perpetual’ watch made £3,600 against an estimate of £1,000 - £2,000 and a 18ct gold Perrelet ‘Retrograde’ watch sold for £4,600 against an estimate of £1,500 - £2,500. In addition, the pocket watches were in demand, with only four unsold lots of the 68 offered.
Daniel Roth Swiss platinum ‘Masters Ellipsocurvex Papillon’ sold for £13,000, at the Jewellery, Silver & Watches Sale
Silver performed well on the day, with particular demand for Chinese examples, with a mid-19th century Chinese export silver trophy cup achieving £12,000 against an estimate of £1,000 - £2,000 when it sold to an Australian private buyer, similarly, a Chinese export silver vase sold for £3,200 against an estimate of £200 - £400 to a UK-based trade buyer. Quality English items also saw strong prices, with an 84-piece set of George IV silver flatware by the Batemans achieving £3,600, a pair of George II cast silver candlesticks by George Wickes sold for £3,000 and a canteen containing a 76-piece set of Victorian silver flatware made £2,200.
Steven Collins, Head of Jewellery, Silver & Watches at Cheffins says: “This sale saw an eclectic catalogue, with a number of stunning jewellery lots which all achieved well above their estimates. Similarly, silver appears to be coming back into fashion, with all of the 191 lots offered finding new homes amongst both private and trade buyers. We saw a packed saleroom on sale day, as well as hundreds of buyers joining us online for this fantastic summer sale. Buyers were a mix of trade and private, from across the globe, with sales overseas to Australia, Europe and the Americas. The second-hand watch market has been well-documented as one of the most buoyant collecting classes currently, and this sale saw some great, well sought-after examples all achieving strong prices.”
The next Jewellery, Silver & Watches Sale will take place at Cheffins on Thursday 24th November.
Prices reported are hammer prices, not inclusive of buyers’ premium and VAT.
The Jewellery, Silver, Watches Sale – 4th August 2022
Location: Cheffins, Clifton House, 1-2 Clifton Road, Cambridge, UK, CB1 7EA
For further information contact the Fine Art Department on 01223 213343, fine.art@cheffins.co.uk