A series of coloured gems led the final Jewellery, Silver & Watches Sale of 2023, as a pink sapphire and diamond ring achieved £31,000, over three times it’s presale estimate, when it sold to an overseas private buyer.
Hosted on 23rd November at Cheffins’ Cambridge-based saleroom, the auction saw 547 high-value lots go under the hammer, achieving a total of £400,000 with a 96 per cent sale rate.
Other significant results in the jewellery section included, £13,000 for a Georgian pink topaz cased parure; £5,500 paid for an Art Deco style emerald and diamond ring; £5,000 for a 20th century pearl and diamond bracelet, while an Art Deco diamond line bracelet achieved £3,600.
Fay Roach, Jewellery specialist at Cheffins comments: “At 298 lots, this was the largest jewellery section to have been offered at Cheffins to date. We saw rubies, emeralds, sapphires, tanzanite and aquamarine pieces all of which struck chords with both private buyers and the trade, as these appear to be heading back into fashion. Pearls also appear to be on the rise, with a number of pearl lots achieving strong prices against their pre-sale estimates.”
Pink sapphire and diamond ring, sold for £31,000
The wristwatch section was fully sold out, with an 18ct white gold Patek Philippe from circa 2003 leading the charge when it sold for £7,500 against an estimate of £2,000 - £4000. Other highlights included a limited edition Bremont ‘Victory’ watch, which was built using parts of the historic oak timbers and copper from HMS Victory, Nelson’s flagship and which achieved £6,000 against an estimate of £2,000 - £4,000. Various other models from makers such as Rolex, Cartier, Omega, Baume & Mercier and Ebel were all also sought-after.
Bremont Victory, sold for £6,000
Among the silver, only two of the 122-lot strong section were left unsold, with some significant prices achieved including £1,300 for 12 Elizabeth II silver goblets, £1,100 for a George V silver monteith and £1,000 for a pair of dishes by Asprey.
Steven Collins, Head of Jewellery, Silver & Watches at Cheffins comments: “The watch collectors were out in force at the final sale of this year, with the majority overlooking pocket watches in favour of modern brand-named wristwatches. Bidding was strong in this area, as buying watches second-hand becomes increasingly de rigueur with private collectors. The pieces offered at this sale had been consigned from some of the finest private estates and collections from across the country, which allowed us to offer a comprehensive and eclectic catalogue, featuring both historic and modern-day designer pieces. We already have some fantastic pieces set to sell in 2024 and will be looking forward to offering these to the market in our first auction of the year in April.”