Christie’s Hong Kong held its highly anticipated Magnificent Jewels spring live auction on May 27 at The Henderson. The sale featured over 100 lots of exceptional and rare jewellery, headlined by The Regent Kashmir (seen here)—a 35.09-carat Kashmir sapphire ring of historic significance.
The auction also showcased pieces from leading jewellery houses, including Bulgari, Cartier, Harry Winston, Van Cleef & Arpels, and others.
As with several auction houses, there was an online jewellery sale that ran concurrently from May 19 through June 2.
The Magnificent Jewels auction was part of Christie’s Hong Kong Luxury Spring Live Auctions, which concluded with two standout Important Watches sales. On May 28, Important Watches: Featuring “The Chronicle” and “The Generations” Collections was led by the F.P.Journe Sonnerie Souveraine. The follow-up sale, Important Watches: Stories in Time: A Collection of Exceptional Watches, was headlined by a legendary Rolex reference 6100, featuring a rare cloisonné enamel ‘dragon’ dial from 1954, preserved in the King’s Art Collection.
THE DETAILS
Number of Lots: 127
Sold: 114
Unsold: 13
Sale Total: HK$376,160,800 (US$48 million)
A SUPERB SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND RING – THE REGENT KASHMIR
Here is a well-documented antique cushion-shaped sapphire of 35.09 carats, accented by round diamonds, set in platinum.
This sapphire is accompanied by several professional gemological reports:
An SSEF, 2025, report no. 144807: 35.09 carats, Kashmir, no indications of heating, ‘royal blue’, Appendix letter
A Gübelin, 2025, report no. 25027029: 35.09 carats, Kashmir, no indications of heating, ‘royal blue’, Appendix letter
and An AGL, 2014, report no. CS 63856: 35.09 carats, Kashmir, no heat enhancement, no clarity enhancement
As this Kashmir sapphire shows, it is extremely important for both the seller and buyer to have three professional laboratories agree to the origin of the gem. And it is just as important that the three laboratories be SSEF, the Swiss Gemmological Institute in Basel, the Gübelin Gem Lab in Lucerne, as well as the American Gemological Laboratories in New York.
Provenance includes two previous auction: Christie’s Geneva, 13 May, 2015, Lot 351, and Christie’s New York, 25-26 October 2000, Lot 772.
Estimate: HKD 65,000,000 – HKD 95,000,000
Price realized: HKD 74,675,000 (Approx. $9,500,000)
MOUSSAIEFF – A RARE COLOURED DIAMOND, PARAÍBA TOURMALINE AND DIAMOND RING
Here we have a fantastic Fancy Purplish-Red emerald-cut diamond weighing 1.02 carats, surrounded by eight (8) oval-shaped paraíba tourmalines, numerous round diamonds, and signed by Moussaieff.
The central diamond is accompanied by a GIA report, dated 2018, no. 2115789842: 1.02 carat, Fancy Purplish Red, I1 clarity. Inscribed on the girdle of the diamond is THE CRIMSON ROSE, MMXVII, ARGYLE.
Estimate: HKD 9,500,000 – HKD 15,000,000
Price realized: HKD 10,055,000 (Approx. $1,300,000)
NATURAL PEARL AND DIAMOND NECKLACE
Accompanied by an SSEF 2025 report no. 145753: 308 saltwater natural pearls, drilled, with an Appendix letter.
Size/Dimensions: approximately 68.0 cm
With all pearl necklaces, but especially with natural pearls, we are looking for similar shape, similar color, and similar luster. Of course, with cultured pearls, it is so much easier to make the prefect match that we become a bit jaded when it comes to quality natural pearl necklaces. We expect too much for such rare gems. This necklace is especially nice for natural pearls, and it is obvious from the selling price that it is well appreciated by the buyer.
Estimate: HKD 2,500,000 – HKD 3,500,000
Price realized: HKD 7,812,000 (Approx. $1,000,000)
JADEITE BEAD AND DIAMOND NECKLACE
Thirty-nine (39) jadeite beads measuring approximately 14.8 to 10.4 mm, with accents of round diamonds set in white gold.
The necklace is accompanied by an HK Jade & Stone Lab, 2024, report no. KJ 106987(1-20) describing the jade as natural colour Fei Cui (Jadeite Jade), without resin.
The size, transparency (often referred to as “translucency”), and matching color is extremely important to the value of a necklace such as this. It could take years to gather such a collection for just one necklace.
Estimate: HKD 4,000,000 – HKD 6,000,000
Price realized: HKD 6,552,000 (Approx. $800,000)
CARTIER MULTI-GEM ‘PANTHÈRE MAMAN’ NECKLACE
Here we have a rondelle-shaped and buff-top sapphire necklace, with round diamonds, buff-top onyx, pear-shaped emeralds, platinum (French mark), signed Cartier, with the classic red Cartier case.
Size/Dimensions: 39.3 cm
High Jewelry beaded jewels require fine gem quality material. And this necklace shows beautifully matching fine quality sapphire beads.
Estimate: HKD 1,800,000 – HKD 2,800,000
Price realized: HKD 4,410,000 (Approx. $575,000)
LAVENDER JADEITE AND DIAMOND EARRINGS
Two oval jadeite (Fei Cui) cabochons, the largest measuring approximately 16.2 x 19.1 x 11.0 mm, accented by a surround of round diamonds, set in white gold make up this pair of incredible earrings.
The natural lavender jade are accompanied by two gemological reports, HK Jade & Stone Lab, 2025, report no. KJ 107832 and KJ 107833: natural colour Fei Cui (Jadeite Jade), without resin. Natural lavender jade in this size, transparency and color are extremely rare.
Estimate: HKD 450,000 – HKD 650,000
Price realized: HKD 2,772,000 (Approx. $350,000)
CONCH PEARL, DIAMOND AND COLOURED SAPPHIRE REVERSIBLE NECKLACE
This special necklace consists of thirteen (13) oval-shaped conch pearls, the largest measuring approximately 13.6 x 10.1 mm, accented by round diamonds, oval and round coloured sapphires, gold, and signed GF&F (GF&F The Haute Joaillerie).
Accompanied by a GIA, 2025, report no. 6515784237, describes 13 saltwater natural pearls, Aliger gigas (conch), showing no indications of treatment.
Size/Dimensions: 41.0 cm
Another rare collection of natural pearls, this time, the conch pearl. Finding thirteen color, shape, and large size, such as the ones here in this necklace is close to impossible. Again, the buyer appreciates the beauty and rarity of this natural pearl.
Estimate: HKD 400,000 – HKD 600,000
Price realized: HKD 1,953,000 (Approx. $250,000)
CINDY CHAO DIAMOND AND SAPPHIRE ‘RIBBON COLLECTION’ RING
Designer Cindy Chao’s ring features an oval modified brilliant-cut diamond of 1.04 carat, surrounded by round diamonds and sapphires, in white gold, and of course signed by Cindy Chao.
Accompanying the central diamond is a GIA report from 2013, report no. 2155384917: 1.04 carat, E colour, VVS1 clarity, and a Cindy Chao Certificate of Origin and Warranty.
Estimate: HKD 380,000 – HKD 580,000
Price realized: HKD 781,200 (Approx. $100,000)
DIAMOND EARRINGS
Here we have a unique earring design, featuring cushion triangular double rose cut diamonds, with single-cut accent diamonds, set in white gold. It must have been a bit too unique as this pair was not on the sold list. But the use of such unique diamonds grabbed our attention.
Estimate: HKD 600,000 – HKD 800,000
Tap here to see all of the jewels at Christie’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels auction last week!
