Christie’s once again brought its Magnificent Jewels sale to Geneva this past week, following its May auction that brought in more than $72 million. This past week’s sale brought in $76.2 million USD.
The November sale, held at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues, promised, and delivered, a dazzling lineup — an expertly curated mix of historic and contemporary pieces spanning every major jewelry era and featuring names like Harry Winston, Cartier, JAR, and Van Cleef & Arpels.
Topping the catalogue was The Mellon Blue, an extraordinary 9.51-carat Fancy Vivid Blue rounded-tip pear shape diamond, once owned by the late Rachel “Bunny” Lambert Mellon — the American horticulturalist, philanthropist, and art collector. The blue was expected to bring between $20 million and $30 million USD, and sold right in the middle for $25.7 million USD (20,525,000 CHF).
Note: In 2014, the Mellon Blue was sold for $32.6 million USD. The 2026 sale of the Mellon Blue brought $7 million USD less than what it brought in 2014.
Even though the current market was not kind to the Mellon Blue, Christie’s rightfully noted that “this remarkable stone stands among the finest colored diamonds ever to reach the auction market.”
‘THE MELLON BLUE’
A SENSATIONAL COLOURED DIAMOND AND DIAMOND RING
Here we have a Fancy Vivid Blue, modified pear shape brilliant-cut diamond, weighing 9.51 carats, accented by single-cut(?) diamonds, in platinum.
The Mellon Blue SOLD for 20,525,000 CHF (approximately $25.7 million USD, which works out to $2.71 million USD/carat)
Gem Lab Report: GIA, 2025, report no. 1162481650: 9.51 carats, Fancy Vivid Blue, natural colour, VVS1 clarity, potentially Internally Flawless, Type IIb
The diamond is accompanied by a GIA working diagram (right), showing the cutter where repolishing would be necessary to achieve an internally Flawless grade.
Eddy Elzas’ “The Rainbow Collection”
Estimate: CHF 1,600,000 – CHF 2,400,000
SOLD: CHF 1,768,000 ($2.2 million USD)
THE RAINBOW COLLECTION
The Rainbow Collection is one of the most important private compilations of natural fancy-colored diamonds ever created — more than 300 stones, each selected to represent a distinct, unrepeatable hue. Ranging from 0.24 to 4.89 carats, the collection spans a remarkable spectrum of color, including red, purple, violet, blue, yellow, orange, pink, brown, and grey, many with with secondary modifiers, and includes six treated examples. Nearly all are accompanied by GIA reports dating from 2008 to 2025.
Over 26 years, the collection was exhibited in 45 shows and fairs across 30 cities — from Antwerp and Basel to Hong Kong to Tokyo to New York — earning its place as a global ambassador for colored diamonds at a time when they were first becoming collectible – and fashionable.
Its creator, the late Eddy Elzas, (1942-2021) saw what few others did at the time: that color in diamonds could be both beautiful and collectible. His belief in their individuality and rarity helped shape today’s fascination with fancy color. And in true Elzas fashion, he wasn’t afraid to make a statement — famously (and accidentally) winning a Clio Award in 1986 for his cheeky “Who says diamonds should be white?” campaign, featuring himself with a fancy vivid yellow diamond worn defiantly on his raised middle finger. As the story goes, at the end of an unproductive photo shoot, Elzas offered one last pose to the photographer: “Here — how about this?”
“Who said diamonds should be white?” – Eddy Elzas
More Fancy Color Diamonds
IMPRESSIVE COLOURED DIAMOND AND SAPPHIRE PENDANT
100 carats! Here we have a Fancy Intense Yellow cushion-shaped diamond, weighing 100.40 carats, surrounded by round sapphires, set in 18k white gold, and hung on a blue silk cord. … not much more to say about that.
Estimate: CHF 1,000,000 – CHF 1,800,000
SOLD: CHF 1,206,500
Gem Lab Report: GIA, 2025, report no. 2135131180: 100.40 carats, measuring 27.67 x 23.94 x 16.84 mm. Color is graded Fancy Intense Yellow, natural colour, SI2 clarity, faint fluorescence.
Provenance: Previous auction results – Christie’s, Geneva, 16 May 2012, lot 310
JAR COLOURED DIAMOND AND SAPPHIRE RING
One of the most beautiful hues in the pink family is this, Fancy Purplish-Pink, pear shape modified brilliant cut diamond, weighing 8.68 carats, surrounded by round brilliant sapphires and diamonds, signed JAR, Paris, and accompanied by a pink (of course) fitted JAR case.
Estimate: CHF 2,000,000 – CHF 3,000,000
SOLD: CHF 2,500,000 ($3.1 million USD)
Gem Lab Report: GIA, 2025, report no. 6233516368: 8.68 carats, Fancy Purplish Pink, natural colour, VVS1 clarity. [Going to GIA’s Report Check, we see that the clarity is based on a needle-like inclusion, and therefore not improvable to Internally Flawless. It’s always good to check. – gr]
BULGARI COLOURED DIAMOND AND DIAMOND RING
It really doesn’t get much better than this. A Fancy Vivid Yellow cushion modified brilliant cut diamond, weighing 31.04 carats, mounted in 18K yellow gold, and accented by a trapezoid diamond (of fairly decent size) on either side, set in platinum, signed Bvlgari.
Estimate: CHF 600,000 – CHF 1,500,000
SOLD: CHF 825,500
Gem Lab Report: GIA, 2024, report no. 7235231389: 31.04 carats, Fancy Vivid Yellow, natural colour, VS1 clarity.
No information available on the side stones. [One could assume that since it’s Bvlgari, and set in platinum, that the color range would be colorless (D-F). The trapezoids appear to be step cut, and again, large size, without visible inclusions, so we will assume – again – that the clarity grade is quite high as well. Or at least , it should be.- gr]
RARE BULGARI SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND ‘TROMBINO’ RING
Now THIS is special! A no heat sugarloaf Kashmir sapphire, weighing 15.17 carats, accented by baguette cut diamonds, set in 18k yellow gold, and signed Bvlgari.
Estimate: CHF 650,000 – CHF 950,000
SOLD: CHF 1,041,400 ($1.3 million USD)
Gem Lab Reports: ▻SSEF, 2025, report no. 149449: 15.171 carats, Kashmir, no indications of heating
▻Gübelin, 2025, report no. 25090154: 15.17 carats, Kashmir, no indications of heating
Yes, the diamonds are really taking a back seat to the Kashmir Sapphire. Absolutely no mention of total carat weight or quality here.
Pearls
IMPRESSIVE ANTIQUE COLOURED NATURAL PEARL AND DIAMOND NECKLACE
Yes – Impressive! Here are three strands of 174 natural color pearls, graduated light grey to dark grey, slightly brownish grey to brownish grey, and light brown to brown, measuring approximately from 14.95 to 4.80 mm, with Old Mine and rose-cut diamonds in the silver and gold clasp; circa 1890. All natural pearls, with nice matching round/near round shape, nice color blending, and good size.
Estimate: CHF 650,000 – CHF 950,000
SOLD: CHF 762,000 (just under $1 million USD)
Gem Lab Report: SSEF, 2025, report 149861: 174 natural pearls, saltwater, no modification of artificial colour modification (based on sampling), with Appendix letter stating the exceptional quality and rarity of these pearls
A Tiara! GARRARD & CO. LATE 19TH CENTURY DIAMOND RIVIÈRE NECKLACE/NATURAL PEARL AND DIAMOND TIARA
Just one Tiara in this report… with five drop-shaped natural pearls measuring from 12.30 – 12.40 x 16.20 to 6.85 – 7.10 x 7.90 mm, Old European brilliant, Old Mine cushion-shape briliant, and rose-cut diamonds, in silver and gold. The rivière necklace, pearl drops, foliate sections and cushion-shaped diamonds are all detachable, circa 1880. Unsigned, but with a fitted case by Garrard & Co with two additional tiara frames
Estimate: CHF 220,000 – CHF 320,000
SOLD: CHF 406,400 ($500,000 USD)
Gem Lab Report: SSEF, 2012, report no. 63680: five natural pearls, saltwater
BULGARI SAPPHIRE, EMERALD, DIAMOND AND CULTURED PEARL ‘FIOCCO REALE’ NECKLACE
From old to new, a pearl necklace that’s not about the pearls. A cultured pearl necklace, featuring one cushion-shaped sapphire and “matching” emerald, strung with 82 round cultured pearls, separated by sapphire and emerald beads, accented by round, tapered baguette, and triangular-shape diamonds. Platinum and 18k white gold (Italian and International Convention marks), signed Bvlgari.
Estimate: CHF 200,000 – CHF 320,000
CHF 228,600
Gem Lab Report: SSEF, 2025, report no. 148495: one sapphire with a declared weight of 14.84 carats, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), no indications of heating; one emerald with a declared weight of 9.16 carats, Colombia, moderate amount of oil and artificial resin in fissures
INDIAN REVERSIBLE NATURAL PEARL, SEED PEARL, DIAMOND AND ENAMEL NECKLACE
Beautiful natural pearls command a high price. This necklace is composed of seven rows of graduated, high luster, matching color, natural pearls. The clasp is strung with with seed pearls, and set with table-cut diamonds in a closed-back mounting, accented with white, blue, red and green enamel.
Estimate: CHF 200,000 – CHF 300,000
SOLD: CHF 774,700 (just under $1 million USD)
Gem Lab Report: SSEF, 2025, report no. 149656: 367 natural pearls, saltwater, with Appendix Letter
BHAGAT NATURAL PEARL AND DIAMOND NECKLACE
Working with the same materials once prized by India’s courts — Golconda diamonds, Kashmir sapphires, Colombian emeralds — and drawing from classical techniques such as Kundan, Jadau, and Meenakari enamel, Bhagat blends Mughal tradition with a distinctly modern design sensibility, resulting in jewelry that strikes the eye as contemporary while still echoing the elegance of old-world India.
And this necklace captures that perfectly. Here we have a fabulous mix of natural pearls — a variety of large white and cream drops, smaller buttons and off-rounds, all sharing that organically blended style, with matched lustre — leading right down to a spectacularly large triangular rose-cut diamond in a closed-back mounting. The centerpiece is surrounded by round brilliant-cut diamonds and set in 18k white gold. When taking it all in, you can immediately see Bhagat’s style of old-world charm with a modern eye. Hard to believe his piece is dated 2001 and not 1931.
Estimate: CHF 120,000 – CHF 180,000
SOLD: CHF 406,400 ($500,000 USD)
Gem Lab Report: SSEF, 2025, report no. 149657: 69 natural pearls, saltwater, and 4 cultured pearls
Bhagat, 2025: Certificate of Authenticity
JAR
There were several JAR pieces that did quite well at auction:
JAR COLOURED DIAMOND AND SAPPHIRE RING (Above)
Fancy purplish pink pear modified brilliant-cut diamond of 8.68 carats, round sapphires and diamonds, signed JAR, Paris, pink fitted JAR case
Estimate: CHF 2,000,000 – CHF 3,000,000
SOLD: CHF 2,500,000 ($3.1 million USD)
JAR SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND RING
Cushion-shaped sapphire, round sapphires and diamonds, blackened platinum and 18k yellow gold, signed JAR, pink JAR case .. SSEF, 2025, report no. 149208: declared weight of 22.76 carats, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), no indications of heating ..
Estimate: CHF 160,000 – CHF 250,000
SOLD: CHF 203,200
JAR RUBY AND COLOURED DIAMOND RING
Oval-shaped ruby, round rubies and orangy yellow diamonds, blackened silver and 18k yellow gold, signed JAR, Paris, pink JAR pouch .. Gübelin, 2025, report no. 25090133: 3.53 carats, Thailand (Siam), no indications of heating
Estimate: CHF 120,000 – CHF 200,000
SOLD: CHF 177,800
and… JAR PETRIFIED WOOD, COLOURED SAPPHIRE AND SPINEL ‘PAPILLON DE NUIT’ BROOCH
This surprisingly large butterfly brooch is made using petrified wood for its wings, outlined by round pink and purple sapphires. The butterfly’s body is created by round black spinels. 18k rose gold and blackened silver (French marks), signed JAR, Paris, pink JAR case.
Size/Dimensions: 16.2 x 10.6 cm (about the size and weight of your iPhone!)
Gross weight: 192.5 grams (almost half a pound!)
Estimate: CHF 120,000 – CHF 200,000
SOLD: CHF 228,600 ($285,000 USD)
And last but not least on our review….
TIFFANY & CO., PAULDING FARNHAM ART NOUVEAU DEMANTOID GARNET, COLOURED DIAMOND, DIAMOND AND ENAMEL BROOCH
Estimate: CHF 80,000 – CHF 120,000
SOLD: CHF 152,400 ($190,000 USD)
Here we have a beautiful Tiffany brooch, featuring demantoid garnets, and accented by diamonds. Color definitely wins out.
No weights or measurements were given, but they are still worth mentioning. A large oval demantoid garnet – set East West – is the featured stone, with 2 smaller pear-shapes, and 7 round melee demantoid garnets in this Tiffany brooch. The large garnet is accented by the smaller garnets and various colored diamonds, several old-cut near colorless diamonds, green enamel, and yellow gold, The piece has been dated circa 1901, and signed Tiffany & Co.
Size/Dimensions: 4.9 cm high
Tap Here to see all of the items sold at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels Geneva Auction
