Sotheby's Bets Big on 64ct. Cartier Bracelet

RAPAPORT... A Cartier diamond bracelet that took nearly 2,000 hours to create will go under the hammer at Sotheby's in Hong Kong next month.The piece, featuring a pear-shaped, 63.66-carat, D-color, internally flawless diamond surrounded by rows of rock crystal, will lead the April 20 Magnificent Jewels sale, Sotheby's said Monday. The Art Deco-style bracelet is estimated at $5.2 million to $8.4 million. Another top lot is a jadeite bangle weighing 277.67 carats called the Circle of Happiness, Sotheby's noted. The auction house will offer a 7-carat, fancy-intense-purplish-pink diamond ring created by Sotheby's Diamonds, valued at $5.9 million to $7.1 million. Several other jewels by Cartier will also be up for sale, including a 23.48-carat, fancy-deep-pinkish-orange diamond ring with a high valuation of $6.3 million. A ring by the jeweler set with two Kashmir sapphires - weighing 5.1 and 4.71 carats - and two diamonds carries a high estimate of $1.2 million, while an emerald, seed-pearl and diamond pendant necklace is set to fetch up to $840,000."The appetite for high-quality jewels has never been stronger in Asia, with discerning collectors looking for rare diamonds and gemstones, as well as unique and iconic designs," said Wenhao Yu, deputy chairman of jewelry for Sotheby's Asia. Sotheby's will hold the Magnificent Jewels sale with an in-person audience, and will also incorporate live online and phone bidding, a spokesperson told Rapaport News. The Hong Kong government has placed a mandatory two-week quarantine on tourists traveling to the municipality.Image: The Cartier bracelet featuring a 63.66-carat diamond. (Sotheby's)