Diamonds Bring Shine to Sotheby's Jewelry Sale

RAPAPORT... A fancy-intense-blue diamond was the top seller at a recent Sotheby's jewelry sale, bringing in a cool $1.4 million.A ring featuring the cut-cornered rectangular mixed-cut, 2.42-carat, VS1-clarity stone led the September 13 New York Important Jewels auction. The final price was within its presale estimate. The entire auction garnered $13.6 million, Sotheby's told Rapaport News Wednesday. An unmounted, pear-shaped, 10.21-carat, D-flawless diamond also performed well. The stone, which was sold without reserve, fetched $819,000, within estimates. Meanwhile, an oval-shaped, 8.58-carat, D-color, internally flawless diamond went for $554,400, beating its $500,000 upper estimate.Other notable items included a marquise-shaped, 5.34-carat, light blue, VVS1-clarity diamond ring, which sold for $554,400, more than double its $250,000 presale valuation. A Bulgari ring bearing an emerald-cut, 9.19-carat emerald surrounded by diamonds also beat its estimate, bringing in $428,400, as did a pear-shaped, 4.52-carat, light pink, VS2-clarity diamond ring, which raked in $403,200.Jewels by Graff, Harry Winston and Tiffany proved popular with buyers, rounding out the top 10, Sotheby's added.Image: The 2.42-carat, fancy-intense-blue diamond. (Sotheby's)