Sotheby’s will auction in Geneva the “Laguna Blu” ring, set with an 11.1-carat blue diamond and for which the British house estimates that around US$ 25 million (22.8 million euros) can be offered, which would make it the most expensive jewel of those manufactured by the Italian firm Bulgari.
The prestigious auction house will put twenty jewels up for sale on May 16 in a bid that will take place at the luxurious Mandarin Oriental hotel in the Swiss city.
He “Blue Lagoon” is a piece “exceptional, very pure and unmodified”the specialist and head of jewelry sales at Sotheby’s in Geneva, Olivier Wagner, specified to EFE.
“This ring was designed in the 1970s by Bulgari and has belonged to the same private collector ever since, so this will be the first time it has been offered directly to the market.”, he pointed out.
Protagonist in the last Met Gala
The blue diamond in the ring was the star of the last Met Gala held in New York on May 1, when it was worn, on that occasion set in a necklace, by the well-known Indian actress Priyanka Chopra.
Chopra wore this jewel in what is considered one of the most important red carpets of the year, which in that edition paid tribute to the legendary German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, who died in 2019.
In total, Sotheby’s expects the “Magnificent and Noble Jewels” auction to raise a total of about US$76 million (69.6 million euros).
In addition to the “Laguna Blu”, two pieces of pink diamonds that are expected to exceed US$ 5.5 million (5.1 million euros) will also be auctioned.
According to Sotheby’s, the demand for jewelry in the luxury market is “very high” and the results of the firm are on track to be very positive in 2023, continuing the path of last year, when several records were broken in sales of pink, blue diamonds and sapphires.
Christie’s, Sotheby’s main competitor, sold this Wednesday May 10 for US$ 155 million (141.9 million euros) part of the controversial jewelry collection of the Austrian billionaire Heidi Horten.
Ottoman watches, unique rolexes and bicycles
At its Geneva Luxury Week, Sotheby’s will also be putting up for sale other pieces highly coveted by luxury collectors, notably two Rolex Daytona series wristwatches and another series of pocket watches.
The highlight of this sale will be a beautiful artifact with oriental motifs from the early 20th century that was made by the Swiss watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet and was owned by an Ottoman diplomat.
“It is a very complicated watch, with five gongs, a minute repeater and chime. A technical marvel”the head of Sotheby’s watchmaking division in Geneva, Mikael Wallhagen, told EFE during a meeting with the press held today at the hotel where the auction will be held, on the banks of the Rhône.
The London house will also auction other lots over the next week in which bags, fashion items and even a bicycle from the Italian manufacturer Colnago will be put up for sale.
Source: EFE
Source: Gestion
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
