Estate Jewels Dazzled at FORTUNA®’s November Sale
NEW YORK, November 13, 2020—FORTUNA’s November Jewels & Watches sale concluded last Thursday, affirming the return of the strength of the fine jewelry and watch market, despite a challenging year for the industry. The NYC-based boutique auction house was extremely well-positioned to tackle the changes in luxury shopping that 2020 has brought by bringing the excitement of an auction completely online. With its state-of-the-art website and growing social media presence, the boutique auction house attracted plenty of new bidders to their autumn auction.
The November auction was defined by the many estate and heirloom pieces offered by distinguished collectors across America. One such piece of jewelry that attracted quite a bit of attention was a gorgeous Cartier Rivoli set, which came from Florida estate. Crafted in France, the unique suite of jewels comprise of a necklace, bracelet, and pair of earrings, each featuring bold, diamond-encrusted geometric links in 18K gold. The bracelet, in particular, attracted much online pre-bidding activity and ultimately went far beyond the starting bid of $10,000—achieving $25,000 after an exciting exchange between two phone bidders.
The matching Cartier Rivoli Diamond Necklace achieved more than double its starting bid of $16,000, with an impressive $37,500; and the matching pair of earrings sold for $5,313. All in all, lots by Cartier were especially popular this auction, with an impressive sell-through rate of over 85%.
The sale was truly chock full of bold fall finds and iconic designer pieces. This Henry Dunay Link Chain Necklace, distinguished by its hammered gold texture, displays the fine craftsmanship that you would expect of the De Beers Diamond International Award-winning jeweler, and all of the fun and chunky vibrance of a fall essential. This statement necklace is easy to pair with other fall fashion trends and never loses its appeal. Unsurprisingly, it achieved $15,000 at auction—surpassing its high estimate of $12,500.
The demand for bold gold link necklaces this season can also be seen in Lot 2271, the Cartier Trinity Link Necklace. This design has a smoother, polished gold finish and elegantly combines luxurious metals in 18K yellow, rose, and white gold. This neckpiece achieved $9,375 at auction, more than double its starting bid. Whatever statement you choose to make this fall, its clear style connoisseurs everywhere are looking to draw attention down from their masks to their bold neckwear.
Of course, when it comes to gold, bold jewelry, it is hard to compete with Bulgari. Lot 1003, the Bulgari Serpenti watch is crafted entirely out of 18K rose gold, featuring an attractive pink coppery tone, quickly becoming one of the biggest trends in luxury timepieces. The Bulgari Serpenti is one of the Italian jewelry maison’s most iconic collections, and the timepiece offered in FORTUNA’s November auction, with its opaline black dial, is a classic example. The watch bracelet also employs Bulgari’s iconic Tubogas method, formed by interlocking gold strips wrapped tightly together. The piece tripled its starting bid, selling for an impressive $15,000.
As can be expected in every auction offered at FORTUNA, fine diamond jewels did not go unnoticed. Of the diamond engagement rings offered this November, this spectacular 3.04-Carat Pear-Shaped Diamond Ring, D/VS2 Type IIA, property of a Connecticut gentleman, led the pack. The ring’s center stone is graded as a “Type IIa” diamond—classified by gemologists as the most chemically pure diamond, and found in less than 2% of all diamonds mined. This impressive stone achieved $50,000 at auction.
The success of this sale is sure to be indicative of the demand and excitement that the coming holiday season will bring. FORTUNA’s December Jewel’s and Watches auction will take place on Thursday, December 10th at 11 AM EST. To be notified when the catalog will be available for bidding, subscribe to our newsletter below.