CARTIER
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
See also : Jewels II White diamond Jadeite Qianlong India Islam Ancient Spain
Chronology : 1570-1599 1620-1629 1912 1933 2016
See also : Jewels II White diamond Jadeite Qianlong India Islam Ancient Spain
Chronology : 1570-1599 1620-1629 1912 1933 2016
1912 Devant de Corsage Brooch
2014 SOLD for CHF 16M by Christie's
At the turn of the 20th century, Paris is the capital of luxury. Located in rue de la Paix, the Cartier brand develops its expertise in jewelry and watchmaking and organizes a network of subcontractors including Henri Picq. One of its main innovations is the use of platinum for the high end.
France does not produce diamonds. The Cartier brothers visit India. The Maharajas choose the most beautiful gems in their collections for Cartier to assemble magnificent jewels matching their taste. This practice inspires some exotic designs later offered to all customers.
This well managed international reputation includes Southern Africa. Solomon Barnato Joel, who made a fortune with his family in the gold and diamond mines, ships four beautiful diamonds for making a jewel.
Cartier assembles a brooch in platinum and white gold for use as a devant de corsage, whose 9.2 cm high pendant aligns the four diamonds. The pendant is surrounded by four hanging sprigs of lily of the valley whose flowers are small diamonds set on platinum, a specialty of Picq. This jewel dated 1912 was later expanded by a necklace with a similar 'serti muguet'.
The four main diamonds were certified by the GIA in 2013. The largest is a pear-shaped of 34.08 carats in E color. The best is an oval-shaped type IIa D color of 23.55 carats with a VVS2 clarity potentially Internally Flawless.
This brooch was sold by Christie's for CHF 16M on May 14, 2014, lot 259, and for $ 10.6M on June 19, 2019, lot 277.
France does not produce diamonds. The Cartier brothers visit India. The Maharajas choose the most beautiful gems in their collections for Cartier to assemble magnificent jewels matching their taste. This practice inspires some exotic designs later offered to all customers.
This well managed international reputation includes Southern Africa. Solomon Barnato Joel, who made a fortune with his family in the gold and diamond mines, ships four beautiful diamonds for making a jewel.
Cartier assembles a brooch in platinum and white gold for use as a devant de corsage, whose 9.2 cm high pendant aligns the four diamonds. The pendant is surrounded by four hanging sprigs of lily of the valley whose flowers are small diamonds set on platinum, a specialty of Picq. This jewel dated 1912 was later expanded by a necklace with a similar 'serti muguet'.
The four main diamonds were certified by the GIA in 2013. The largest is a pear-shaped of 34.08 carats in E color. The best is an oval-shaped type IIa D color of 23.55 carats with a VVS2 clarity potentially Internally Flawless.
This brooch was sold by Christie's for CHF 16M on May 14, 2014, lot 259, and for $ 10.6M on June 19, 2019, lot 277.
Tutti Frutti Necklace
2024 SOLD for HK$ 68M by Christie's
Jacques Cartier first visited India in 1911. He acquired from his local agents Indian rubies, sapphires and emeralds.
The tutti frutti multi-colored multi-gem style was developed by Jeanne Toussaint at Cartier in the 1920s.
A tutti frutti necklace made of carved rubies, emeralds and sapphires along with diamonds was sold for HK $ 68M from a lower estimate of HK $ 28M by Christie's on May 27, 2024, lot 1903. This opulent piece is 37 cm in diameter with a gross weight of 330 g. Signed and certified by Cartier, it was offered in a Cartier red box.
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor especially appreciated for years the works created by Jeanne Toussaint, director of high jewelry at Cartier from 1933. She conceived the first three dimensional panther for the Duchess in 1948.
Executed in 1952, a panther bracelet, designed to undulate around the wrist, was sold for £ 4.5M on November 30, 2010 by Sotheby's. It had been included in the fabulous sale of the Windsor jewels in April 1987 at Sotheby's in Geneva
The tutti frutti multi-colored multi-gem style was developed by Jeanne Toussaint at Cartier in the 1920s.
A tutti frutti necklace made of carved rubies, emeralds and sapphires along with diamonds was sold for HK $ 68M from a lower estimate of HK $ 28M by Christie's on May 27, 2024, lot 1903. This opulent piece is 37 cm in diameter with a gross weight of 330 g. Signed and certified by Cartier, it was offered in a Cartier red box.
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor especially appreciated for years the works created by Jeanne Toussaint, director of high jewelry at Cartier from 1933. She conceived the first three dimensional panther for the Duchess in 1948.
Executed in 1952, a panther bracelet, designed to undulate around the wrist, was sold for £ 4.5M on November 30, 2010 by Sotheby's. It had been included in the fabulous sale of the Windsor jewels in April 1987 at Sotheby's in Geneva
Qing and 1933 Jadeite Necklace
2014 SOLD for HK$ 214M by Sotheby's
Jadeite exists in various colors. Green is a common color of jadeite when it contains chromium. The finest hues are Imperial green, intense green and vivid green. They come almost exclusively from Burma, currently Myanmar.
These green variants were the most precious jewels at the Qing imperial court, in the form of beads, cabochons and bangles, without superfluous embellishment. The history of the extraction of the stone is lost.
This mineral rock can be carved, which is not the case of the diamond which is cut. Shaping a jade bead requires an exceptional know-how and skill which culminated during the reign of Qianlong. In the 19th century the Empress Dowager Cixi was fond of them.
Despite the troubles in the China of the later Qing, the most important collections of jade beads were not mixed or separated. They have often been assembled, or re-assembled, into necklaces in the 20th century, with gently graduated bead sizes and with clasps in diamond or ruby. A perfect necklace must be uniform in color shade, in translucency and in texture, which requires that the elements have been carved from the same rough.
The prestige of jade reached the Western world. A lot of 27 highly reflective emerald green jadeite beads, between 15.4 and 19.2 mm in diameter, is included in 1933 in the inventory of Cartier.
It is mounted in the same year by Cartier as a necklace with a clasp in ruby and diamond, to be offered as a wedding gift to the wealthy Barbara Hutton by her father. As Christina Onassis later, Barbara Hutton had a difficult life. The husband's family kept the precious necklace.
Considered as the greatest jadeite necklace in existence, this jewel wins the highest auction price in its category each time it comes to auction : HK $ 15.6M in 1988 and HK $ 33M in 1994. It was sold for HK $ 214M by Sotheby's on April 7, 2014, lot 1847.
On April 7, 2010, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 43M as lot 1457 a necklace 53 cm long, assembled with 35 jadeite beads, selected for their homogeneous emerald green color and for their similar size, between 12.5 and 15 mm. This piece is equipped with a clasp in platinum and diamonds signed by Cartier.
History of the Hutton-Mdivani Jadeite Necklace
The Hutton-Mdivani jadeite necklace, often hailed as one of the most iconic and valuable pieces of jadeite jewelry in history, combines imperial Chinese origins with Western high society provenance and Cartier craftsmanship. Below is a detailed overview of its history, drawing from auction records, expert analyses, and historical accounts.
Origins and Creation
The necklace features 27 graduated natural Type A jadeite beads, measuring approximately 15.4 to 19.2 mm in diameter, known for their exceptional translucency, fine texture, and vivid "imperial" emerald green color. These beads are believed to originate from the late Qing Dynasty (likely the 18th or 19th century), possibly from a Chinese imperial court necklace or similar artifact. Speculation suggests the beads may have been part of treasures lost or looted during the turbulent late Qing era, including European interventions such as the Opium Wars, though exact details remain mysterious. The jadeite was mined from the Hpakan region in Myanmar (Burma), renowned for producing "old mine" jadeite with dense structure and high quality. Crafting such large, perfectly matched beads required an enormous boulder of top-grade rough jadeite, with significant material wasted to achieve uniformity in color, size, and translucency—qualities that make it a "true and rare treasure of nature." The beads surfaced in Europe in the early 1930s, reflecting Cartier's growing fascination with Chinese jade during that period.
In 1933, the beads were commissioned into a necklace by Franklyn Laws Hutton, the father of American heiress Barbara Hutton, as a wedding gift for her marriage to Georgian Prince Alexis Mdivani. Prince Mdivani (or his family) brought the 27 flawless beads to Cartier in Paris, where they were strung into a necklace with an initial simple clasp featuring a single navette-cut diamond. The following year, in 1934, Barbara Hutton returned to Cartier to redesign the clasp into an Art Deco style, incorporating calibre-cut rubies (of brilliant red color) and baguette-cut diamonds, set in platinum and 18k yellow gold. This red-and-green contrast enhanced the jade's vibrancy, symbolizing Cartier's blend of Eastern gemstones with Western design. Hutton also commissioned a matching jadeite, ruby, and diamond ring, now part of the Cartier Collection.
Ownership and Provenance
Auction History and Significance
The necklace has shattered records multiple times, reflecting the growing global demand for imperial jadeite:
These green variants were the most precious jewels at the Qing imperial court, in the form of beads, cabochons and bangles, without superfluous embellishment. The history of the extraction of the stone is lost.
This mineral rock can be carved, which is not the case of the diamond which is cut. Shaping a jade bead requires an exceptional know-how and skill which culminated during the reign of Qianlong. In the 19th century the Empress Dowager Cixi was fond of them.
Despite the troubles in the China of the later Qing, the most important collections of jade beads were not mixed or separated. They have often been assembled, or re-assembled, into necklaces in the 20th century, with gently graduated bead sizes and with clasps in diamond or ruby. A perfect necklace must be uniform in color shade, in translucency and in texture, which requires that the elements have been carved from the same rough.
The prestige of jade reached the Western world. A lot of 27 highly reflective emerald green jadeite beads, between 15.4 and 19.2 mm in diameter, is included in 1933 in the inventory of Cartier.
It is mounted in the same year by Cartier as a necklace with a clasp in ruby and diamond, to be offered as a wedding gift to the wealthy Barbara Hutton by her father. As Christina Onassis later, Barbara Hutton had a difficult life. The husband's family kept the precious necklace.
Considered as the greatest jadeite necklace in existence, this jewel wins the highest auction price in its category each time it comes to auction : HK $ 15.6M in 1988 and HK $ 33M in 1994. It was sold for HK $ 214M by Sotheby's on April 7, 2014, lot 1847.
On April 7, 2010, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 43M as lot 1457 a necklace 53 cm long, assembled with 35 jadeite beads, selected for their homogeneous emerald green color and for their similar size, between 12.5 and 15 mm. This piece is equipped with a clasp in platinum and diamonds signed by Cartier.
History of the Hutton-Mdivani Jadeite Necklace
The Hutton-Mdivani jadeite necklace, often hailed as one of the most iconic and valuable pieces of jadeite jewelry in history, combines imperial Chinese origins with Western high society provenance and Cartier craftsmanship. Below is a detailed overview of its history, drawing from auction records, expert analyses, and historical accounts.
Origins and Creation
The necklace features 27 graduated natural Type A jadeite beads, measuring approximately 15.4 to 19.2 mm in diameter, known for their exceptional translucency, fine texture, and vivid "imperial" emerald green color. These beads are believed to originate from the late Qing Dynasty (likely the 18th or 19th century), possibly from a Chinese imperial court necklace or similar artifact. Speculation suggests the beads may have been part of treasures lost or looted during the turbulent late Qing era, including European interventions such as the Opium Wars, though exact details remain mysterious. The jadeite was mined from the Hpakan region in Myanmar (Burma), renowned for producing "old mine" jadeite with dense structure and high quality. Crafting such large, perfectly matched beads required an enormous boulder of top-grade rough jadeite, with significant material wasted to achieve uniformity in color, size, and translucency—qualities that make it a "true and rare treasure of nature." The beads surfaced in Europe in the early 1930s, reflecting Cartier's growing fascination with Chinese jade during that period.
In 1933, the beads were commissioned into a necklace by Franklyn Laws Hutton, the father of American heiress Barbara Hutton, as a wedding gift for her marriage to Georgian Prince Alexis Mdivani. Prince Mdivani (or his family) brought the 27 flawless beads to Cartier in Paris, where they were strung into a necklace with an initial simple clasp featuring a single navette-cut diamond. The following year, in 1934, Barbara Hutton returned to Cartier to redesign the clasp into an Art Deco style, incorporating calibre-cut rubies (of brilliant red color) and baguette-cut diamonds, set in platinum and 18k yellow gold. This red-and-green contrast enhanced the jade's vibrancy, symbolizing Cartier's blend of Eastern gemstones with Western design. Hutton also commissioned a matching jadeite, ruby, and diamond ring, now part of the Cartier Collection.
Ownership and Provenance
- Barbara Hutton (1912–1979): Dubbed the "Million Dollar Baby," Hutton was the granddaughter of Woolworth founder Frank Winfield Woolworth and inherited a vast fortune. A passionate collector of exquisite jewels, she amassed pieces like the Pasha diamond ring, the Marie-Antoinette pearl necklace, and Romanov emeralds. The jadeite necklace complemented her refined yet opulent style, symbolizing understated elegance. She wore it during her glamorous but tumultuous life, which included seven marriages (the first to Mdivani ending in divorce in 1935).
- Post-Hutton Ownership: After Hutton, the necklace passed to her close friend Louise Van Alen, who married into the Mdivani family (specifically to Prince Serge Mdivani, Alexis's brother). It then went to Princess Nina Mdivani, Alexis's sister and a prominent socialite. The Mdivani family—Georgian nobility exiled after the Russian Revolution—held the necklace for over 50 years, adding to its aristocratic allure.
Auction History and Significance
The necklace has shattered records multiple times, reflecting the growing global demand for imperial jadeite:
- 1988: Debuted at auction (likely Sotheby's or Christie's), selling for $2 million—the highest price ever for jadeite jewelry at the time, sparking international interest.
- 1994: Sold at Christie's Hong Kong for $4.2 million, doubling the previous record and cementing its status as a legendary piece.
- 2014: Auctioned at Sotheby's Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite sale for HK$214,040,000 (approximately $27.44 million), far exceeding its $12.8 million estimate after a 20-minute bidding war involving six bidders. Purchased by the Cartier Collection, it set world records for any jadeite jewel and any Cartier jewel.
1937 The Queen of Burma
2014 SOLD for CHF 5.9M by Christie's
On November 11, 2014, Christie's sold for CHF 5.9M the Queen of Burma, lot 337. This large oval ruby weighing 23.66 carats was set on a ring by Cartier and sold by Cartier London in 1937 to a Maharajah. Its color is a saturated pink-red due to a combination of elements that exist nowhere else than in the mines of Mogok.
On November 12, 2014, Sotheby's sold for CHF 8.3M the Graff Ruby, lot 470. Weighing 8.62 carats, this cushion-shaped ruby is exceptional for its vivid red color named pigeon's blood, a great rarity in its weight range. Its purity and brilliance are excellent. It also can come only from Mogok. Laurence Graff, who mounted it on a ring, regarded it as the most beautiful ruby he had ever seen. There cannot be a better recommendation for this wonderful gem.
On November 12, 2014, Sotheby's sold for CHF 8.3M the Graff Ruby, lot 470. Weighing 8.62 carats, this cushion-shaped ruby is exceptional for its vivid red color named pigeon's blood, a great rarity in its weight range. Its purity and brilliance are excellent. It also can come only from Mogok. Laurence Graff, who mounted it on a ring, regarded it as the most beautiful ruby he had ever seen. There cannot be a better recommendation for this wonderful gem.
1960 The Aga Khan Emerald
2024 SOLD for CHF 7.8M by Christie's
In August 1957, six weeks after the death of his father the imam Aga Khan III, Prince Sadruddin married the Anglo-Indian fashion model, socialite and taste maker Nina Dyer just divorced from Baron Thyssen, another one of the wealthiest men in the world. She was highly eccentric and a great lover of jewels.
In 1960 Prince Sadruddin commissioned to Cartier in Paris a special brooch for the use of his wife. It is made of an exceptional 23 mm square cut Colombian emerald weighing 37 carats in a surrounding of 20 navette diamonds with a total weight of 12 carats. The green color is even despite a great flatness of 8.25 mm and features a medium strong saturation. It has no identification of clarity enhancement.
Sadruddin and Nina divorced in 1962. She committed suicide three years later, aged 35. From her deceased estate, the Aga Khan brooch was sold for CHF 580K to Van Cleef et Arpels on May 1, 1969 by Christie, Manson & Woods in Geneva and was later acquired by Harry Winston.
The Aga Khan emerald brooch was sold for CHF 7.8M from a lower estimate of CHF 5.2M by Christie's on November 12, 2024, lot 100. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan was instrumental in the UN Refugee Agency.
In 1960 Prince Sadruddin commissioned to Cartier in Paris a special brooch for the use of his wife. It is made of an exceptional 23 mm square cut Colombian emerald weighing 37 carats in a surrounding of 20 navette diamonds with a total weight of 12 carats. The green color is even despite a great flatness of 8.25 mm and features a medium strong saturation. It has no identification of clarity enhancement.
Sadruddin and Nina divorced in 1962. She committed suicide three years later, aged 35. From her deceased estate, the Aga Khan brooch was sold for CHF 580K to Van Cleef et Arpels on May 1, 1969 by Christie, Manson & Woods in Geneva and was later acquired by Harry Winston.
The Aga Khan emerald brooch was sold for CHF 7.8M from a lower estimate of CHF 5.2M by Christie's on November 12, 2024, lot 100. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan was instrumental in the UN Refugee Agency.
1582-1972 La Peregrina
2011 SOLD for $ 11.8M by Christie's
A pearl made five hundred years ago by an anonymous mollusk in the Gulf of Panama got a fabulous destiny. Used in jewelry of all kinds to meet the changes of fashion, it demonstrates that not only diamonds are forever.
It entered in 1582 into the Spanish royal collection, where it was considered as the biggest pearl in the world. Pear-shaped, it was then weighing 223 grains.
Mary I of England, wife of Philip II of Spain, used it very elegantly as a pendant to a brooch. Philip IV of Spain preferred it as a hat pin. It went to France during the Spanish war of Joseph Bonaparte, and Napoleon III sold it to the English aristocracy.
This wandering pearl has been known for two centuries under the name La Peregrina. It lost twenty grains when it was reworked to improve the security of its setting.
Richard Burton bought it in 1969 at Sotheby's auction as a gift to Elizabeth Taylor.
It was mounted as pendant in a pearl necklace that did not please its new owners. Burton and Taylor then made designed by Cartier in 1972 the magnificent necklace of pearls, rubies and diamonds, where it is again hanging as pendant.
This necklace was sold for $ 11.8M from a lower estimate of $ 2M by Christie's on December 13, 2011, lot 12.
It entered in 1582 into the Spanish royal collection, where it was considered as the biggest pearl in the world. Pear-shaped, it was then weighing 223 grains.
Mary I of England, wife of Philip II of Spain, used it very elegantly as a pendant to a brooch. Philip IV of Spain preferred it as a hat pin. It went to France during the Spanish war of Joseph Bonaparte, and Napoleon III sold it to the English aristocracy.
This wandering pearl has been known for two centuries under the name La Peregrina. It lost twenty grains when it was reworked to improve the security of its setting.
Richard Burton bought it in 1969 at Sotheby's auction as a gift to Elizabeth Taylor.
It was mounted as pendant in a pearl necklace that did not please its new owners. Burton and Taylor then made designed by Cartier in 1972 the magnificent necklace of pearls, rubies and diamonds, where it is again hanging as pendant.
This necklace was sold for $ 11.8M from a lower estimate of $ 2M by Christie's on December 13, 2011, lot 12.
1627-1972 The Taj Mahal of Elizabeth Taylor
2011 SOLD for $ 8.8M by Christie's
The ideal art, which makes the whole world dream, must evoke love, death and wealth at the same time. Adding elegance and monumentality, I described the Taj Mahal, the mausoleum of the beloved wife of Shah Jahan.
In 1972, for Elizabeth Taylor's 40th birthday, Richard Burton humorously declares that he would have liked to offer her the Taj Mahal but that the monument was not transportable. The real gift is an evocation of it : a Mughal piece of jewelry, which Burton had bought for around £ 350K.
This jewel is centered with a large heart-shaped diamond inserted in a surrounding of same shape in red stones, jade and small diamonds. The diamond is inscribed in Persian : Nur Jahan Baygum Padshah, 23, 1037. The ribbon for using it as a pendant is faded. Liz Taylor has it replaced by Cartier with a gold chain terminated by a fraying of gold threads bearing rubies.
In the Hegira calendar, 1037, corresponding to 1627 CE, is the year of Jahangir's death in the 23rd year of his reign and thus marks the end of the long recency of his wife Nur Jahan. Shah Jahan is the son and successor of Jahangir.
This jewel designated as the Taj Mahal was sold on December 13, 2011 for $ 8.8M from a lower estimate of $ 300K, lot 56 in the auction by Christie's of Elizabeth Taylor's estate.
After the sale, the buyer, who remained anonymous, understands that there is no evidence that the Taj Mahal jewel was ever in the hands of Jahangir or Shah Jahan. He is an important customer and Christie's is attempting to cancel the sale of this lot. The trust in charge of the actress's estate opposed it in 2015 and 2017 by legal complaints, arguing the absence of irregularity. The end of the story is not known.
In 1972, for Elizabeth Taylor's 40th birthday, Richard Burton humorously declares that he would have liked to offer her the Taj Mahal but that the monument was not transportable. The real gift is an evocation of it : a Mughal piece of jewelry, which Burton had bought for around £ 350K.
This jewel is centered with a large heart-shaped diamond inserted in a surrounding of same shape in red stones, jade and small diamonds. The diamond is inscribed in Persian : Nur Jahan Baygum Padshah, 23, 1037. The ribbon for using it as a pendant is faded. Liz Taylor has it replaced by Cartier with a gold chain terminated by a fraying of gold threads bearing rubies.
In the Hegira calendar, 1037, corresponding to 1627 CE, is the year of Jahangir's death in the 23rd year of his reign and thus marks the end of the long recency of his wife Nur Jahan. Shah Jahan is the son and successor of Jahangir.
This jewel designated as the Taj Mahal was sold on December 13, 2011 for $ 8.8M from a lower estimate of $ 300K, lot 56 in the auction by Christie's of Elizabeth Taylor's estate.
After the sale, the buyer, who remained anonymous, understands that there is no evidence that the Taj Mahal jewel was ever in the hands of Jahangir or Shah Jahan. He is an important customer and Christie's is attempting to cancel the sale of this lot. The trust in charge of the actress's estate opposed it in 2015 and 2017 by legal complaints, arguing the absence of irregularity. The end of the story is not known.
2016 The Sky Blue Diamond
2016 SOLD for CHF 17M by Sotheby's
Diamonds are eternal but their assembly within a jewel may change. The same gem can therefore be the star lot of two auctions a few years apart with a different mounting.
The GIA report dated 8 June 2010, applied to a Type IIb diamond weighing 8.01 carat, guaranteeing its natural, Fancy Vivid Blue color and VVS1 clarity.
This gem is close to the best, in the most prestigious color and a clarity which is second only to Internally Flawless. Fancy vivid blue diamonds rarely exceed that weight. Mounted on a platinum ring between two small white diamonds, it was sold for HK $ 100M by Sotheby's on 3 April 2012.
Its emerald cut is the most prestigious for colored diamonds. It guarantees the natural qualities of the diamond and does not alter the color.
Later identified as the Sky Blue Diamond, it is more accurately described as square cut which better stresses its great shape achievement, and assembled on a more exuberant Cartier ring set with brilliant cut and baguette diamonds. It was sold for CHF 17M by Sotheby's on November 16, 2016, lot 337. Please watch the video shared by WSJ.
The GIA report dated 8 June 2010, applied to a Type IIb diamond weighing 8.01 carat, guaranteeing its natural, Fancy Vivid Blue color and VVS1 clarity.
This gem is close to the best, in the most prestigious color and a clarity which is second only to Internally Flawless. Fancy vivid blue diamonds rarely exceed that weight. Mounted on a platinum ring between two small white diamonds, it was sold for HK $ 100M by Sotheby's on 3 April 2012.
Its emerald cut is the most prestigious for colored diamonds. It guarantees the natural qualities of the diamond and does not alter the color.
Later identified as the Sky Blue Diamond, it is more accurately described as square cut which better stresses its great shape achievement, and assembled on a more exuberant Cartier ring set with brilliant cut and baguette diamonds. It was sold for CHF 17M by Sotheby's on November 16, 2016, lot 337. Please watch the video shared by WSJ.
The Sunrise Ruby
2015 SOLD for CHF 28M by Sotheby's
The best rubies in the world are extracted from the Burmese valley of Mogok in Myanmar. They are the only ones to exhibit a vivid and saturated crimson red pigeon blood color. The cushion cut is perfect for them.
The beauty of a ruby is also closely linked to its internal structure that enhances the dispersion of light. Considered as exceptional by Graff, the Graff ruby was sold for CHF 8.3M by Sotheby's on November 12, 2014, lot 470, a great price for a stone which weighs only 8.62 carats. Its price per carat, CHF 960K, is almost competing with the best pink or blue diamonds.
The Sunrise ruby was sold for CHF 28M from a lower estimate of CHF 11.7M by Sotheby's on May 12, 2015, lot 502. That price per carat, CHF 1.1M, exceeds the Graff. It was sold for CHF 13M by Christie's on May 10, 2023, lot 96 from the collection of the late billionaire art collector Heidi Horten.
This cushion shaped brilliant cut ruby is weighing 25.59 carats, measuring 17.66 x 15.07 x 10.47 mm, It is pigeon blood red with rich saturation and high clarity. The shape and the finely proportioned cut provides vivid internal color reflections as commented by Gübelin. It is mounted on a platinum ring by Cartier between two shield shaped diamonds of 2.70 and 2.47 carats.
The Hope ruby is still bigger. This cushion shaped pigeon blood from the Lily Safra collection, weighing 32.08 carats, is mounted on a ring by Chaumet. It was sold for CHF 6.2M by Christie's on May 14, 2012, lot 66.
Sunrise Ruby details
The Sunrise Ruby, renowned as one of the finest Burmese rubies ever discovered, set auction records in 2015 and remains a benchmark for unheated pigeon's blood rubies from Myanmar due to its exceptional color, clarity, and size. This cushion-shaped gem weighs 25.59 carats and originates from the historic Mogok Valley in Myanmar (formerly Burma), a region famed for producing top-tier rubies for centuries, with geological conditions involving metamorphic rock formations under high pressure and temperature creating its vivid chromium-induced red hue. The stone was reportedly mined in the early 20th century, though exact discovery details are sparse, and it entered the market through traditional Burmese ruby trade channels before being acquired and certified by prominent Swiss gem labs.
The ruby was cut into its classic cushion brilliant shape to maximize its color saturation and brilliance, then set by Cartier in a platinum ring flanked by two shield-shaped diamonds weighing 2.47 and 2.70 carats, creating a balanced, elegant design with French assay marks and a partially erased maker's mark from Cartier Joaillerie International. The ring measures US size 5¼ and has a gross weight of 16.6 grams. Its name, "Sunrise Ruby," draws inspiration from a poem by the 13th-century Persian poet Rumi: "The morning wind has secrets to tell you. Do not go back to sleep," evoking the gem's radiant, dawn-like glow.
Gemologically, the Sunrise Ruby exemplifies the pinnacle of Burmese rubies with its vivid pigeon's blood red color—a deep, pure crimson with subtle blue undertones and strong fluorescence under UV light, rare even among Mogok stones. It displays exceptional purity and transparency, with minimal inclusions visible to the naked eye, and no signs of heat treatment, preserving its natural properties—a key factor in its value, as heating is common in ruby enhancement but can diminish rarity. Certifications from leading labs confirm its attributes:
The Sunrise Ruby's 2015 sale elevated the profile of Burmese rubies in the global market, reinforcing Myanmar's dominance in premium unheated stones despite U.S. import bans since 2008 due to political sanctions. While its overall price record was surpassed in 2023 by the 55.22-carat Mozambican Estrela de Fura ($34.8 million), the Sunrise Ruby still holds the auction record for a Burmese ruby and remains a symbol of timeless gemological excellence, often cited as the archetype for pigeon's blood quality in educational and market contexts
The beauty of a ruby is also closely linked to its internal structure that enhances the dispersion of light. Considered as exceptional by Graff, the Graff ruby was sold for CHF 8.3M by Sotheby's on November 12, 2014, lot 470, a great price for a stone which weighs only 8.62 carats. Its price per carat, CHF 960K, is almost competing with the best pink or blue diamonds.
The Sunrise ruby was sold for CHF 28M from a lower estimate of CHF 11.7M by Sotheby's on May 12, 2015, lot 502. That price per carat, CHF 1.1M, exceeds the Graff. It was sold for CHF 13M by Christie's on May 10, 2023, lot 96 from the collection of the late billionaire art collector Heidi Horten.
This cushion shaped brilliant cut ruby is weighing 25.59 carats, measuring 17.66 x 15.07 x 10.47 mm, It is pigeon blood red with rich saturation and high clarity. The shape and the finely proportioned cut provides vivid internal color reflections as commented by Gübelin. It is mounted on a platinum ring by Cartier between two shield shaped diamonds of 2.70 and 2.47 carats.
The Hope ruby is still bigger. This cushion shaped pigeon blood from the Lily Safra collection, weighing 32.08 carats, is mounted on a ring by Chaumet. It was sold for CHF 6.2M by Christie's on May 14, 2012, lot 66.
Sunrise Ruby details
The Sunrise Ruby, renowned as one of the finest Burmese rubies ever discovered, set auction records in 2015 and remains a benchmark for unheated pigeon's blood rubies from Myanmar due to its exceptional color, clarity, and size. This cushion-shaped gem weighs 25.59 carats and originates from the historic Mogok Valley in Myanmar (formerly Burma), a region famed for producing top-tier rubies for centuries, with geological conditions involving metamorphic rock formations under high pressure and temperature creating its vivid chromium-induced red hue. The stone was reportedly mined in the early 20th century, though exact discovery details are sparse, and it entered the market through traditional Burmese ruby trade channels before being acquired and certified by prominent Swiss gem labs.
The ruby was cut into its classic cushion brilliant shape to maximize its color saturation and brilliance, then set by Cartier in a platinum ring flanked by two shield-shaped diamonds weighing 2.47 and 2.70 carats, creating a balanced, elegant design with French assay marks and a partially erased maker's mark from Cartier Joaillerie International. The ring measures US size 5¼ and has a gross weight of 16.6 grams. Its name, "Sunrise Ruby," draws inspiration from a poem by the 13th-century Persian poet Rumi: "The morning wind has secrets to tell you. Do not go back to sleep," evoking the gem's radiant, dawn-like glow.
Gemologically, the Sunrise Ruby exemplifies the pinnacle of Burmese rubies with its vivid pigeon's blood red color—a deep, pure crimson with subtle blue undertones and strong fluorescence under UV light, rare even among Mogok stones. It displays exceptional purity and transparency, with minimal inclusions visible to the naked eye, and no signs of heat treatment, preserving its natural properties—a key factor in its value, as heating is common in ruby enhancement but can diminish rarity. Certifications from leading labs confirm its attributes:
- Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF: Reports No. 128111 (2023) and No. 78414 (2015), classifying it as unheated Burmese origin with pigeon's blood color and appendices highlighting its "exceptional quality" and "rarity."
- Gübelin Gem Lab: Report No. 23030197 (2023), affirming natural, unheated status from Mogok, with information sheets on unheated rubies and Burmese origins emphasizing its unique high quality.
The Sunrise Ruby's 2015 sale elevated the profile of Burmese rubies in the global market, reinforcing Myanmar's dominance in premium unheated stones despite U.S. import bans since 2008 due to political sanctions. While its overall price record was surpassed in 2023 by the 55.22-carat Mozambican Estrela de Fura ($34.8 million), the Sunrise Ruby still holds the auction record for a Burmese ruby and remains a symbol of timeless gemological excellence, often cited as the archetype for pigeon's blood quality in educational and market contexts
The most valuable ruby ever sold at auction: The Sunrise Ruby sells for US$ 30.3m in Geneva #SothebysJewels pic.twitter.com/s5ezt5Qah8
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) May 12, 2015
The Rock
2022 SOLD for CHF 21.7M by Christie's
The Rock is the largest white diamond ever offered at auction. It was sold for CHF 21.7M by Christie's on May 11, 2022, lot 26.
Mined in South Africa more than 20 years earlier, it is brilliant cut in pear shape. Its characteristics are 228.31 carats, G color, VS1 clarity, excellent polish and symmetry, 61.3 grams.
G is the highest grade in the near-colorless range. displaying a very faint yellow tint. If the cut is perfect, a G diamond looks identical to a colorless D when viewed with the naked eye.
The Rock has been mounted by Cartier with a round diamond and platinum pendant, for an overall size of 5.4 x 3.1 cm.
Mined in South Africa more than 20 years earlier, it is brilliant cut in pear shape. Its characteristics are 228.31 carats, G color, VS1 clarity, excellent polish and symmetry, 61.3 grams.
G is the highest grade in the near-colorless range. displaying a very faint yellow tint. If the cut is perfect, a G diamond looks identical to a colorless D when viewed with the naked eye.
The Rock has been mounted by Cartier with a round diamond and platinum pendant, for an overall size of 5.4 x 3.1 cm.
#AuctionUpdate 'The Rock,' the largest white diamond ever auctioned, sold for CHF21,681,000 / $21,894,082 at Christie's Magnificent Jewels sale on 11 May 2022. □ pic.twitter.com/39hRUU1E0u
— Christie's (@ChristiesInc) May 12, 2022
