Sotheby’s generates $10.5 million from New York Important Jewels sale

Sotheby’s New York reported that an auction of Important Jewels raised $10.5 million.

The auction house said it set a record total for a February sale of jewelry for the third year running.

Its highlights included a 6.46 carat diamond ring by Tiffany & Co. which was bought for $560,500, and a 0.51-carat fancy vivid purplish pink diamond ring that was sold for $338,500.

In addition, a Van Cleef & Arpels platinum and diamond bow brooch was sold for $332,500, while a pear-shaped E, SI1 diamond of 10.04 carats set in a ring, was sold for $314,500, and a ring featuring a Burmese ruby with a weight of 3.96 carats and a diamond was acquired for $290,500.

The auction also featured jewelry from the Estée Lauder and Evelyn H. Lauder collections.

The jewelry from the Lauder collections, together with items previously sold in December, raised a total of $22.8 million. The money is being donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

The auction "demonstrated the market’s continued appetite for exceptional diamonds," commented Gary Schuler, head of Sotheby’s Jewelry department in New York.