Multiple factors such as disruptive tariffs, record-breaking gold prices and geopolitical tensions created a perfect storm for many industries in 2025 – the jewellery sector included. Amid such a grim backdrop, fine jewellery pieces performed extremely well at auctions throughout the year, demonstrating resilient demand for luxury gems and jewellery. Here are the top auction jewels of 2025:
1. The Mellon Blue, an exceptional fancy vivid IF blue diamond weighing 9.51 carats, achieved CHF20.52 (around US$25.6 million) at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in Geneva in November. The blue diamond has become the highest jewellery lot sold at auction in 2025, while the selling price is the third highest for any vivid blue diamond sold at Christie’s.
2. The Mediterranean Blue, an exceptional fancy vivid blue diamond weighing 10.03 carats, sold for CHF17.9 million (roughly US$21.5 million) at Sotheby’s High Jewelry sale in Geneva in May.
3. The Royal Blue necklace adorned with 16 cushion-cut Kashmir “Royal Blue” sapphires totalling 104.61 carats sold for HK$125.45 million (about US$16.19 million) at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in Hong Kong in November, breaking the world auction record for a Kashmir sapphire necklace.
4. The Marie-Thérèse pink diamond, a 10.38-carat kite-shaped fancy purple-pink diamond by JAR, fetched US$14 million at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in New York in June. The ring, estimated to sell for US$3 million to US$5 million, originally belonged to Queen Marie Antoinette.
5. A ballerina ring in platinum adorned with an exceptional fancy deep blue emerald-cut diamond of 6.24 carats with ruby and baguette-cut diamond accents by Boucheron was snapped up for CHF10.64 million (approximately US$13.38 million) at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in Geneva in May.
6. The 392.52-carat Blue Belle sold for US$11.3 million at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in New York in June. Christie’s President for the Asia-Pacific region Rahul Kadakia highlighted the sapphire's “exceptional size, colour and clarity.” The Blue Belle was discovered in Sri Lanka in 1926.
7. The Regent Kashmir ring in platinum featuring an antique cushion-shaped sapphire of 35.09 carats with round diamonds sold for HK$74.7 million (around US$9.5 million) at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels suction in Hong Kong in May. The sapphire has no indications of heating and bears the coveted “Royal Blue” colour.
8. The Desert Rose, the largest fancy vivid orangey-pink diamond in the world at 31.68 carats, fetched CHF17.9 million (roughly US$8.8 million) at Sotheby’s inaugural Collectors’ Week in Abu Dhabi in December.
9. A 4.5-carat fancy vivid blue diamond achieved CHF4.8 milion (approximately US$6 million) at Sotheby’s Geneva in November.
10. A Paraiba-type tourmaline and diamond necklace by Tiffany & Co from the collection of Max and Cecile Draime fetched US$4.22 million at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels New York in December. The piece achieved a world record price for a Paraiba tourmaline. A matching pair of Tiffany & Co Paraiba tourmaline and diamond earrings, also from the Draime Collection, realised US$1.27 million.
Some honourable mentions:
Graff diamond ring with 3.68-carat fancy vivid blue diamond
Napoleon’s 13.04-carat old-mine-cut oval diamond brooch
Ring with 10.17-carat “Pigeon’s Blood” cushion-cut Burmese ruby
The Vanderbilt sapphire brooch with 42.68-carat Kashmir sugarloaf sapphire
JAR “Apricot Blossom” diamond bracelet with red-orange and yellow enamel
Nancy Astor’s Cartier tiara with single, rose-cut and brilliant-cut diamonds and three fluted turquoise plumes
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