FOCUS 18 | JNA January/February 2023 Asian collectors’ spend on jewellery in Christie’s AsiaPacific salesrooms rose 10 per cent in 2022 from prepandemic 2019 as they continue to participate in major luxury sales abroad. “Asians contributed nearly half of the bought hammer value to our Geneva Luxury Week sales in November 2022, and this included the successful bid for the Fortune Pink diamond by a buyer from APAC,” revealed Sek. APAC buyers contributed US$1.8 billion or 26 per cent to Christie’s global auctions in 2022 – the highest annual contribution on record since 2015. Digital initiatives Moving forward, digitalisation will remain a crucial part of auction houses' business strategies. Christie’s, for instance, is investing heavily in digital initiatives, especially in Asia, according to Francis Belin, president of Christie’s Asia Pacific. The auction house is making online bidding more accessible than ever as clients can now bid via Christie’s Live mobile app. It is also the only international auction house to allow bidding directly through its WeChat Mini Program, explained Belin. It will likewise continue to livestream its sales events across multiple platforms through Christie’s Live and its WeChat channel. “An increasing number of clients and art and luxury enthusiasts are tuning in to our dynamic live sales – for example, during our Hong Kong Autumn Auctions, we partnered with Douyin (China’s version of TikTok) and our livestream viewership reached a monumental high of 38 million viewers,” shared Belin. Christie’s is also aiming to further cultivate its social media platforms in Asia by engaging audiences through informative, high-quality content. It currently has 230,000 followers on WeChat; 200,000 on RED; 61,000 on Weibo; and 1.7 million on Instagram, which is a dedicated platform for Asia, Korea and Japan. Sotheby’s is also a driving force in digital innovations in the auction market since pre-Covid. According to Kim, demand is consistent in the company’s digital platforms, which will continue to be an integral part of its events. Antique jewellery meanwhile made waves at UK-based Fellows’ sales events, according to Fellows Auctioneer and Business Development Manager Nicola Whittaker. Buyers were also on the lookout for trendy stones like tourmalines and contemporary pieces from renowned jewellers like Tiffany & Co and Cartier. Among the company’s top offerings in 2022 were fine jewellery pieces such as an early to mid-20th century platinum old-cut diamond single-stone ring, with circular-cut diamond foliate gallery and shoulders that sold for £90,000 (around US$108,421); an Art Deco platinum diamond geometric bracelet by Cartier, which fetched £55,000 (around US$66,257); and a rectangular-shape diamond “Lia” ring by Cartier, which achieved £96,000 (around US$904,241). Antique pieces also performed well, including a late 19th century 18-karat gold floral band ring; a 19th century gold star locket; a late Victorian 18-karat gold old-cut diamond snake ring; and an early 20th century gold rose-cut diamond jabot pin brooch. Fellows also observed soaring interest in moonstones and tourmalines. “The main bright spot for us was welcoming people back into our offices in Birmingham and London – whether that was our events, having people in the room for live auctions or valuation days,” shared Whittaker. Asian collectors Notwithstanding global economic instability and the Covid crisis, Sotheby’s has grown consistently since 2019, with bidders from Asia becoming a force to reckon with in the auction business. Kim said Asians account for over 60 per cent of total bidders in Hong Kong auctions, followed by the US and Europe, signalling the depth of demand for highquality gems and jewellery in the region. Asians are gravitating towards unique pieces including period jewels such as a Belle Époque diamond pendent necklace by Cartier. Sek of Christie’s affirmed the growing influence of Asian buyers in jewellery auctions, not only in Hong Kong but overseas, including London, Geneva and New York. This exquisite diamond rivière necklace sold for US$6 million at Christie’s Hong Kong © Christie’s Images Limited 2022 这条钻石项链在香港佳士得以600万美元成交
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