The Phillips Geneva Jewels Auction: IV is set to take place at Hotel President Wilson on 12 May 2025. The catalogue includes a selection of outstanding coloured diamonds and gemstones, Art Deco creations and historically significant jewels.
UPDATE – 13 May: Phillips Geneva Jewels Auction: IV achieved CHF 7.6 million on 12 May. Natural pearls and Art Deco pieces achieved notable results, with 100% of pieces sold.
Lot 324: Cartier, diamond brooch, circa 1910, sold for CHF 44,450
Lot 328: Janesich, rock crystal brooch, sold for CHF 6,350
Lot 333: Cartier, diamond brooch, circa 1925, sold for CHF 30,480
Lot 344: Bvlgari Serpenti, late 1950s, sold for CHF 482,600.
The results from the recent jewellery auctions underscore Phillips’ growth and prominence in the global jewellery auction market. End of 2021 Phillips announced the appointment of Benoît Repellin as Head of Jewellery, Europe, as an important milestone in the development of the company’s rapidly expanding jewellery department. He was coming from Sotheby’s, where he was the Director and Head of Magnificent Jewels sales. With his lead, the auction house launched a new series of jewellery sales in Geneva, with the Geneva Jewels Auction: ONE.
He was promoted to his global role in May 2023 (Worldwide Head of Jewellery), as under his leadership, Phillips accomplished impressive sales figures in its jewellery auctions.
Phillips achieved great results for coloured gemstones in 2024 – an exceptional Fancy Vivid Pink Diamond ring, sold for CHF 10,869,500 431; ‘The Argyle Phoenix’ sold for CHF 3,811,000, a World Record for a Fancy Red Diamond sold at auction or ‘The Amazon Queen’, a notable 280.84 ct emerald was sold for CHF 2,782,500. The November sale included a 17.97-carat Burmese ruby and diamond ring sold for CHF 4.8 million and the Red Miracle,’ a 1.21-carat Fancy Red diamond ring, fetched CHF 980,000. The May sale also contains superior diamonds and precious gems.
Geneva Jewels Auction: IV
The star of the 2025 Spring auction is a Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond pendant (Lot 345), set with an old mine brilliant-cut yellow diamond weighing 53.14 ct, highlighted with a circular-cut diamond. The piece is accompanied by GIA report, stating that the diamond is indeed Fancy Vivid Yellow, Natural Colour, Internally Flawless, Excellent Polish. The estimate is CHF 2,150,000 – 3,100,000.
Another exceptional highlight of the sale is a pair of GIA certified, oval shaped diamond earrings (Lot 342), featuring D Colour, Flawless diamonds weighing 10.92 and 10.58 ct. Both are Type IIa diamonds, meaning they have no measurable nitrogen or boron impurities and they are usually colourless but they can also be grey, light brown, light yellow or light pink.
Discover more about a few different diamond types and colours here.
The catalogue includes a selection of coloured gemstones, led by a 7.10ct Kashmir sapphire and diamond ring by Van Cleef & Arpels (Lot 343), with the estimate of CHF 880,000 – 1,325,000. This amazing coloured ring is set with a cushion-shaped sapphire weighing 7.10ct from Kashmir (a region located in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, currently divided among India, Pakistan and China). The sapphire is highlighted around with brilliant-cut diamonds and signed by the eminent French jewellery Maison, Van Cleef & Arpels.
The gemstone received different reports, including ones from the American Gemological Laboratories and Gübelin Gem Lab stating that the sapphire is of Kashmir origin, with no indications of heating; and mentioning its ‘Royal Blue’ colour.
Selection of Art Deco jewels
The ‘Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes’ (International Exhibition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts) held in Paris, in 1925 celebrated the decorative arts. With over 15 million visitors it marked the heydays of the Art Deco style. This movement in the arts and architecture originated in the 1920s and developed into a major style in western Europe and the United States during the 1930s. Art Deco jewellery, which flourished primarily between 1920 and 1935, is known for its bold geometry and modern elegance. Jewels from this era usually feature geometric shapes, symmetry and many times also contrasting colours, like this black and white Cartier onyx and diamond jabot brooch from the sale.
Art Deco accessories are commonly bold and statement pieces, influenced by architecture, industrial design and different cultures – materials, techniques, forms, and motifs that were borrowed from Asia, Egypt or Africa.
On the occasion of the centenary of the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts held in Paris, L’École, School of Jewelry Arts presents a rich program promoting the Art Deco movement in jewellery design – see more.
The Geneva Jewels Auction: IV offers a refined selection of Art Deco creations. The Lot 324 (estimate CHF 18,000 – 26,000) is a signed Cartier brooch from circa 1910, crafted by the esteemed Atelier of Henri Picq, a celebrated French workshop of the era known for creating exquisite pieces for major jewellery houses. He made not only great Art Deco pieces but also some of Cartier’s iconic ‘Tutti Frutti’ jewels. The 40mm piece features an openwork design, millegrain-set with circular-, single- and rose-cut diamonds.
A slightly ‘heavier’ creation is the Lot 333 – an other Cartier Art Deco brooch, from cca 1925. It is a platinum brooch in sharp, geometric, more architectural design, set with baguette diamonds, accented with square-, single- and circular-cut diamonds.
An interesting hexagonal frosted rock crystal brooch is the Lot 328 (estimate CHF 2,600 – 4,500). The jewel is embellished with circular-, single- and rose-cut diamonds. It is a signed Janesich piece. The Dalmatian Leopoldo Janesich (1802-1880) founded the company in 1835 in Trieste. He and his son reached aristocratic clients throughout Italy including Florence, Rome and Venice, Vienna and Hanau and later London and Paris. The 1920’s and 30’s were a particularly rich and fruitful period for the firm, creating jewellery and accessories during the Belle Époque and Art Deco periods.
Lot 344 – Bvlgari ‘Serpenti’, late 1950s
In 2025 – which is the year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac – Bvlgari reimagined its icon, the Serpenti, with the Aeterna pieces, launched at Watches and Wonders. At Phillips we find a more historical snake creation, an intricate Serpenti jewellery watch from the 1950s.
The first Bvlgari Serpenti piece, a bracelet-watch in gold with a square head for the dial, was designed in 1948. Through the decades, the stylised initial interpretation of the snake became a more lifelike representation. From the 1950s onwards, the company added new features to the design, such as scales applied with polychrome enamel, additional coils added to the snake’s body, and bracelets embellished with diamonds and gemstones, as seen in the present lot.
The head and tail set with marquise-shaped and brilliant-cut diamonds, the eyes with pear-shaped rubies, the head crowned with a marquise-shaped light pink diamond weighing 1.01ct. It has brushed gold body with scales and some of the scales are even embellished with marquise-shaped diamonds. In the mouth of the snake we can find a mechanical movement by LeCoultre.
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Serpenti, Bulgari opened the ‘Serpenti – 75 Years of Infinite Tales’ travelling exhibition in 2023. This piece was exhibited in Seoul and Milan.
Photo credits: Loupiosity.com
All registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.
All rights reserved.
