Christie’s Luxury Week Highlights: Andy Warhol’s Watch, a Sterling Silver Hermès Kelly and Dazzling ‘Sunset’ Diamonds
Christie’s biannual Luxury Week has arrived, meaning that exquisite jewels, rare handbags and celebrity heirlooms are again up for sale. This week’s auctions feature no shortage of spectacular goods — some of which are rarely seen on the block.
Here, a preview of the best items Christie’s has to offer this Luxury Week.
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Watches
Following Andy Warhol’s death, hundreds of high-end timepieces were discovered hidden in the canopy of his four-poster bed, and in a secret compartment at the back of an old filing cabinet. Many have since been put up for auction, but it’s Warhol’s Patek Phillippe 3448 that is currently regarded as the most valuable.
The watch is in near perfect condition and features 18-karat gold hardware, as well as moon phases on its face. It was originally auctioned off by Sotheby’s New York in 1988 before it was put up for sale again, fetching more than $300,000 in 2014.
Jewelry
Among Christie’s “Magnificent” bijoux on the block this week are the “California Sunset” diamond earrings. Adorned with oval and marquise-cut stones, they’re expected to fetch $7 million to $12 million during Wednesday’s sale. The earrings, set in platinum and rose gold, are named for their Fancy Vivid orange-yellow diamonds, which clock in at a combined 24 carats.
“We are so thrilled and excited to be offering such a rare pair of colored diamonds at auction,” Christie’s Claibourne Poindexter, vice president senior specialist, jewelry department, said in a statement. “They represent a very rare opportunity for collectors to acquire something truly rare and exceptional.”
The California Sunset earrings, along with other stunning jewels, go up for auction Wednesday.
Handbags
The most notable of Christie’s Luxury Week handbags is the sterling silver miniature Kelly. Dating back to the 1990s, the purse is fully functional and includes the Kelly’s signature Cadena lock. Hermès has released iterations since, though Christie’s possesses the original, which is up for auction through Dec. 12.
Previously, sterling silver Kellys have realized anywhere from $50,000 to $60,000 at auction, though this particular version is estimated to fetch up to $200,000.
Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian have been spotted with this ultra rare bag, with Jenner recently toting it to a Beyoncé concert in Los Angeles.
“It is a handbag, a piece of jewelry, and an irresistible objet d’art. It is extremely rare, and it is making its first auction appearance in seven years,” said Christie’s international head of handbags Rachel Koffsky, in a statement. “It is considered to be one of the most desirable and collectible handbags in the world. With a weight of approximately 600 grams of sterling silver, it is as precious as it is functional.”
Additionally, on the block as part of “Christie’s Handbags Online: The New York Edit” are two diamond-encrusted crocodile Hermès bags: one, a bright red 30 cm Birkin and the other, a black 25 cm Kelly. These are considered among the highest-prized purses in the world, along with Hermès’ coveted Himalaya handbags — two of which are also up for auction this week.
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