This Massive 126-Carat Diamond Led Christie’s Spring Jewelry Auctions to a Massive $62 Million Day

Christie’s latest New York jewelry sales proved that serious stones haven’t lost their appeal.

The auction house hosted both The Magnificent Jewels of Anne Eisenhower and Magnificent Jewels sales in N.Y.C. on June 7, achieving a combined total of $62.3 million. Exceptional pieces by Tiffany & Co. and Cartier, as well as Van Cleef & Arpels sold for millions across both auctions.

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Christie’s annual Magnificent Jewels sale achieved a high sales total of $50.7 million on Wednesday with ‘The Light of Peace’ diamond leading the sale. The massive 126-carat stone, previously owned by the Zale Corporation of Dallas, sold for $13.6 million. It was formerly named the ‘Zale Light of Peace’ to promote the company’s philanthropic ideals. A portion of the proceeds for the dazzling lot will be donated to USA for UNHCR, a UN Refugee Agency. Harry Winston, Verdura, and Chaumet jewels from private collections also featured in the sale, which saw 112 percent of its lots sold by low estimate, and 96 percent sold by value.

Actress Marlene Dietrich’s stylish ‘Jarretière’ ruby and diamond bracelet by Van Cleef & Arpels, meanwhile, led The Magnificent Jewels of Anne Eisenhower auction. The German-American actress bought the bracelet in 1937 and later wore it in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1950 murder mystery Stage Fright. Eisenhower, a known collector and interior designer, acquired the piece from Dietrich’s estate in 1992. On Wednesday, the bracelet sold for just over its high-sales estimate of $4.5 million, as part of the $11.5 million sales total. Other standouts in the 31-lot sale ranged from an 18-karat yellow-gold Cartier bangle to David Webb emerald and diamond earrings.

Visit the Christie’s website to view all the offerings from both jewelry sales.

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