The Most Valuable Jewelry Sales of 2025

Throughout 2025, the market for exceptional jewelry continued to showcase its sophistication, bringing forward gemstones of remarkable rarity and provenance. From intensely colored diamonds to historically significant sapphires, the year revealed pieces whose cultural and aesthetic value extends far beyond the materials themselves. For discerning collectors, such transactions highlight how extraordinary jewels remain both refined objects of passion and enduring stores of value.

In this overview, we present ten of the most notable jewelry sales of 2025, each distinguished by its rarity, beauty, and the unique story it carries.

The Mellon Blue

• Auction house: Christie’s (Geneva)
• Jewelry type: diamond ring
  Main stone: fancy vivid blue diamond, pear cut
• Carat weight: 9.51 ct
• Final price: CHF 20.5 million (approximately USD 25.6 million)
• Description: This blue diamond, graded VVS1 for clarity (potentially Internally Flawless), is set in a platinum ring. It comes from the estate of Rachel “Bunny” Mellon, a refined figure and philanthropist whose legacy lends the piece an air of understated elegance and cultural significance.

 The Mediterranean Blue

• Auction house: Sotheby’s (Geneva)
• Jewelry type: loose gemstone
• Main stone: fancy vivid blue diamond, modified cushion cut
• Carat weight: 10.03 ct
• Final price: CHF 17.9 million (approximately USD 21.5 million)
• Description: A gemstone of exceptional purity and rich, saturated color, certified by GIA as Type IIb. It stands among the finest expressions of the natural blue diamond.

Boucheron ring with “Fancy Deep Blue” diamond

• Auction house: Christie’s, Magnificent Jewels, Geneva (May 2025)
• Main stone: blue diamond, emerald cut
• Carat weight: 6.24 ct
• Final price: CHF 10,640,000 (approximately USD 12.7 million)
• Description: This ring, crafted by Boucheron, set a price-per-carat record for a deep-blue diamond. The central stone is framed by white diamonds and rubies, and the design evokes the elegance of a “ballerina,” with flowing lines reminiscent of a tutu.

Graff “Fancy Vivid Blue” diamond ring

• Auction house: Christie’s, Magnificent Jewels, Geneva (May 2025)
• Main stone: blue diamond, oval cut
• Carat weight: 3.68 ct
• Final price: CHF 4,885,000 (approximately USD 5.84 million)
• Description: This ring, signed by Graff - one of the most esteemed names in rare diamonds and high jewelry -features a vividly saturated blue stone with VVS2 clarity. It was purchased by Lawrence Graff, the founder of the celebrated maison, adding significant collectible value to the piece.

Burmese “Pigeon Blood” ruby ring

• Auction house: Christie’s, Magnificent Jewels, Geneva (May 2025)
• Main stone: Burmese cushion-cut ruby
• Carat weight: approximately 10.17 ct
• Final price: CHF 3,493,500 (approximately USD 4.18 million)
• Description: An exceptional “pigeon’s blood” ruby, renowned for its rich color and remarkable purity. Set in a gold ring, it was one of the most prestigious colored gemstones offered at that auction.

Napoleon Bonaparte diamond brooch

• Auction house: Sotheby’s (Geneva)
• Jewelry type: brooch / pendant
• Main stone: Old Mine–cut diamond, surrounded by numerous smaller diamonds
• Carat weight: approximately 13.04 ct for the central stone
• Final price: CHF 3.5 million (around USD 4.4 million)
• Description: This remarkable piece carries a story steeped in history: it is said to have been lost by Napoleon during his retreat from Waterloo. After more than two centuries of passing through generations, it resurfaced at auction and sold for more than double its initial estimate.

The Vanderbilt Sapphire – Tiffany brooch

• Auction house: Phillips (Geneva)
• Jewelry type: Belle Époque brooch
• Main stone: Kashmir sugarloaf sapphire with antique-cut diamonds
• Carat weight: 42.68 ct for the Kashmir sapphire
• Final price: CHF 2.876 million (approximately USD 3.6 million)
• Description: From the Vanderbilt family collection, this openwork brooch featuring an elegant scroll design captures the refined aesthetic of the early 20th century and reflects the heritage of great American jewelry artistry.

JAR “Apricot Blossom” bracelet

• Auction house: Christie’s, Geneva, in the “A Bouquet of Gems” section dedicated to JAR
• Jewelry type: bracelet / bangle
• Main materials and stones: diamonds with red-orange and yellow enamel, oxidized silver, yellow gold
• Final price: CHF 2,374,250 (approximately USD 3 million)
• Description: An iconic creation by Joel Arthur Rosenthal (JAR), this bracelet is a true jewel-art masterpiece blending colorful enamel, diamonds, and metals with painterly precision. It was part of a private collection of 21 pieces highly sought after by collectors. Its value lies not only in the significance of its materials but especially in its rare, distinctive, and meticulously crafted design.

JAR multi-gem necklace

• Auction house: Christie’s, Geneva, from the same JAR collection
• Jewelry type: necklace
• Stones: various small gemstones (multi-gem) set in JAR’s signature style
• Final price: CHF 352,800 (approximately USD 435,720)
• Description: A refined example of JAR’s unmistakable aesthetic: small gemstones arranged so that the metal becomes nearly invisible, forming a continuous, shimmering surface. The necklace also carries strong collectible value, as it comes from an exclusive private collection.

Bulgari “en tremblant” brooch with colored diamonds

• Auction house: Christie’s, Geneva, May 2025
• Jewelry type: “en tremblant” brooch
• Main stones: colored diamonds (blue and white)
• Final price: CHF 592,200 (approximately USD 731,380)
• Description: A Bulgari creation from the 1960s. The “en tremblant” mechanism- highly prized in fine jewelry- allows the brooch’s petals to gently tremble with even the slightest movement, creating a lively, shimmering effect. The use of blue diamonds adds a rare and sophisticated touch of color.

Analysis and strategies

• Color rarity and clarity: The highest-value pieces of 2025 were dominated by fancy-color diamonds - blue diamonds in particular - with exceptional gemological traits (Type IIb, extremely high clarity). This confirms that demand for rare diamonds continues to drive the luxury market.

• Historical provenance as added value: A jewel’s appeal lies not only in its physical attributes but also in its story. A diamond linked to Bunny Mellon or a brooch once owned by Napoleon carries an additional layer of heritage value, attracting long-term collectors and stewards of legacy.

• Discreet management and expert guidance: For owners of high-value jewels, planning a sale often requires an experienced partner. A trusted advisor - such as Auctentic - can provide not only valuation and sales support but also strategic guidance, including choosing the right timing based on market conditions and future projections.
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