Christie’s Geneva Magnificent Jewels sale on May 18 set four world records, led by a heart-shaped 56.15 ct. diamond selling for $10.9 million, more than doubling the previous highest price for a heart-shaped diamond sold at auction.

Photo courtesy of Christie’s

The buyer was famed London diamantaire Graff Diamonds.

The previous record for a heart-shaped diamond was the Heart
of the Desert Diamond, which sold for over $5.2 million at Sotheby’s Geneva in
November 1994.

The auction fetched more than $78 million in sales, setting a new record for a jewelry auction held by Christie’s in
Switzerland.

A cushion-cut Burmese 130.50 ct. sapphire sold for over $7.1
million, also a world record price for a sapphire at auction. Its purchaser was Ben Mellen and Son.

An Imperial Mughal spinel necklace set a record for highest
price of any Indian jewel at auction, selling at over $5.2 million to a private buyer.

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