This Sale Boasts Fancy Diamonds, Kashmir Sapphires—and Ducks!

By Annie Davidson Watson | April 21, 2026

Heritage Auctions has never had trouble putting together a jewelry sale, but the Dallas-based house is making some noise—quacking?—about its Spring Fine Jewelry auction on May 4.

A pair of Cartier duck brooches (pictured) bring levity to the blue-chip lineup. “After years of austerity, there was room again for joy, lightness, and pieces designed simply to make us smile. These charming brooches capture that spirit perfectly,” said Jill Burgum, Heritage’s executive director of fine jewelry, in a statement.

Dating to the early 1950s, the ducks are made of carved chalcedony and coral, with sapphire eyes. One is dressed as a cowboy duck, the other—an even rarer piece—wears a Native American headdress. The pair is estimated to fetch $10,000 to $15,000.

But the auction’s true headliners are yellow diamonds. A Cartier ring with a 20.03 ct. fancy intense yellow diamond leads the pack. Also noteworthy are two rings centered on a large yellow diamond, accented by smaller colorless diamonds: one ring, by Van Cleef & Arpels, has a 6.88 ct. step-cut fancy intense yellow diamond, flanked by two diamonds totaling 1.8 cts. (estimate of $150,000 to $200,000); the other boasts an 8.27 ct. center stone, plus 1.5 cts. t.w. trapezoid-shape and baguette-cut diamonds (estimate $80,000–$100,000).

The colored stone contingent also includes an unmounted 6.45 ct. faint pink diamond carrying an estimate between $200,000 and $300,000. Two Kashmir sapphires anchor the non-diamond colored gem selection: a 6.59 ct. octagonal sapphire on a ring with diamond side stones, and a 10.01 ct. cushion-shape sapphire surrounded by nearly 5 cts. t.w. diamonds on a ring resembling a flower (estimated at up to $150,000). The center stones on both rings come from the Zanskar range of the Himalayas, source of some of the world’s most desired sapphires.

kashmir ring — *Ring in platinum with a 6.59 ct. octagonal sapphire and 1 ct. trapezoidal diamonds, estimate $300,000–$600,000*

Heritage’s sale also features a 13.2 ct. Burma sapphire (estimate $30,000–$40,000), a 23 ct. Ceylon yellow sapphire ($15,000 to $20,000), and three Colombian emerald rings, the largest centered on a 25 ct. stone ($30,000–$40,000).

And those ducks are not alone among conversation pieces in the auction. Check out the Van Cleef & Arpels scarecrow brooch in enameled 18k gold with diamonds and sapphires (estimate of $8,000 to $10,000), as well as a De Beers hourglass containing more than 2,000 octahedral diamonds ($6,000–$8,000). Signed pieces from Tiffany & Co., Bulgari, David Webb, JAR, Hermès, and Verdura fill out the designer portion of the sale.

(Photos courtesy of Heritage Auctions)

Follow me on Instagram: @anniedavidsonwatson