The top lot was an 13.86ct emerald-cut diamond ring with tapered baguette-cut diamond sides which sold for a hammer price of £255,000 at the auction on November 8 in Birmingham.
This is the top price recorded by the Price Guide on thesaleroom.com for a single-stone ring sold at an auction in the UK regions so far this year.
The auction house reported 14 telephone bids, in multiple languages, for the ring in a bidding war that lasted more than five minutes with interest also coming from the room and from commission bids. The eventual winner was a bidder in the room.
Stephen Whittaker, Fellows’ managing director, said: “This auction shows us, without a shadow of a doubt, that people are willing to bid on, and buy, high-value pieces when they have sensible estimates. The interest, both at home and abroad, in the auction demonstrates that Birmingham is a hub for fine jewellery, both in our auctions and in the Jewellery Quarter as a whole.”
Other highlights of the sale was a pair of pear-shape diamond drop earrings, weighing 3.98 and 3.15cts respectively, selling for a hammer price of £64,000 and a diamond fringe necklace that sold for a premium-inclusive £177,160.
