
The last lot of the jewellery sale held by Lawrences (25% buyer’s premium) of Crewkerne on July 23 was a brooch centred by a large cushion-shaped yellow sapphire surrounded by 24 old circular-cut diamonds.
A report from GCS (Gemmological Certification Services) stated this was a natural Sri Lankan gemstone weighing 31.4cts and showed no indications of heat treatment.
All of the firm’s phone lines were booked for this lot estimated at £5000-8000. Bidding finally settled at a sale-topping £44,000 – a price that with premium was close to £1750 per carat.
Victorian pendant
A Victorian sapphire and diamond pendant sold for £11,000 following an online bidding contest at Cuttlestones (17.5% buyer’s premium) in Wolverhampton on July 15.
Housed in a case labelled for Spink (the firm was a general antiques dealer for many years before assuming its current guise), it was part of a 44-piece collection of jewellery consigned by a local vendor that totalled in excess of £25,000.