110 VOGUE INDIA JULY 2016 http://www.vogue.in
How t o
rock a
jewellery
auction
EXPERTIf you’re
a serious
collector, you’ve
surely visited
an auction or
two. But are
you doing it
right? AMIN
JAFFER lists the
dos and don’ts
of bidding for
jewelleryAuctions can be a remarkably
effective and economical way of
buying jewellery and gem-
stones. In fact, a large number
of bidders and buyers belong to
the international jewellery
trade, purchasing pieces for
their own stock. Aside from
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tages of buying at an auction,
there is the question of the
wide range of material avail-
able for sale. Where else can
you buy a vintage Cartier
compact belonging to Greta Garbo or bid for
Elizabeth Taylor’s solitaire ring? In my nine
years at Christie’s, I’ve been lucky to handle
jewels of great rarity, hailing from the collec-
tions of Catherine the Great and Marie-Antoi-
nette to modern tastemakers like the Brazilian
philanthropist-socialite Lily Safra.
Jewellery auctions usually offer around 300
items, including precious vintage jewellery
with noble provenance as well as contemporary
pieces that were purchased more recently at
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centration of gem dealers and top collectors,
leading jewellery auctions are typically held in
New York, London, Geneva and Hong Kong.
While there is no set rule to navigating this
world of auctions, I would recommend you
keep these in mind:With the central stone
weighing 16.08 carats,
this was the largest
cushion-shaped fancy
vivid pink diamond
ever auctionedJaf er’s most recent
book, Beyond
Extravagance: A
Royal Collection Of
Gems And Jewels,
is out on AssoulineThe Christie’s auction where
items belonging to iconic
actresses went on auction in
2011 in New YorkCOURTESY CHRISTIE’S; GETTY IMAGESSHARPEN YOUR PENCILS:
Before the sale, study the catalogue, marking
the pieces you like. If you can’t access a hard
copy, see the catalogue online. For pearls, loose
gemstones or jewellery with precious stones,
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are not reproduced in the catalogue, the auc-
tion house will be happy to send these to you.SEE IT SO YOU’LL BELIEVE IT:
Arrange a visit during the preview period, when
the entire collection is open for public viewing.
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handle the pieces, trying them on in front of a
mirror. There are always tables and chairs set
up behind the counters for prospective buyers
to closely examine the pieces. For pieces of high
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WLRQORXSHDQGUHIHUULQJWRWKHJHPFHUWLÀFDWHVWEIGH IN: People buy at an auction to ac-
quire pieces at good value, and pieces that are
no longer available via jewellery houses. Auc-
tion estimates are thus set well below retail
prices, bearing in mind that there is a sales
commission that will be payable. It is always
possible to quantify values of jewellery and to
verify sales records on the internet, especially
for loose diamonds or branded jewellery by
big houses like Cartier or Boucheron. For col-
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much depends on personal preferences.WorldMags.net