Exceptional Antique and Vintage Jewels at the September Hong Kong Fair

An emerald and diamond tiara by Bijan & Co. It was in the antique and vintage jewelry area but it is a new piece. Photo Credit: Anthony DeMarco

Tucked in a corner of the Hong Kong Convention & Exposition Center are antique and vintage jewels. It doesn’t get the press or attention that the large manufacturers and branded designers receive but it is an essential part of the September Hong fair. The space itself is easy to miss but those attracted to these special pieces and art objects were there in strong numbers. 

The selection is quite diverse and the quality overall is exceptional. Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany and Bulgari were well represented; as were many famous individual designers such as Verdura, Schlumberger and Belperron. The section overall was very crowded with buyers on the opening day and upon returning for the second day it was one of the busiest areas of the show. 

Several Bulgari pieces being offered by Dover Jewelry & Diamonds. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

The Aaron Faber booth in particular was filled with people throughout the first two days of the finished jewelry portion of the fair at HKCEC. The New York-based dealers specialize in artist-made, classic and estate jewelry, and vintage timepieces. When I asked the owners Ed Faber and Patricia Kiley Faber said people are interested in the stories they provide behind the pieces they sell. In other words plenty of people were listening to the stories but not necessarily buying the pieces. However, there were certainly buyers among those who were listening to the stories. They’ve been exhibiting at the September Hong Kong fair for several years. 

Meanwhile, Moe Haghighi of Dover Jewelry & Diamonds, Miami, has been exhibiting at the fair for three years and he’s happy overall with the amount of business he does and the quality of buyers. 

Not all of the jewels were vintage or antique. Some of these antique and vintage jewelry dealers also design and craft jewels. In one display case there was an emerald and diamond tiara that was certainly at home with the jewels from the past. Only it was a new piece from Bijan & Co., based in New York. It was part of a set of one-of-kind pieces.

Artcurial To Hold Three Days Of Jewelry And Watch Auctions in Monaco

Fancy light pink pear-cut diamond in a pink gold mount (estimate: $260,000 - $290,000) 

For the 10th consecutive year, the Parisian auction house, Artcurial, will be holding a summer sale of luxurious collectibles at the Hôtel Hermitage in Monte Carlo, July 20 - 22. The three-day sale includes 11 limousines and sport cars owned by famed opera singer Maria Callas and a selection of rare Vintage Hermès handbags. 

The auction also includes enough valuable jewelry and watches to make the international auction houses envious. 

More than 500 lots of jewelry will be offered at the auction with a focus on signed pieces from the most renowned Parisian jewelry houses, statement sapphires from Burma and Kashmir, and lots of yellow gold. Jewels from Boucheron, Cartier, Raymond Templier and Van Cleef & Arpels along with Italian luxury house, Bulgari, will be among the highlights. 

“This year, our selection reflects the history of jewelry by bringing together some wonderful Art Deco pieces, rare items from the 1960s and some more contemporary jewelry by the well-known names in the market,” said Julie Valade, director of Artcurial’s jewelry department. “For enthusiasts, there will be some less serious pieces.”

Among the top lots are a fancy light pink pear-cut diamond in a pink gold mount with an estimate of $260,000 – $290,000 (top photo); and a ring adorned with a 22.80-carat royal blue sapphire from Kashmir (estimate : $450,000 - $560,000). 

Other jewelry highlights include: 

* A Van Cleef & Arpels brooch (pictured above) in platinum and 18k white gold that represents a poppy flower. It’s made using the mystery setting, the signature technique of the luxury jeweler. The six petals are laid with sapphires, while the pistil, the curved stem and the undulating leaves are set with diamonds (estimate : $45,000 – $56,000).

* A 1960s wrap around style necklace (pictured above) from the house of Marchak, in 18k yellow gold and platinum. It is formed from two flexible intersecting chains and two cascades of emeralds, each one holding a sapphire at its extremity, of which the largest is 27.83 carats. (estimate: $22,500 – $34,000).

* A 1920s Art Deco double-clip (pictured above), made by the jeweler Raymond Templier, in platinum and 18k white gold. The fashionable appeal of this stylized knot set with diamonds has been highlighted several times in reference works such as Le Bijoux Moderne, published by Editions Norma in 2005 (estimate: $45,000 – $56,000).

In addition, 300 vintage and collector watches will be offered, including many of the best-known brands, such as Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier, Audemars Piguet, Breuget and Vacheron Constantin. 

Among the top lots is a 2007 Patek Philippe chronograph bracelet watch with a perpetual calendar in white gold (estimate: $145,000 - $200,000).

The other exceptional lot has two Breguet subscription watches numbered 8/300 (pocket watch and wrist watch pictured above), signed with estimates between $220,000 - $280,000). These two watches were part of the 1991 exhibition celebrating the 200 years of the Maison Breguet. The pocket watch in particular represents the link between the first models of Abraham-Louis Breguet watches and the Breguet firm today.

Rolex, in particular, will be celebrated with a set of watches from the 1930s through to present day. Estimates range from $2,200 to $112,000. However the collection that is likely to arouse the most attention among bidders is seven Rolex models such as Daytona “Paul Newman” from 1971 (pictured above), a rare chronograph with a black dial (estimate : $67,000 – $101,000) ; and a Cosmograph Daytona model (estimate : $45,000 - $67,000).

Cartier tank watch, 1971

Finally, almost 50 signed pieces by Cartier, from the 1930s to present day, will be on offer in the sale.

The watch sale will be held July 20 and 21 and the jewelry sale on July 22 – 23. 

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