Heritage Auctions, the world’s leading collectibles auction house, will continue to expand its global reach with its June 15 Jewelry & Timepieces Signature®️ Auction in Hong Kong.
For years, Heritage has been growing throughout Asia, thanks to enormously successful auctions in numerous categories, including Asian art, coins, currency, pop culture and wine. This event, which brings together treasures from two of the most popular luxury departments, will further increase Heritage’s ability to reach collectors throughout the region.
“For over a decade now, Heritage Auctions has been deeply committed to building meaningful relationships with collectors and consignors across the region, and we are proud to see that vision continue to grow,” says Cris Bierrenbach, Executive Vice President of International Numismatics at Heritage Auctions. “The launch of our inaugural Timepieces & Jewelry event this June represents a natural evolution of that commitment, bringing new categories and expertise to an already vibrant market. With the opening of our Tokyo office in 2024, we have further strengthened our on-the-ground presence, allowing us to better serve clients locally while connecting them to our global platform. This expansion reflects both the strength of the region and our long-term investment in its future.”
Jewellery
The auction’s curated jewellery selection includes a variety of important coloured gemstones and spectacular diamonds. Leading the jewelry session is a Repossi platinum ring centered by an octagonal-shaped Colombian emerald weighing 3.11 carats and exhibiting no sign of clarity enhancement, an important distinction among fine emeralds. Emeralds from Colombia are known for their exceptional quality and are highly sought after, particularly when they possess such natural clarity and rich colour. “It is extremely rare to encounter a Colombian emerald with no treatment,” says Jill Burgum, Heritage’s Executive Director of Fine Jewellery. “This stone gets crazy rarity points, and one must appreciate that Mother Nature provided such spectacular colour.”
Another extraordinary untreated Colombian emerald can be found in this stunning platinum ring centered by a 4.72-carat octagonal-shaped vivid green stone.
The auction also includes a wonderful selection of exceptional sapphires, including an 18k gold ring featuring an oval-shaped sapphire hailing from the storied mines of Burma. Fit for royalty, the 10.50-carat bright blue sapphire is haloed by diamonds weighing a total of approximately 1.45 carats. Burma sapphires of this size are extremely difficult to find, especially if they are natural with no treatment.
Another sapphire highlight is the gorgeous platinum necklace featuring 10 Padparadscha sapphires weighing a total of approximately 14.33 carats. Padparadscha sapphires, with their orangey pink hue, are some of the rarest sapphires in the world, so to find a necklace showcasing so many colourful gems with laboratory reports from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is quite unusual.
No Heritage jewellery auction would be complete without an array of sparkling diamonds, and this event is no exception. Among the highlights are an exceptional 3.01-carat unmounted diamond and a beautiful platinum ring centered by a 4.05-carat square-shaped diamond. The auction also features several notable coloured diamonds, including a 3.01-carat unmounted fancy vivid yellow diamond. Only 1 in 10,000 diamonds has a fancy colour, making this stone one of the rarest on Earth.
In addition to standout diamonds and remarkable colored gemstones, the auction includes a number of whimsical moments. Among the playful pieces is an 18k white gold bicycle brooch featuring full-cut diamonds adorning every component, from the handlebars and seat to the frame and wheels. Joining the fun is a colorful pendant-brooch in the form of a frog poised to leap into action. The frog’s back and head are patterned with pink, orange and yellow sapphires, while its neck is a smooth, even pattern of orange sapphires. The frog’s arms and legs are white sapphires, and its eyes are emerald cabochons.
The whimsy continues with a selection of lovely floral-themed jewels, including an orchid-inspired 18k white gold floral brooch centered by a richly saturated pinkish-red tourmaline weighing 12.28 carats. Gracefully sculpted petals unfurl outward from the pear-shaped tourmaline, each surface pavé-set with full-cut diamonds that lend continuous shimmer across the bloom and stem.
Timepieces
Among the top timepieces in the auction is a Rolex Day-Date, Platinum, Diamond Bezel, Ice Blue Dial, Ref. 228396TBR that is just as cool as it appears, with its ice blue dial that features diamond markers and a rarely seen baguette diamond bezel that benefit from the heft and impressiveness of the platinum case and band.
A De Bethune Reserve de Marche, 18k Rose Gold, Ref. DB25 is an intriguing and exceedingly scarce model that combines design-forward styling with superior mechanical ingenuity. The silver guilloche dial, with its outer chapter ring with blue Roman numerals and a circular minutes track with Arabic numerals is housed in a 40 mm 18k gold case.
Among the visually fascinating watches in the auction is a magnificent and exceedingly rare Extremely Rare and Desirable Qian GuoBiao Double Balance Wheel Reference AB-03 Stainless Steel Wristwatch, Full Set. This Indie model is truly a “piece unique” with a German silver dial with blued steel hands, inside a 39 mm stainless steel case.
A Harry Winston, 18k Yellow Gold, Ref. 200-MAPC41R absolutely qualifies as “Special” in every way, with a super case design with a classic exhibition back makes the perfect frame for the amazing dial on this grand perpetual calendar with monophases. The artistic layout of the dial on this ultra-distinctive timepiece is an unquestioned masterpiece.
A Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust, 18k Yellow Gold, Diamond and Ruby Set, Ref. 69068G is a classic lady’s Presidential with an enhanced elegance and style, thanks to the combination of diamonds and rubies.
A Rolex Datejust Stainless Steel With 18K White Gold Bezel
Ref. 16234 includes a playful blue Sodalite dial, with steel baton hands, that is understated yet eye-catching, and is enclosed in a 36mm 18k white gold and stainless steel body.
A Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust, Bullseye Dial, Ref. 116231 is a magnificent timepiece that offers a striking counterpoise of rose gold, copper, black and steel colorations. The dial features an elegant rose gold center with a black outer chapter ring, rose gold luminous rectangular hour indexes, a white circular minute trackwith Roman numerals, date aperture at 3:00 and rose gold luminous baton hands, all housed in a 36 mm stainless steel and 18k rose gold case.
Images and information about all lots in the auction can be found at HA.com/5592.