Coloured gemstones top draw at Saffronart auction

The recent online auction by Saffronart of fine jewels, watches and collectibles clocked a total of Rs 2.14 crore with coloured gemstones emerging as top winners, auctioneers have said.
A women's gold and diamond wristwatch by Patek Philippe, led the sale at Rs 28.4 lakhs, against a pre-sale estimate of Rs 28 - Rs 38 lakhs.
Highly coveted watch brands in the sale also performed well, including Audemars Piguet, LeCoultre, Piaget, Franck Muller, and Bvlgari, fetching a sale of Rs 53.3 lakhs for the category.
Collectibles, including a set of 34 lapel pins and a diamond studded Minaudiere by Van Cleef & Arpels, fetched multiple bids.

The top ten lots that witnessed competitive bidding featured high quality coloured gemstones including emeralds, tanzanite and rubies.
Among the 103 lots included in the auction were Colombian emeralds, Burmese rubies, aquamarine and Kashmir sapphires.
"We observed competitive bidding for lots featuring coloured gemstones, which showed us that buyers were serious about acquiring quality gems," a spokesperson for the auction house said in a statement.
"Design was a key element, pieces with classic flair and easy-to-wear designs performed really well. The watches, lapel pins and minaudiere also saw multiple bids come in, indicating that collectibles and signed pieces always attract interest," the spokesperson said.