Record-breaking 2012 for Sotheby’s

On the way to recording its highest ever total for a year of jewellery sales, Sotheby’s Geneva set a new world auction record for any various-owner jewellery sale of $108.4 million (£68.7 million).

Across its worldwide salesrooms, Sotheby’s jewellery auctions sold an average of 84 per cent by lot in 2012. Seventy-two lots sold for more than $1 million, with six lots selling above $5 million.

Also during 2012, the auctioneer saw its highest ever total for a day of jewellery sales in the Americas, when its December auctions in New York reached $64.8 million, while its annual total of $114.5 million in Hong Kong marked the company’s biggest year of jewellery and jadeite sales in Asia.

Sotheby’s has put its strong sales results down to prominent private collections sales, such as those of Brooke Astor, Estée Lauder, Evelyn H. Lauder, Mrs Charles Wrightsman, Suzanne Belperron, and Michael Wellby.

Image: Sotheby’s London (Image: Claus Hoppe)