The Rarest, Most Extravagant Bags and Jewels at Christie’s Hong Kong Auction
Photo: Courtesy of Christie’s
If you’ve had enough of leftover turkey, football, and arguing about the election with your relatives, Christie’s is offering a lavish Thanksgiving-week diversion with its Hong Kong fall auction, November 26 to 30, featuring not only artworks and fine wines but also handbags (on November 30) and important jewels (November 29). Bonus: You won’t have to set foot in a mall on Black Friday.
The Cut rounded up the most extravagant pieces of jewelry in this auction — some of which may sell for over $10 million each — and bags, including a version of the same rare Birkin model that broke a sales record at $300,000 last summer.
While there are a few Fendi, Chanel, and Gucci purses among the handbags up for sale, Hermès accounts for the vast majority, including those estimated to bring the highest prices. And you don’t have to be a billionaire to shop: With about 300 lots in each category, there are many more affordable options, with both bags and jewelry starting in the $1,000 range. Click ahead to preview the most expensive bags and jewels. To bid online during the live auctions, register at Christie’s Live at least 48 hours in advance here.
Hermès matte-white Himalaya crocodile diamond Birkin 30 with 18-karat white-gold and diamond hardware, featuring 205 f-g color, VVS clarity dia...
Hermès matte-white Himalaya crocodile diamond Birkin 30 with 18-karat white-gold and diamond hardware, featuring 205 f-g color, VVS clarity diamond for a total diamond carat weight of 10.23 (H-1, Lot 3775). Estimate: $194,000 to $259,000 Keep an eye on this one — this is the same model that sold for a record-breaking $300,000 last summer at Christie’s in Hong Kong. This bag is circa 2014 — Hermès supposedly only makes one or two every year, and, per the Times, white is the hardest color to achieve in crocodile skin. Photo: Courtesy of Christie’s
Ruby and diamond ring by Faidee with a 10.05-carat oval ruby within a radiating surround of oval-shaped diamonds, mounted in platinum and gold (J-8, L...
Ruby and diamond ring by Faidee with a 10.05-carat oval ruby within a radiating surround of oval-shaped diamonds, mounted in platinum and gold (J-8, Lot 2087).
Estimate: $8.8 million to $12.5 million
Faidee is the only jeweler in the world dealing exclusively in Burmese rubies. The stone in this ring is a whopping 10.05 carats with a superb color referred to as “pigeon’s blood red.” According to Christie’s, a natural Burmese ruby of this size and quality is very rare and exceptional. The size 6¼ ring is signed with maker’s mark for Faidee. Photo: Courtesy of Christie’s
An exceptional, shiny, violet porosus-crocodile diamond Hermès Birkin 30 with 18-karat white-gold and diamond hardware. (H-3, Lot 3928)
Estima...
An exceptional, shiny, violet porosus-crocodile diamond Hermès Birkin 30 with 18-karat white-gold and diamond hardware. (H-3, Lot 3928)
Estimate: $116,597 to $142,507
Circa 2006, this purse includes all the covers, plus the original box. Photo: Courtesy of Christie’s
Emerald and diamond ‘palmette’ necklace, by Edmond Chin for the House of Boghossian. A series of eleven palmette motifs with circular-cut emerald deta...
Emerald and diamond ‘palmette’ necklace, by Edmond Chin for the House of Boghossian. A series of eleven palmette motifs with circular-cut emerald detail, each set to the center with a rectangular-cut emerald weighing approximately 12.34 to 3.00 carats, alternating with vari-cut diamond foliate links (J-10, Lot 2043).
Estimate: $3.6 million to $5 million
Boghossian creative director Chin’s designs are all one-of-a-kind, and a 12.34-carat natural Colombian emerald of this size and quality is rare, says Christie’s. Photo: Courtesy of Christie’s
An “exceptional” 2011 shiny vert véronèse (green color) porosus-crocodile diamond Birkin 35, with 18-karat white-gold and diamond hardwa...
An “exceptional” 2011 shiny vert véronèse (green color) porosus-crocodile diamond Birkin 35, with 18-karat white-gold and diamond hardware (H-2, Lot 4003).
Estimate: $129,552 to $194,328
Proving that Hermès Birkins are in fact an investment, this one comes with a clochette, lock, keys, felt protector, rain cover, exotic card, and four small dust bags. Yes, dust bags for the bag’s accessories. Photo: Courtesy of Christie’s
There’s a Kelly bag among the sea of Birkins in the top-priced tier at this auction. It’s a 2012 Hermès crocodile diamond Sellier Kelly 25 with...
There’s a Kelly bag among the sea of Birkins in the top-priced tier at this auction. It’s a 2012 Hermès crocodile diamond Sellier Kelly 25 with 18-karat white-gold and diamond hardware in shiny black crocodile (H-4, Lot 3719).
Estimate: $103,000 to $129,000
Look at that diamond clasp! There’s also a shoulder strap. Photo: Courtesy of Christie’s
Diamond ring by Moussaieff, set with a 4.29-carat marquise-cut fancy vivid blue diamond, flanked by triangular-shaped diamonds, mounted in platinum, r...
Diamond ring by Moussaieff, set with a 4.29-carat marquise-cut fancy vivid blue diamond, flanked by triangular-shaped diamonds, mounted in platinum, ring size 5 (J-7, Lot 2079). Estimate: $9.7 million to $12 million The large stone in this ring by the family-owned London jewelry house is a very rare type IIb diamond, which contains small amounts of boron that lend a blue or gray color. Famous examples of type IIb diamonds are the 45.52-carat Hope Diamond and the 70.21-carat Idol’s Eye Diamond. Photo: Courtesy of Christie’s
The 6 Most Expensive Handbags A 2015 matte-white Himalaya niloticus-crocodile Birkin 30 with palladium hardware (H-6, Lot 3776). Estimate: $77,73...
The 6 Most Expensive Handbags A 2015 matte-white Himalaya niloticus-crocodile Birkin 30 with palladium hardware (H-6, Lot 3776). Estimate: $77,731 to $103,642 That rare white-color crocodile again, but without the diamonds. It’s a relative bargain at $100,000(-ish). Photo: Courtesy of Christie’s
Jadeite and diamond necklace designed as a two-strand necklace comprised of 98 graduated jadeite beads, measuring approximately from 9.0 to 12.6 mm, t...
Jadeite and diamond necklace designed as a two-strand necklace comprised of 98 graduated jadeite beads, measuring approximately from 9.0 to 12.6 mm, to the rectangular and circular-cut diamond geometric clasp. Mounted in gold, the necklaces can be separated and worn individually (J-11, Lot 2011).
Estimate: $2.5 million to $3.8 million
Jadeite is extremely valuable, and increasingly rare. There are a number of pricey jadeite pieces included in this auction, and this necklace has the highest estimated value among them. Photo: Courtesy of Christie’s
Ruby and diamond necklace set in platinum with 22 graduated cushion-shaped rubies, weighing approximately from 5.06 to 1.53 carats each, alternating w...
Ruby and diamond necklace set in platinum with 22 graduated cushion-shaped rubies, weighing approximately from 5.06 to 1.53 carats each, alternating with circular-cut diamonds, mounted in platinum. Total weight of the certified rubies is 57.72 carats (J-9, Lot 2086).
Estimate: $4.8 million to $7.5 million
The rubies in this necklace (also from Burma) are large, and there are a lot of them! A set of 22 rubies of this size and quality is extremely rare, per the auction house’s experts. Photo: Courtesy of Christie’s
A 2008 Hermes diamond Birkin 25 with 18-karat white-gold and diamond hardware in matte-black niloticus crocodile (H-5, Lot 3726).
Estimate: $103,000 ...
A 2008 Hermes diamond Birkin 25 with 18-karat white-gold and diamond hardware in matte-black niloticus crocodile (H-5, Lot 3726).
Estimate: $103,000 to $129,000
This Birkin has a diamond clasp similar to the previous Kelly bag, and is also in black. You can’t go wrong with a black bag, and this one has a matte finish while the Kelly is shiny, so you’ll get lots of use out of both. Photo: Courtesy of Christie’s
Bulgari diamond necklace comprised of 30 graduated pear-shaped diamonds weighing 3.01 to 0.72 carats each, with a detachable pear-shaped diamond of 9....
Bulgari diamond necklace comprised of 30 graduated pear-shaped diamonds weighing 3.01 to 0.72 carats each, with a detachable pear-shaped diamond of 9.05 carats in front (J-12, Lot 2072).
Estimate: $1.5 million to $2.3 million
The stones are mounted in platinum, and the piece is signed Bulgari. The clarity of the large stone is “potentially internally flawless,” and it is classified as a rare type IIa diamond. The smaller diamonds are D-color with internally flawless clarity. Photo: Courtesy of Christie’s
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