Last year was a record-breaking one for diamonds, and global demand has never been higher. The most valuable diamond per carat sold, a diamond that arrived from space, and the largest flawless diamond in history, are just some of the carbon based whoppers to make the list last year.
The Enigma, a 555 carat black diamond believed to have originated in space achieved in excess of $4 million (€3.7 million). The Light of Africa, a flawless emerald-cut diamond measuring almost 104 carats from the estate of US philanthropist Ann Getty, sold for more than $20 million. A jewel known as the Rock, a 228 carat pear shaped diamond, achieved $22 million. But the gem to achieve most last year was the Williamson Pink Star, classified as a Fancy Vivid Pink. As only 5 per cent of diamonds are considered predominantly pink, its size of just over 11 carats made the piece very rare. The hammer fell at more than $57 million, adding to its intrigue was that the colouration for pink diamonds is not fully understood. The bubblegum pink stone that belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth, purchased by a private collector in the US, established a world auction record price per carat for a gemstone and was the second most valuable gemstone sold at auction.
The top lot in Sheppard’s of Durrow forthcoming live sale on February 28th is a brilliant cut yellow diamond weighing a considerable 15.93 carats. Estimated at €250,000 to €300,000, the unmounted stone leads the John Boorman sale, though is not the property of the Wicklow based film director, whose house at The Glebe in Annamoe was placed on the market for €2.75 million back in September 2022.
In fact the top seven lots in the sale are all diamonds in varying sizes with the second and third lots by estimate being three carat brilliant cut sparklers at at €80,000-€120,000 and €60,000-€80.000. Also listed is one of the most recognisable Audemars Piguet men’s watches, a Royal Oak (€30,000-€50,000); six bottles of Chateau Latour 2001 (€3,000-€4,000); and two Limerick George III serving spoons from 1780 by maker Maurice Fitzgerald (€3,000-€5,000). sheppards.ie
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Tiffany diamonds
On the same day, February 28th, John Weldon’s live online sale also has diamond jewellery, Rolex watches and rare and interesting pieces of Irish silverware. Top of the bill is a three-stone ring that Weldon estimates to have 4.90-5.40 of total diamond weight. It’s a gorgeous piece and emerald cut diamonds in a three-stone setting are rare (€20,000-€25,000). Also listed are Tiffany diamond rings, a rare and highly collectable Rolex GMT Master watch (€10,000-€15,000) and a Rolex Oyster Quartz Day Date gent’s diamond-set watch (€10,000-€15,000).
A little gem in silverware is a rare Irish silver three chamber quill holder. Created by Benjamin Stokes of Dublin from 1740, Weldon is not sure what all the sections are for – as it is the first he has come across – but his video on Instagram shows the curiosity in detail (€500-€1,000). jwa.ie
Normal people
At the Normal People Pub Memorabilia and Collectables sale Cavan-based auctioneer Victor Mee will auction the contents of Killoran’s Traditional Pub in Sligo on February 28th-March 1st. Often referred to as a “museum with a restaurant”, the Tubbercurry hostelry, which has been serving food and drink by proprietors Tom and Annie Killoran for the past 60 years, became a filming location for the well-known television adaptation of Sally Rooney’s novel Normal People. The pub featured prominently in the series, which broke viewing records for RTÉ and the BBC, where it racked up 62.7 million views. It was the preferred hostelry of choice for main characters Marianne and Connell, and became something of a mecca for fans of the programme.
Of particular interest to GAA fans is a pair of football boots originally owned and worn by the late Mayo GAA midfielder Éamonn Mongey. These boots, despite looking deeply uncomfortable, proved lucky for Mongey as he wore them the last time Mayo took home the Sam Maguire cup in the 1951 All-Ireland Final.
Proprietor Annie Killoran bought the boots in 1989 at a charity auction in Kitty O’Shea’s pub in Dublin before the Mayo-Cork All Ireland final, and they’ve been in the bar since. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity handwritten by Mongey – who visited the pub in 1995 – it reads: “I was honoured to see my football boots hanging in such a prominent position among all your other exhibits.” (€1,500-€2,500) From a time when cigarette companies used sports to peddle their wares, is a bar advertising figure with a GAA and hurley player from Mayo and Galway respectively (€600-€1,200). victormeeauctions.ie
