Art Deco Platinum, Kashmir Sapphire, and Diamond Ring (Lot 563, Estimate $12,000-15,000)

BOSTON, MA – March 4, 2016 – Skinner, Inc. will present its first Fine Jewelry auction of 2016 in its Boston gallery on Tuesday, March 22 at 10AM. With over 500 lots on offer, the auction will feature a selection of fine colored stones including Kashmir sapphires and Colombian emeralds; large diamonds; signed pieces from world-renowned jewelers; and antique and period jewelry of impeccable provenance.… Read More

Important Diamond, heart-shape, 31.25 cts. (Lot 498, Sold for: $3,947,000)

Important Heart-shape Diamond, Natural Pearls, and Colombian Emerald are Standouts

BOSTON, MA – December 10, 2015 – Enthusiastic bidders from four continents competed online, by telephone, and in the gallery for the top lots at Skinner’s Fine Jewelry auction on December 8th in Boston. When the dust had settled, the sale had brought $10.75 million, with almost all of the top lots far exceeding their pre-sale estimates.… Read More

Diamonds from the French Crown Jewels. Many were from the Golconda mines.

When French gem merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier first visited the Golconda diamond mines of India in the 17th century, the stones he saw there were unlike anything he had ever encountered. The diamonds had a special quality that he described as “gems of the finest water” in reference to their incredible limpidity. The diamonds that Tavernier purchased quickly made their way to the collection of Louis XIV, who incorporated them into the French crown jewels.… Read More

Platinum and Diamond Clip Brooch, Suzanne Belperron (Lot 427, Estimate $20,000-$30,000)

BOSTON, MA – November 24, 2015 – Skinner, Inc. presents its fourth Fine Jewelry auction of 2015 on December 8th in Boston. The auction will feature over 500 lots of diamonds, colored stones, and antique and period jewelry. The centerpiece of the auction is a remarkable collection of diamonds, colored stones, and natural pearls from one of the leading families of the Gilded Age.… Read More

Antique Ruby and Diamond Necklace (Lot 462, Estimate $50,000-$75,000)

Colorful Gems, Diamonds, Gold & Silver Shine at Skinner

BOSTON, MA – June 5, 2015 – Skinner, Inc. is pleased to present its summer Fine Jewelry auction, taking place on June 9th. This sale features over 450 lots of antique and period jewelry, as well as contemporary pieces by Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari and more.

Sapphires and Rubies

Vibrant gemstones are among the stand out offerings in this auction, including an assortment of fine sapphires and rubies.… Read More

Fine Antique Sapphire and Diamond Ring, Howard & Co (Lot 463, Estimate $100,000–$150,000)

When it comes to colored stones, geography is often as important as gemology. While it is their gemological properties that ultimately make them so coveted, collectors have long sought out colored stones based upon their place of origin.

For sapphires, the scarcest and most rare stones come from Southeast Asia. To trace their origin, first we must travel high in the Himalayan Mountains, in very inhospitable terrain, to a deposit of sapphires discovered in the late 19th century.… Read More

BOSTON, MA – August 28, 2014 – Sophisticated and beautiful jewelry comes to the auction block at Skinner, Inc. on September 9, 2014 in Boston. A private New England collection, being sold to benefit the Campaign for Catholic Schools, features three rare pieces of Tiffany jewelry from the Arts & Crafts movement, among dozens of other desirable pieces on the block for a worthy cause. Fine diamonds and colored gemstones will also inspire bidders, as will signed pieces by Cartier, Schlumberger, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Tiffany & Co.… Read More

This blog is republished with permission from the blog Jewels du Jour, by guest author Claibourne Poindexter.  

While not one of the big corporate auction houses, Skinner in Boston makes a strong presence in the auction market for Fine Jewelry, holding sales quarterly at their Park Plaza location.

Lot 212 – Important Archive from Descendants of Frank Gardner Hale – Estimate: $3,000 – $5,000

The department head Victoria Bratberg, specialist John Colasacco, and Vice President Gloria Lieberman are known for their expertise in the field of fine jewelry and their willingness to educate and share their knowledge in the jewels they sell, both to their consignors as well as buyers, leading to some stellar consignments in the past. … Read More

Summer Auction Highlights an Array of Diamonds and Art Deco Jewels

Art Deco Platinum and Diamond Bracelet, Chaumet, Paris (Lot 718, Estimate $30,000-$40,000)

BOSTON, MA – May 27, 2014 – Skinner, Inc. will hold its summer auction of Fine Jewelry on June 10, featuring over 700 lots of fine jewelry by important makers such as Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels, Harry Winston, and many more, as well as strong selections of diamonds and art deco jewelry.… Read More