Diamonds Direct Blog

In Geneva yesterday, one of the world’s most storied blue diamonds once again took center stage at a high-profile auction. “The Mellon Blue,” a 9.51-carat Fancy Vivid Blue, Internally Flawless diamond with an elite pedigree, sold for 20.525 million Swiss francs ($25.6 million) at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction. The price fell squarely within the house’s pre-sale estimate of $20–30 million — even as a noticeably cautious mood settled over the bidding room.



Mounted in a graceful, serpentine ring, The Mellon Blue is a peerless example of natural rarity. Its color —an intense, boron-infused azure formed deep within the Earth’s mantle — is certified by the Gemological Institute of America as Fancy Vivid Blue, the highest grade for hue saturation.

The diamond’s impressive size, flawless clarity and elegant pear shape elevate it into the uppermost tier of collectible gems, joining the company of other blue-diamond legends, such as the 15.10-carat “De Beers Cullinan Blue” ($57.5 million, Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 2022), the 14.6-carat “Oppenheimer Blue” ($57.5 million, Christie’s Geneva, 2016) and the 12.03-carat “Blue Moon of Josephine” ($48.5 million, Sotheby’s Geneva, 2015).



The diamond owes much of its fame to its former owner, Rachel “Bunny” Mellon (1910–2014), the American philanthropist, horticulturalist and cultural tastemaker whose refined sense of beauty left an indelible mark on both art and landscape design. A close friend of former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, Mellon famously redesigned the White House Rose Garden in the early 1960s. Her taste in jewelry mirrored her aesthetic sensibilities: discreet, elegant and quietly opulent. The Mellon Blue, originally worn as a pendant, was among her most treasured possessions and came to symbolize her understated sophistication.

When the diamond last appeared at auction in 2014, the mood was electric. That sale at Sotheby's New York, held shortly after Mellon’s passing, sparked a 20-minute bidding war, ultimately driving the price to $32.6 million, more than double its high estimate — a record at the time for a blue diamond. Yesterday’s scene in Geneva, by contrast, unfolded in a more measured rhythm. Bidders in the room and on the phones responded more deliberately, reflecting what several observers described as “a cautious atmosphere.”

Industry analysts attributed the restraint to a confluence of global factors — geopolitical tensions, including the war in Ukraine, renewed US tariffs, as well as a slowdown in the Chinese economy, which kept some traditional high-end buyers sidelined. One jewelry-industry insider who attended the Geneva auction summed it up succinctly: “Not the dazzling moment I expected… the room was distinctly cautious.”

Even so, Christie’s hailed the sale as a triumph of connoisseurship. “It was another notable moment for Christie’s Luxury,” said Rahul Kadakia, the auction house’s chairman of global luxury. “The Mellon Blue remains one of the most exquisite and storied gems ever to appear at auction.”

Credits: Images courtesy of Christie’s.

Sotheby’s is making history this December with its first-ever auction in Abu Dhabi, highlighted by the debut of an extraordinarily rare 31.68-carat Fancy Vivid Orangey-Pink diamond known as “The Desert Rose.” Estimated at $5 million to $7 million, the pear-shaped gem is the largest of its kind ever graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).



Described by experts as having a “sunset-like” fusion of pink and orange, The Desert Rose is accompanied by a GIA report confirming its natural color, VVS1 clarity, and record-breaking status. The GIA noted that its radiant hue, remarkable size and near-flawless quality make it “singular — an exceptional gem like none other.”

The Desert Rose headlines a single-owner, $20 million collection of fine jewelry and watches, which includes signed pieces by renowned jewelers, vintage treasures and a rare Rolex “Oyster Albino” Daytona estimated at up to $1 million.

The sale will take place during Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week (Dec. 2–5) at The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, a new Sotheby’s initiative hosted in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO). The event will feature masterclasses, exhibitions and auctions spanning high jewelry, rare timepieces, collector cars and luxury real estate — all set against the vibrant backdrop of one of Abu Dhabi’s most dynamic cultural weeks.

Coinciding with the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Milken Institute Middle East and Africa Summit, Abu Dhabi Finance Week and Bitcoin MENA, Collectors’ Week underscores Abu Dhabi’s growing stature as a global luxury hub. Home to cultural landmarks such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the forthcoming Guggenheim and Zayed National Museums, Saadiyat Island is fast becoming a destination for art, affluence and high-value collectibles.

Credit: Image courtesy of Sotheby's.

The jewelry world is abuzz with the dramatic announcement that the legendary "Florentine Diamond" has finally emerged from obscurity after nearly a century of mystery. Once a part of the Austrian Crown Jewels and long considered lost, this extraordinary gemstone had been safely stored in a Canadian bank vault — its existence concealed for generations.



During its early history, the Florentine Diamond had been touted as one of the world's largest diamonds. The pale yellow stone with faint green overtones, demonstrated an unusual nine-sided double rosette shape bearing 126 facets and weighing exactly 137.27 carats. In a historical record dating back to 1865, the color of the Florentine Diamond was described as "wine mixed tenfold with water."

Believed to have been unearthed at the famous Golconda mines of India, the diamond’s documented journey begins in the early 1600s with the mighty Medici dynasty in Florence. It was acquired by the Grand Duke of Tuscany and eventually, under Grand Duke Cosimo II, was cut into the double rosette shape by Venetian craftsman Pompeo Studentoli. The final piece was delivered in October 1615.



From the Medici it passed into Habsburg hands in 1737 via the marriage of Francis Stephen of Lorraine and Empress Maria Theresa, becoming part of the Austrian Crown Jewels.

With the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918 and the exile of Emperor Charles I, the Florentine vanished from public view. In reality, it was carried by Empress Zita (wife of Charles I) and her eight children, fleeing the Nazi threat during World War II, across the Atlantic to North America.

Reports say she packed her jewels, including the Florentine, in a modest cardboard suitcase when she arrived in the United States in 1940, then continued onward to Canada.

Upon settling in Quebec, the gems were placed in a Canadian bank vault — where the Florentine remained untouched for decades.

Zita instructed her sons, Robert and Rodolphe, to keep the diamond’s location secret for 100 years after Emperor Charles’s death in 1922.

Only a handful of family members knew the truth. Earlier this month, grandsons Karl, Lorenz and Simeon von Habsburg-Lothringen revealed the story publicly, confirming the diamond’s authenticity and Canadian location.

The Habsburg heirs have stated they do not plan to sell the stone, but rather hope to display it — and select accompanying jewels — in Canada as a gesture of thanks to the country that sheltered their family. The province of Quebec is working with the family and the Quebec National Museum of Fine Arts to explore a public exhibition.

Meanwhile, Austria has launched an inquiry, with government officials stating that if the Florentine is legally Austrian property they will seek its return.

In the end, the Florentine Diamond is a sparkling intersection of geology, craftsmanship and history. Its rediscovery reminds us that the most valuable jewels are not just about size or brilliance, but the fascinating human narratives they carry through time.

Credits: Photo of the reproduction of the Florentine Diamond by Manuelarosi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Historical technical drawing by Ahnode, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Welcome to Music Friday, when we spotlight memorable songs featuring jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. This week, country legend Lee Greenwood laments a "24-karat mistake" in his 1984 hit, “Fool’s Gold.”



In the poignant ballad, Greenwood’s character looks back on a love he destroyed through neglect. Only after losing the woman he loves does he realize the magnitude of his blunder — a “24-karat” error he can never undo.

He sings, “I took a perfect love and gave you a perfect heartache / I took a band of gold and made a 24-karat mistake / And turned it into fool’s gold.”

The title phrase, “fool’s gold,” adds powerful symbolism to the song. Fool’s gold, or iron pyrite, has a gleaming yellow hue that can easily fool an untrained eye into thinking it’s real gold — yet it holds little to no monetary value. In Greenwood’s metaphor, the singer’s once-genuine love has been tarnished by selfishness and regret, transformed from something truly precious — like 24-karat gold — into something that merely looks valuable.

Historically, fool’s gold has been tricking miners since the 16th century. Pyrite’s bright luster led countless prospectors to false riches during the Gold Rush era. Chemically, it’s an iron sulfide mineral — common, brittle and relatively worthless compared to the purity and rarity of real gold. In Greenwood’s hands, it becomes the perfect symbol for emotional illusion: a love that seemed unbreakable, now exposed as fragile and false.

“Fool’s Gold,” written by Timmy Tappan and Don Roth, was released as the second single from Greenwood’s 1984 album You’ve Got a Good Love Comin’. The song struck a chord with country fans, climbing to #3 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and #5 on Canada’s RPM Country Tracks. The album went on to achieve Gold certification, selling more than 500,000 copies.

By the time “Fool’s Gold” was released, Greenwood had already cemented his reputation as one of country music’s great voices. Over his six-decade career, he’s recorded 22 studio albums and more than 35 charting singles, including the patriotic anthem “God Bless the U.S.A.”

Born Melvin Lee Greenwood in South Gate, CA, in 1942, the artist started singing in church at age seven and later performed in Las Vegas casinos before being discovered in Reno in 1979. Today, Greenwood continues to tour nationwide on his “American Spirit Tour,” performing for sold-out crowds well into 2025 and 2026.

With its heartfelt lyrics and timeless metaphor, “Fool’s Gold” remains a reminder that some treasures — like true love — are worth far more than their glittering imposters.

Please check out the audio track of Greenwood performing “Fool’s Gold.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

"Fool’s Gold"
Written by Timmy Tappan and Don Roth. Performed by Lee Greenwood.

If I only knew then what I know now
You wouldn’t be sayin’ goodbye
But I let you down, I was never around
When you needed me there by your side

I took a perfect love and gave you a perfect heartache
I took a band of gold and made a 24-karat mistake
and turned it into…

Fool’s gold, and I was a fool ’cause I let you go
Fool’s gold, yes I was the fool ’cause I didn’t know

Too many times I just didn’t try
Now all I hear is you sayin’ goodbye
Starin’ at an empty hand full of fool’s gold

If I took the time just holdin’ you tight
and sharin’ my feelings with you
Then you’d understand what’s inside of this man
and you’d know what I’m goin’ through
I know that I was wrong now that it’s too late
I took a band of gold and made a 24-karat mistake
and turned it into…

Fool’s gold, and I was the fool ’cause I let you go
Fool’s gold, yes I was the fool ’cause I didn’t know

Too many times I just didn’t try
Now all I hear is you sayin’ goodbye
Starin’ at an empty hand full of fool’s gold



Credit: Image by PH2 Don Koralewski, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

In the heart of central Saskatchewan, just 60 kilometers east of Prince Albert, lies what could become one of the world’s most significant sources of gem-quality diamonds: the Star-Orion South Diamond Project. After years of delays and stalled development, the project is now gaining renewed momentum. The project, developed by Star Diamond Corporation, holds the potential to produce more than 70 million carats over a 38-year production lifecycle.



That scale places Star-Orion South among the largest undeveloped diamond deposits in the world. But volume alone isn’t what’s drawing fresh interest: it’s the quality of the test samples and ownership changes that are fueling the revival.

Star Diamond secured full ownership of the project, removing longstanding joint‐venture obstacles and clarifying the path forward. This helped pave the way for an updated mineral-resource estimate released in 2024 that showed substantial increases in both size and grade: for the “Star” kimberlite, 34.8 million carats at 19.4 carats per hundred tons of ore; and for “Orion South,” 36.9 million carats at 17.9 carats per hundred tons.

Another key draw is the project’s high‐value diamond potential. A study confirmed that both kimberlites contain unusually high proportions of Type IIa diamonds — the rare, chemically pure variety that fetches premium prices in the jewelry market. In the “Star” pipe, 26.5 % of diamonds were Type IIa, and in Orion South, 12.5 %.

The recovered parcels have included very large stones (including one of 50 carats)— evidence that production could yield gems suitable for high-end jewelry collections.



Infrastructure and permitting also support forward motion. The site is accessible via paved highways and forestry roads and connects to an electrical grid — a relatively favorable setting compared with more remote mines.

With the updated resource estimate in place, Star Diamond is advancing a pre-feasibility study (PFS) slated for completion by 2026.

For the jewelry industry, this means that in the coming years there may be a new steady stream of very high-quality Canadian diamonds, potentially including large Type IIa stones that stand out in luxury jewelry. The potential resources come at a time when Rio Tinto's Diavik mine in Canada’s remote Northwest Territories is expected to wrap up its operations by early 2026, after a productive 23-year run.

Credits: Rough diamond image by BigStockPhoto.com. Map by GoogleMaps.

For millions of years, the rolling prairies of southern Alberta have concealed a rainbow beneath the rock. Now, a team of scientists from Japan’s Keio University has revealed exactly how that buried brilliance comes to life.



Ammolite — a rare, iridescent gemstone found only in one corner of the world — gets its vivid colors not from pigment, but from structure. In a new study published in Scientific Reports, researchers used advanced electron microscopy to show that ammolite’s shimmering reds, greens and blues are the result of light interacting with layers inside the fossilized shell of an ancient sea creature.

Ammolite is formed from the fossilized shells of ammonites, spiral-shaped marine mollusks that swam in an inland sea covering what is now Alberta about 70 million years ago. As these creatures died and settled on the seafloor, their shells were buried beneath layers of mud that eventually became shale. Over time, the nacre — or “mother-of-pearl” — that once lined their shells transformed into the brilliant gemstone known as ammolite.

Although similar in composition to the nacre found in abalone and nautilus shells, ammolite is far more colorful. The Keio team discovered why: its internal structure is astonishingly precise. The gemstone is built of microscopic plates of the mineral aragonite stacked in perfectly uniform layers, separated by tiny gaps only about four nanometers wide — roughly 25,000 times thinner than a human hair. When light hits these layers, it bounces between them, causing waves of light to interfere with each other and reflect back different colors.

The color depends on the thickness of the layers. Thicker layers produce fiery reds and oranges, while thinner ones create greens, blues and violets. The result is a gemstone that gleams like a living rainbow.

Ammolite is mined almost exclusively from the Bearpaw Formation in southern Alberta, making it one of the world’s rarest gemstones. More than 90 percent of gem-quality material is produced by a single company, Korite International. In recognition of its unique heritage, Alberta officially designated ammolite as its provincial gemstone in 2022.

Beyond jewelry, ammolite holds deep cultural significance. The Blackfoot and other Plains First Nations have collected ammonite fossils for centuries, calling them Iniskim or “buffalo stones,” and using them in ceremonies to ensure prosperity and abundance.

The Keio scientists believe their findings could be used to develop new non-fading color coatings for industrial applications, such as paints.

Credit: Ammolite image (cropped) by A Cynical Idealist, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Two gems from the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection are striking examples of November's official birthstone. The first is an 875.4-carat crystal and the second is a 93.6-carat faceted companion, both Imperial Topaz once owned by John A. Roebling II, the grandson of the Brooklyn Bridge designer. Their fiery golden-to-reddish-orange hues provide a vivid example of why Imperial Topaz is one of the rarest and most coveted gemstones in the world.



Imperial Topaz’s story can be traced back to the Ural Mountains of Russia, where 18th-century deposits first caught the attention of European jewelers. By the 19th century, the most exquisite pinkish-golden stones were reserved exclusively for the tsars, inspiring the “Imperial” name. Today, however, Russia’s sources are largely depleted, and Brazil has become the world’s primary supplier. The Ouro Preto region of Minas Gerais, Brazil, produces the most celebrated specimens, including those with deep golden, fiery orange and rare pinkish tones.

The vibrant colors of Imperial Topaz are largely influenced by the presence of trace elements, such as iron and chromium in the crystal lattice. Iron contributes to yellow, golden and reddish-orange tones, while small amounts of chromium can produce subtle pinkish shades.

Brazilian topaz is renowned for its exceptional clarity, large crystal sizes and world-class color range. Over the past two centuries, this region has produced some of the finest topaz specimens known to the jewelry world, and the legacy continues today with gems like those in the Smithsonian collection. Other notable topaz sources include Mexico, Sri Lanka, Africa and China, but none rival the historical and modern significance of Brazilian Imperial Topaz.

Topaz as a gemstone family is versatile, appearing in shades from colorless to pale green, blue, brown and yellow. Blue topaz, familiar to many contemporary jewelry buyers, is commonly treated to achieve its vibrant hue, while the warm golden and reddish-orange colors of Imperial Topaz remain a testament to natural beauty and geological rarity. Beyond its visual appeal, topaz carries symbolic weight as a talisman for Sagittarians and a traditional gift for 23rd and 50th wedding anniversaries.

From the courts of Russian tsars to the highland mines of Minas Gerais, Imperial Topaz continues to captivate collectors and jewelry enthusiasts alike. The Roebling stones at the Smithsonian offer a vivid reminder of why this gemstone has long been regarded as one of the most treasured varieties of topaz. The other official birthstone for November is citrine.

Credit: Photo by Chip Clark and digitally enhanced by SquareMoose / courtesy of Smithsonian.

Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan has made a career out of turning the art world on its head — and this fall, one of his most gleaming provocations will take center stage (or perhaps center stall) at Sotheby’s in New York.



On November 18, the auction house will offer "America," a fully functional toilet crafted from more than 100 kilograms (about 220 pounds) of solid 18-karat gold. Its starting bid will literally be worth its weight in gold — roughly $10 million based on today’s market.

If the piece sounds familiar, it’s because America first made headlines when Cattelan invited visitors to use an earlier version during its 2016 installation at New York’s Guggenheim Museum. Museumgoers queued for hours to experience what curators described as “unprecedented intimacy with a work of art.” More than 100,000 people reportedly took part, proving that luxury plumbing can indeed draw a crowd.

The toilet’s glittering commentary on excess and equality (“This is one-percent art for the 99 percent,” Cattelan once quipped) took a darker turn three years later when that original gold commode was stolen from Blenheim Palace — Winston Churchill’s birthplace — only two days after it opened to the public. The theft caused flooding in the historic landmark, as the thieves wrenched the piece from its plumbing before dawn and sped away in a Volkswagen Golf.

At the time, Blenheim Art Foundation founder Edward Spencer-Churchill had pooh-poohed the idea that the toilet needed guarding, noting that “it’s plumbed in and too difficult to steal.” In hindsight, his confidence was misplaced. While two men have since been convicted of the audacious heist, the golden toilet itself was never recovered and is widely believed to have been melted down.

Now, a second casting from the same 2016 edition — one of only three ever made — is emerging from private hands for the first time. Sotheby’s New York will display the shimmering sculpture in a working bathroom at its new Breuer Building headquarters, though unlike the Guggenheim installation, visitors won’t be allowed to take it for a spin.

“This is Maurizio Cattelan’s tour de force,” said David Galperin, Sotheby’s head of contemporary art. “Holding both a proverbial and literal mirror to the art world, the work confronts the most uncomfortable questions about art, and the belief systems held sacred to the institutions of the market and the museum.”

Cattelan, ever the art-world prankster, is also famous for "Comedian" — a banana duct-taped to a wall that sold for $6.2 million — and "Him," a kneeling sculpture of Adolf Hitler that fetched $17.2 million. But America might be the 65-year-old's most layered satire yet, a glittering mash-up of high art and bathroom humor that invites us to question how the value of art should be measured.

So, will a collector bid for glory — or just for gold? Either way, when the hammer falls on November 18, Cattelan’s golden throne is sure to make headlines once again.

Credit: Image courtesy of Sotheby's.

Welcome to Music Friday, when we feature songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, we revisit Roxette’s bittersweet 1999 ballad “Happy Together,” a song that shines with a tender jewelry reference — and a message about love, regret and missed opportunity.



In “Happy Together,” the Swedish pop duo’s Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle tell the story of a young man whose hesitation costs him the woman he loves — “the prettiest jewel.”v
Gessle sings, “She carried his ring / Since she left school / He knew she was precious / The prettiest jewel / She wanted a baby / But he wasn’t sure / He couldn’t make up his mind anymore.”

The ring and “prettiest jewel” serve as powerful metaphors — symbols of devotion, promise and emotional worth. The young woman is ready to turn youthful love into lifelong commitment, but her boyfriend’s uncertainty drives them apart. Years later, he can only imagine what might have been: a life where they “could have run the Earth, the stars, the sun.”

Released as the B-side to “Wish I Could Fly,” a global hit that charted in 23 countries, “Happy Together” captures Roxette’s signature blend of shimmering pop melodies and melancholy storytelling. The song feels deeply human — simple on the surface but emotionally layered, like a gem cut to reveal its inner fire.

Roxette’s own story adds poignancy to the song’s theme of time and loss. The band — formed in 1986 by Fredriksson and Gessle in Halmstad, Sweden — sold more than 75 million records and released 56 singles, including four chart-toppers, including "The Look," "Listen to Your Heart," "It Must Have Been Love" and "Joyride." Their chemistry defined an era of pop music.

In 2002, the duo was forced to pause when Fredriksson was diagnosed with a brain tumor. After a long recovery, she triumphantly returned to the stage in 2009, and Roxette toured the world again through 2016. Sadly, Fredriksson passed away in 2019, closing one of pop’s most beloved chapters.

Yet Roxette’s music — and spirit — live on. In 2024, Gessle announced the revival of Roxette with Swedish singer Lena Philipsson stepping in as lead vocalist. The 2025 "Roxette In Concert" tour celebrates both the band’s enduring legacy and Fredriksson’s influence.

More than 25 years after its release, “Happy Together” still sparkles like the jewel at its center.

Please check out the audio track of Roxette performing “Happy Together.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Happy Together”
Written by Per Hakan Gessle. Performed by Roxette.

When she walked up
He walked down
Just like the seasons went round and round
She was in love
He wasn’t sure
She wrote some letters he tried to ignore
They could have been so happy together
They could have been so lucky in love
Sing la dee da
So happy together

They could have run the Earth, the sky, the sun

She carried his ring
Since she left school
He knew she was precious
The prettiest jewel
She wanted a baby
But he wasn’t sure
He couldn’t make up his mind anymore

They could have been so happy together
They could have been so lucky in love
Sing la dee da
So happy together

They could have run the Earth, the stars, the sun

I couldn’t ever hurt no one
If you feel shattered
I’m sorry for what I’ve done

We could have been so happy together
We could have been so lucky in love
Sing la dee da
So happy together

We could have run the Earth, the sky, the sun

Yeah we could have been so happy together
We could have been so lucky in love
So happy together

We could have run the universe
Could have run the universe
Could have run the universe
For fun

So happy together
So happy together
So happy together



Credit: Image by Dmitry Avdeev, CC BY-SA 3.0 GFDL 1.2, via Wikimedia Commons.

Salvador Dalí’s "Swirling Sea Necklace" — a surrealist masterpiece of wearable art — made a splash at Sotheby’s Paris on October 24, fetching €736,600 ($858,500), more than double its pre-sale estimate. The 18-karat gold creation, conceived by the artist in 1954 and executed in 1963 by New York jeweler Alemany & Co., exemplifies Dalí’s ability to blur the boundaries between fine art, design and craftsmanship.



Described as sculptural and sensuous, the Swirling Sea Necklace evokes the hypnotic rhythm of waves breaking on a golden shore. Flowing tassels of gold are interspersed with sapphire and emerald beads, pearls and diamonds — a composition that mimics the motion and shimmer of the sea itself. The piece culminates in a luminous baroque cultured pearl, nestled just below the wearer's Adam's apple like a cresting wave.



According to Sotheby’s catalog notes, the diamonds scattered throughout the design “act like precious shells dotting the beach,” while the interplay of color and texture reflects Dalí’s lifelong fascination with metamorphosis and natural form. The work is inscribed “Dalí” on the clasp, underscoring the artist’s personal involvement in its conception and design.



The Swirling Sea Necklace was created for Madame São Schlumberger, a celebrated art collector and muse, who commissioned multiple portraits from Dalí in the 1960s. Married to industrial heir Pierre Schlumberger, São shared the artist’s taste for the lavish and avant-garde. Her collaboration with Dalí produced one of the most extraordinary jewels of the 20th century — a testament to their shared love of opulence, imagination and the surreal.

This particular necklace, which remained in the Schlumberger family for decades, reemerged this season as part of The Schlumberger Collection at Sotheby’s Paris. The sale, led by Aurélie Vandevoorde, Head of Sotheby’s Jewelry Department in France, was a highlight of the auction house’s "Surrealism and Its Legacy" event — an exhibition that celebrated the enduring impact of surrealist art across mediums.



Dalí’s work in jewelry, though lesser-known than his paintings, represents an essential facet of his creative genius.

“My jewels are the medium for the expression of pure beauty,” the artist once said, describing his gem-studded creations as “miniature sculptures of desire.”

The Swirling Sea Necklace embodies that philosophy — both as a technical triumph of goldsmithing and a symbolic meditation on transformation and motion.

The piece’s remarkable auction result underscores a growing trend in the international jewelry market: the rising appreciation for artist-designed jewels that bridge the worlds of art and adornment. As collectors increasingly seek pieces that tell a story and bear a signature artistic vision, works like Dalí’s Swirling Sea Necklace sparkle with renewed significance.

Credits: Jewelry images courtesy of Sotheby's. Salvador Dalí image by Carl Van Vechten, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.