Sponsored by the Las Vegas Antique Jewelry and Watch Show
At Bonhams, Andrew Grima Works Bring a White-Glove Sale
A total of 55 pieces by the avant-garde designer popular in the ‘60s and ‘70s garnered a total of $1.1 million.
London--This week, Bonhams offered what it said was the largest private collection of Andrew Grima-designed jewelry ever to appear at auction, and it sold every last piece.
The collection totaled 55 pieces, a mix that included watches, necklaces, rings and earrings, and garnered £817,750, or about $1.1 million
The top-performing lot of the sale was a boulder opal pendant/necklace that Grima designed in 1972 to look like a mountain landscape, with gold ridges and brilliant-cut diamond “snow” (pictured below).
Estimated to go for a maximum of £30,000, the piece doubled that, selling for £60,000, or about $81,480.
Another Grima necklace (pictured above), an 18-karat gold citrine and diamond piece from 1974, sold for £50,000 (about $68,000) against a pre-sale estimate of £15,000-20,000.
The two Grima rings in the collection also went for more than anticipated.
The highest-grossing of the two was an 18-karat gold ring set with a cushion-cut amethyst surrounded by squares of emeralds and diamonds (above).
Designed by Grima in 1995, the ring sold for £16,250 (about $22,100), besting its highest pre-sale estimate of £4,000-6,000.
Grima’s “Greenland” watch bangle from “About Time,” the watch collection he made with Omega in 1970, went for £35,000, or about $47,524.
The jewelry-watch combination piece (pictured above) was No. 15 in the collection and features an irregularly shaped piece of transparent pink tourmaline as its face. Bonhams said that the timepiece was called the Greenland because it was cut in the shape of a “stylized iceberg.”
A pair of gold and amethyst Grima earrings from the “Rock Revival” collection (circa 1971, pictured above), sold for £30,000, or about $40,700 against a pre-sale estimate of £6,000-8,000.
Regarded as one of the most imaginative designers of the 20th century, the most sought-after pieces from Grima are those he created in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Some of his more famous clients included the queen of England, Princess Margaret, Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Ursula Andress, who was the first “Bond girl” (she played Honey Ryder in “Dr. No.”)
Today, fashion designers like Miuccia Prada and Marc Jacobs are known to collect pieces by Grima, though Bonhams said it could not disclose the identity of anyone who bought pieces in the sale.
Grima died in late 2007 at the age of 86. Joanne Maughan-Brown, Grima’s second wife who is also the great-granddaughter of Sir Thomas Cullinan, the diamond magnate whose name is attached to the largest rough diamond
The Latest
Tobak, author of “Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History,” shares how the exhibition came to be, and the pieces people may be surprised to see.
Stars adorned themselves in emeralds, platinum, and myriad bird motifs, writes Associate Editor Natalie Francisco.
Tradeshow risks are real. Get tips to protect yourself before, during and after and gain safety and security awareness for your business.
M.S. Rau is set to open a seasonal gallery in the high-end resort town early next month.
The branded jewelry market is thriving, said Richemont Chairman Johann Rupert.
The six designers, all participants in the show’s Diversity Action Council mentorship program, will exhibit in Salon 634.
Meet Ben Claus—grand prize winner of For the Love of Jewelers 2023 Fall Design Challenge.
The highlight of his collection is the coveted Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime, which could sell for up to $5 million.
The “Venetian Link” series modernizes the classic Veneziana box chain in its bracelets and necklaces.
The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship will provide tuition assistance to two low-income students.
The Swiss watchmaker said the company’s plans to use a new version of the Hallmark crown on jewelry would confuse consumers.
The executive talked about the importance of self-purchasers and how fuel cell electric vehicles are going to fuel demand for platinum.
The Indian jeweler’s new store in Naperville, Illinois marks its 350th location, part of its ongoing global expansion plans.
It will award a graduating high school student with about $10,000 toward a GIA diploma and an internship with the Seattle-based jeweler.
Wheat Ridge, Colorado police took a 50-year-old man into custody Wednesday following a two-month search.
PGI partnered with four new and seven returning designers for its annual platinum capsule collection.
Nicolosi, president and CEO of The Kingswood Company, previously sat on WJA’s board from 2011 to 2018.
Karina Brez’s race-ready piece is a sophisticated nod to the horse-rider relationship.
The men are allegedly responsible for stealing millions in jewelry and other valuables in 43 burglaries in 25 towns across Massachusetts.
“Horizon” invites individuals to explore the limitless possibilities that lie ahead, said the brand.
The jeweler credits its recent “Be Love” campaign and ongoing brand revamp for its 17 percent jump in sales.
The co-founder of Lewis Jewelers was also the longtime mayor of the city of Moore.
Elvis Presley gifted this circa 1967 gold and diamond watch to Dodie Marshall, his co-star in “Easy Come, Easy Go.”
Concerns about rising prices, politics, and global conflicts continue to dampen consumer outlook.
Jacqui Larsson joins Opsydia with nearly two decades of experience in the industry.