LONDON.- A rainbow of fancy coloured diamonds and gemstones along with an extremely rare Art Deco bracelet have made it into Bonhams’ Top 10 Fine Jewellery lots of 2015.

A magnificent pair of late 19th century Kashmir sapphire and diamond earrings claimed number one spot for Bonhams globally. The cushion-shaped earrings, the property of a European princess, attracted interest from around the globe given their exceptional quality and rarity. They were sold at the auction house’s London Fine Jewellery sale earlier this month (December) for UK £1,538,500 (US $2,328,981, HK $ 18,039,220).

As well as taking the top spot, sapphires dominate Bonhams’ top ten list for 2015 with a total of four lots being sapphires from either Kashmir or Burma.

Fancy coloured diamonds – ranging from Vivid Yellow to Grey/Blue – also made the list. The second best performing lot for Bonhams was a fancy greyish-blue, 2.97cts step-cut diamond, set in a ring designed by the society jeweller Andrew Grima. This achieved UK £1,482,500 (US$ 2,242,726 and HK$ 17,382,609) against its pre-sale low estimate of £500,000 at Bonhams Fine Jewellery sale in London this month. This set a world record price per carat for a fancy greyish-blue diamond ($755,000) and a world record for a Grima creation.

Securing the number three position was an important Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond ring weighing 22.57 cts. This sold to a ‘phone bidder for HK$ 14,440,000 (US $ 1,862,760, UK £1,231,732) at Bonhams Hong Kong sale in June.

Bonhams Hong Kong also sold the fourth highest grossing lot: an internally flawless coloured diamond. In its November Fine Jewellery auction, bidders competed in the salesroom, on the telephones and online for an important Fancy Light Purplish Pink colour, 9.21 cts pear-shaped diamond pendant. This out-performed its pre-sale low estimate of HK$ 12,000,000 and sold to a bidder in the saleroom for HK$ 13,240,000 (US $1,707,960, UK £1,129,372).

The news that The Hope Spinel had been rediscovered and its subsequent sale captured the headlines around the globe and set a world record in the process. Recognised as one of the finest and most historic gems in the world, the octagonal, step-cut 50.13 cts Spinel drew interest from international collectors and smashed its pre-sale estimate of £150,000, eventually selling to a telephone bidder for UK £962,500 (US$ 1,423,826, HK $11,285,505). It also secured a world record price per carat for Spinel at $28,403 per carat. The Hope Spinel takes number five position in the 2015 list.

A rare sapphire and diamond ring by Tiffany & Co takes sixth position in the list and also made auction history when it was sold at Bonhams New York. The cushion-cut, 7.84 cts Kashmir sapphire sold to a telephone bidder for US$ 1,349,000 (HK$ 10,455,559, UK £ 891,689) this month. It also set a world record for price per carat for a sapphire under 10 cts of US $172,066 per carat.

No jewellery list would be complete without white diamonds and number seven position goes to an important diamond riviére necklace which was auctioned in June at Bonhams New York. Weighing nearly 80 cts in total, it sold to a collector on the telephone for US $1,205,000 (HK$9,339,473, UK £796,505).

Eighth and ninth positions were claimed by two exceptional sapphires and diamond rings, both sold by Bonhams Hong Kong. The first – a 14.10 cts cushion-shaped sapphire from Kashmir – went under the hammer in June and sold for HK$ 8,920,000 (U$ 1,150,680, UK £760,876). The second – a 26.43 cts Royal Blue sapphire from Burma – featured in Bonhams Hong Kong Fine Jewellery sale in November and sold for HK$ 8,920,000 (US$ 701,760, UK £464,032).

The final lot in Bonhams’ Top 10 Fine Jewellery Lots of 2015 was an iconic piece of Art Deco jewellery: an enamel, gem-set and diamond 'Tutti Frutti' bracelet by Cartier. Made in New York in 1929, the bracelet, with a highly articulated geometric strap and vine motifs, is extremely rare and attracted interested from collectors during its pre-sale previews in New York and Geneva. It went under the hammer in September’s Fine Jewellery sale at Bonhams London and sold for UK £458,500 (US $ 678,259, HK$ 5,376,004).

Matthew Girling, Global CEO of Bonhams and Group Jewellery Director, said: “We are thrilled to have consigned and auctioned some really exceptional pieces of jewellery in 2015. Our prediction about 2015 being the year of colour was spot on and we anticipate 2016 to continue with this trend.

“Jewellery buyers across the globe are turning to coloured gems and are putting serious money into finding the very best examples. The finest untreated pigeon’s blood rubies from Burma and unheated exceptional blue sapphires from Kashmir, Burma or Sri Lanka all are making big prices on the auction block because the mines that produce such quality gems are already exhausted or there is a threat of the mines running dry and a lack of future supply.

“The same can be said of coloured diamonds. Prices for fancy coloured diamonds, especially blue diamonds, continue to climb given their incredible rarity and scarcity. It is exciting to see such wonderful pieces being appreciated by a discerning international clientele.

“I’m immensely proud that Bonhams continues to make auction history with five world records being set by Bonhams in London and New York in 2015.

“With the recent hire of Daniel Struyf as our new Senior International Jewellery Director we intend to continue to grow the department and our market share in London, New York and Hong Kong in 2016.“

In addition, in its December Fine Jewellery sale in London, Bonhams offered a 10.28 cts Madagascan ruby single-stone ring for sale. This sold for £236,500 (US$ 358,013 and HK$ 2,777,645) and set a world record for price per carat for a Madagascan ruby of $34,800 per carat.

Bonhams has more dedicated jewellery auctions annually than any other international auction house in the world.

The next Bonhams Jewellery sale will take place at Bonhams Knightsbridge on 27 January 2016, 16 March 2016 followed by Fine Jewellery sales in London, New York and Hong Kong in April 2016.