Sotheby’s New York Opens Its Doors With Two Major Jewelry Auctions

DAAS2R
Dec 2, 2025
3 min read

At 945 Madison Avenue, the historic Breuer Building begins a new chapter. After its renovation and reopening on November 8, Sotheby’s presents its first jewelry auctions in the space—a debut that unites architecture, heritage craftsmanship and the contemporary luxury market.

Sotheby’s acquisition of the 13,000-square-foot Breuer Building in 2023 marked a strategic shift for the auction house, transforming a landmark that once housed the Whitney Museum, the Met Breuer and the Frick Madison into a headquarters dedicated to art, design and high-value collectibles. Its first two jewelry sales, scheduled for December 8 and 9, set the tone for what this new space intends to represent: a platform for historically significant pieces and exceptional private collections.

On December 8, the season opens with “A Legacy of Elegance: Jewels from an Exceptional Collection”, a single-owner sale of 56 lots. The curation is dominated by major signatures: 24 creations by Suzanne Belperron and 12 by JAR, alongside rare archival pieces from Boucheron and other maisons.

The top lot is a Boucheron ruby and diamond necklace, structured as a laurel wreath. Seven cushion-cut rubies—six Burmese, one Thai—remain unheated, according to AGL. The diamond-set leaves and knife-edge branches reflect early 20th-century Parisian craftsmanship. The estimate stands at $1–$2 million.

Following it is a pair of pear-shaped diamond earrings, weighing 12.24 and 11.68 carats (F/VVS2 and D/VS2 respectively), estimated at $600,000–$1 million. Another highlight is a 1998 pair of JAR quatrefoil earrings, pavé-set with rubies and diamonds, estimated at $400,000–$600,000.

The following day, on December 9, Sotheby’s will hold its New York High Jewelry sale, presenting 131 lots led by exceptional colored diamonds, white diamonds and signature pieces from Harry Winston, Hemmerle, Bulgari and David Webb.

At the top is a 3.48-carat Internally Flawless Fancy Intense Blue diamond, unmounted, estimated at $2–$3 million.Another major lot is the Harry Winston “Jonker VI” ring, cut from the legendary 726-carat Jonker rough discovered in South Africa in 1934. The 22.85-carat D-color VVS1 diamond carries a proven lineage, its history intersecting with royal collections including those of King Farouk of Egypt and Queen Ratna of Nepal. Estimate: $1–$1.5 million.

Additional highlights include:

An unmounted 30.23-carat F/SI1 oval diamond, estimated at $1–$2 million
A necklace of 59 natural saltwater pearls with a clasp set by a 3.78-carat Fancy Blue diamond (VS1), estimated at $800,000–$1.2 million
A 3.27-carat Fancy Vivid Orangy Pink diamond ring (VVS1), also estimated at $800,000–$1.2 million
A pair of unheated cushion-cut ruby earclips (5.18 and 5.12 carats), estimated at $800,000–$1.2 million

This season also marks the auction debut of Gabriela Hearst. Alongside curating a selection of vintage and contemporary pieces, she introduces her first high jewelry design: the “Alpha and Omega” earrings, created in colored stones, diamonds and colored diamonds. Estimated at $60,000–$80,000, the piece supports Amazon Frontlines, a non-profit defending Indigenous communities in the Amazon.

Among the highlights included in Hearst’s curated edit:

Hemmerle mammoth ivory and diamond pendant-earclips ($30,000–$50,000)
A Bulgari ring with 6.62 carats of cushion-cut diamonds, accented by rubies, emeralds and geometric diamonds ($45,000–$65,000)
A David Webb “Demon Mask” necklace-brooch, combining nephrite, amethyst, ruby and diamonds ($20,000–$30,000)

Together, these two inaugural sales at the Breuer Building establish a new identity for Sotheby’s in New York: a headquarters where architectural legacy and jewelry connoisseurship converge. With historical gemstones, private collections, contemporary design and landmark diamonds, the December auctions position the space as a focal point for collectors at the highest level of the jewelry market.