Clars Auctions Spotlights Antique Diamonds in Exclusive Collector Sale

Clars Auction Gallery's "Antique Diamonds: A Collector's Auction," held online on March 19 out of Oakland, California, centered on a single extraordinary object: an Art Deco platinum ring set with a 4.92-carat F color, VS2 clarity cut-cornered square step-cut diamond, carrying a presale estimate of $50,000 to $70,000.

The ring's architecture rewards close attention. The center stone is framed by 26 single-cut diamonds set into delicate etched scrollwork, bringing the estimated total diamond weight to 5.20 carats within a platinum mounting that weighs just 4.85 grams. That restraint in metal weight against that density of stone is a signature of the Art Deco period's discipline: platinum was worked thin precisely so the diamonds could dominate. No GIA certificate number was listed in the auction catalog, a detail worth confirming with Clars directly before drawing conclusions about the stone's grading provenance.

The second major draw was a FaCad'oro diamond and 18k bi-color gold opera-length necklace, listed in the LiveAuctioneers catalog with a Greece provenance notation. Clars described it as "dramatic" and "notable for its scale and sophistication." No presale estimate was published for the necklace in the available catalog pages, and the correct styling of the maker's name varied across listings, appearing as both "Facadoro" and "FaCad'oro" depending on the source.

Beyond those headline lots, the sale swept across centuries and continents with genuine range. An 1840s Chinese mother-of-pearl gambling token mounted as an 18k gold pendant carried an estimate of $8,000 to $12,000, pairing an object of social history with fine metalwork. A gemstone, pearl, and 14k gold dragon head necklace was estimated at $5,000 to $7,000. A pair of antique diamond and silver-topped 14k gold earrings came in at $3,000 to $5,000, while an antique turquoise and 14k gold longchain and an emerald, diamond, and 14k gold ring were each estimated between $2,500 and $3,500. A Victorian scarab beetle and gold jewelry set rounded out the highlighted lots at $1,500 to $2,500.

The catalog's depth extended well into smaller lots. A Christian Dior Mitzah Leopard Paw enamel and 18k gold ring, inspired by Mitzah Bricard and designed as a leopard's paw with black enamel spots and lacquered claws, carried the signature "Dior B0727" alongside a French assay mark. A 14k gold suite of Greek key design, comprising a 16-inch necklace, a 7.5-inch bracelet, and a pair of earrings, weighed in at 56.30 grams combined. A group of Tiffany & Co. enamel and 18k gold studs, comprising eight shirt studs and one collar stud in matte black and white enamel, weighed 12.29 grams. A pair of 10k gold Pikun flower earrings of Southeast Asian design, featuring an intricate lattice work at 2.75 inches in length and 10.90 grams, offered something genuinely outside the Euro-American antique mainstream.

The sale ran as a single-day online auction. Clars Auction Gallery is based in Oakland at the zip code 94609 and can be reached at (510) 428-0100. The auction has since closed; realized prices were not published in the catalog materials available at the time of this writing, and prospective buyers interested in comparable lots from Clars should contact the gallery directly for upcoming sale schedules.