Phoenix Asset Consortium Ltd.
Our advantage for buyers / sellers
Buyers and Sellers at Auction receive several compelling benefits from working with Phoenix Asset Consortium Ltd. The primary benefit is that the client receives all of the knowledge and historical expertise possessed by our Company in the decision-making process. We are not swayed by emotion – the single biggest factor that results in overpaying for something. Clients who value privacy can rest assured that they are buying or selling in complete anonymity.
Why Auctions Matter
Auctions are an integral part of the Hard Asset landscape. In many cases, Tier I and Tier II Auction Houses aid in establishing the market for the best quality Natural Colored Diamonds, Colored Gemstones, Signature Jewelry Pieces, Collectible Watches and Art. Last year for example, Sotheby’s had the top two selling lots in the market. An untitled painting by Michel Basquiat sold in New York for $110.5 million, a record for an American work. But the second and fourth highest prices were paid not for art, but for Natural Colored Diamonds. Number 2 was the Pink Star diamond sold in Hong Kong for $71.2 million, a record price for any jewel sold at auction. Fueled largely by China and the sales center in Hong Kong, but also bolstered by Japan and South Korea. Asia is the explosive growth center for all auction houses. Very stable economic growth in the region as well as a stable political situation coupled with uncertainty, volatility and speculation in World Stock Markets have all contributed to a diversification shift to Hard Assets in the portfolio of wealthy investors.
In late 2017, Phillips auction house sold a rare vintage Patek Phillipe watch for more than $11 million setting a new record for the auction house.
Like jewels, watches are small, light and do not require special storage. Unlike art, watches are much more robust and easier to transport. Watches are a nice niche category for auction houses. Increasingly, it is the non-art categories such as Colored Diamonds, Vintage Jewelry and Watches, that occupy the greatest attention of auction houses led by colored diamond jewelry!
High Sellers
Source: Rapaport September 2017
Vintage Cartier tutti frutti jewels are among the rarest in today’s auction market, and their prices continue to escalate, according to Carol Elkins, senior vice president of Sotheby’s jewelry department.
“Many of the carved colored-stone jewels from 1925 through the 1940’s inspired by Cartier’s designs that have appeared at auction are often unsigned and unmarked,” she says, “so we cannot know where exactly they were made or who made them. It is safe to say that the style definitely resonated here in the U.S.” Some of the American makers whose tutti frutti-inspired designs have sold at Sotheby’s for well over their high estimates are David Webb, Seaman Schepps and Raymond Yard.
In Europe, Elkins notes, “the Parisian firm Mauboussin produced many examples using carved colored stones, from jardinière brooches to foliate bracelets and sautoirs.” One example is a sapphire, emerald, diamond and enamel brooch, circa 1930. It is styled as a bejeweled flowering plant with carved sapphire leaves and carved emerald beads.
Here are some other high sellers:
$2,165,000*Evelyn Lauder’s tutti frutti diamond, enamel, carved emerald and ruby bracelet by Cartier, circa 1928, sold in 2014 (pictured)
$1,445.000 A carved colored-stone, diamond and pearl tutti frutti bracelet by Cartier, circa 1930, featuring rubies and emeralds, sold in 2013.
$70,000 In 2007, a colored-stone and diamond brooch with carved sapphire, ruby and emerald leaves by Cartier, Paris, circa 1920, sold for more that four times its high estimate. It formerly belonged to actress Mary Pickford.
*All prices include buyer’s premium.
Iconic platinum, colored stone, diamond and enamel tutti frutti bracelet by Cartier, New York c. 1928.
More Than A Niche Business
The Rise of Private Sales By Auction Houses
Though the hammer coming down on a major piece in front of a crowd is excellent for headlines, auction houses have dealt with the pressures of the market by branching out. Private willing buyer to willing seller sales are increasingly important to the bottom line as is helping collectors manage their portfolios and brokering acquisitions for museums. It is this more private area of the business that Phoenix Asset Consortium Ltd. has worked to grow and excel in.
Some hard asset buyers prefer to shop discreetly, so the top-tier auction houses now have growing private sales departments that help them win business that might otherwise have gone to art dealers. In 2018, private sales at Sotheby’s hit $1billion for the first time, a sizeable chunk of last year’s consolidated sales value of $6.4billion. Christie’s also reported a gain in private sales, up 7 per cent to $643.3million, though these represented a smaller portion of total sales ($7billion) last year.
Phoenix Asset Consortium Ltd.
Our advantage for buyers / sellers
Buyers and Sellers at Auction receive several compelling benefits from working with Phoenix Asset Consortium Ltd. The primary benefit is that the client receives all of the knowledge and historical expertise possessed by our Company in the decision-making process. We are not swayed by emotion – the single biggest factor that results in overpaying for something. Clients who value privacy can rest assured that they are buying or selling in complete anonymity.
American Gemological Laboratories
THE PRESTIGE REPORT™
Certification is a must for Natural Gemstones. Just as GIA is the foremost authority on Colored Diamonds, AGL is the most prestigious laboratory for Natural rubies, emeralds and sapphires. Whether these stones change hands privately, through a dealer or at auction, it is imperative to have an AGL Certificate of Authenticity with the Natural ruby, emerald or sapphire.
The staple of the AGL services is known as the Prestige report. This is a full-page laminated report. The Prestige report is separated into specific parts to make the information presented clearer, with additional comments for each area to provide further information.
The first level of reporting is an identification and Enhancement report. Enhancement detection and disclosure is just as essential to every item submitted to the AGL, as its proper identification. Due to the current situation in the marketplace, where certain gem varieties are routinely treated or enhanced and others are not, as well as the compound nature of many treatment methods today, the AGL breaks up the subject of enhancement into two categories: Standard Enhancement and Additional Enhancement. This allows for the most concise description for the enhanced or unenhanced condition of the gemstone to be presented.
Within this section, the extent of certain treatments, such as clarity enhancement, will be provided using word descriptions, such as insignificant, faint, moderate, etc. In addition, for filling materials used in such gems as emerald, ruby and other gem varieties, the filling material will be identified.
A Stability Index is also provided for information as to the general stability of the treatment under conditions of normal wear.
The second level is the Prestige Origin report. This reporting service provides a determination of the gemstone’s country-of-origin or provenance, in addition to the full Identification and Enhancement of the item. Country-of-Origin services are commonly provided for ruby, sapphire, emerald, alexandrite, and a selection of other gem varieties. This service is not available for all gem varieties.
