Saffronart, a leading international auction house involved in live and online auctions of modern and contemporary Indian fine art, antiquities, design and jewellery, recently conducted an online auction of fine Jewels, silver and watches, netting total sales of ₹6.06 crore.

The auction concluded on October 28, 2021. It featured a selection of rare and high-quality traditional period pieces with exceptional provenance, contemporary jewellery, exquisite silverwork, and limited-edition watches.

Saffronart President and Co-Founder Minal Vazirani said, “We are extremely pleased with the results of our auction of fine jewels, silver and watches. The response from collectors around the world indicates their interest in owning rare pieces that are deeply rooted in, or inspired by, traditional Indian design and history. Saffronart has always been committed to the idea of developing and expanding the market for vintage and contemporary jewellery in India through carefully curated auctions, initiatives, and dialogues on India’s rich jewelled legacy. We look forward to helping a new generation develop an interest in the art of jewellery collecting.”

Leading the sale was a magnificent pair of natural pearl and diamond earrings in platinum, which sold for ₹1.28 crore ($173,743). The impressive pair of earrings features natural saltwater pearls set with rose-cut diamonds, mounted in platinum.

The cover lot of the auction, a majestic diamond and pearl ‘Sarpech’ or turban ornament by the late Munnu Kasliwal, surpassed its higher estimate and sold for ₹90.9 lakh ($122,848). The exquisitely crafted turban ornament is a testament to Munnu’s skill as a jewellery designer whose innovative pieces feature in some of the most important jewellery collections around the world today.

Other auction highlights include a pair of Burmese ruby and diamond earrings, which sold for ₹38.12 lakh ($51,520); a pair of period diamond polki and ruby bracelet plaques, which sold for ₹8.05 lakh ($10,878); a limited edition Franck Muller: ‘Galet’ white gold and diamond wristwatch, which sold for over double its higher estimate at ₹7.83 lakh ($10,583); and a beautiful silver box by Oomersi Mawji, which sold for over double its lower estimate at ₹2.83 lakh ($3,827).