Bulgari jewels, natural pearls, a 19th-century brooch, and two extraordinary pieces once owned by noblewoman Dora VonWiller were the undisputed highlights.
The first in-person event of 2025, the May 27 auction held by Faraone Casa d’Aste was streamed live from its headquarters on Via Montenapoleone in Milan and achieved remarkable success, confirming the growing interest in fine jewelry among both Italian and international collectors and investors.
Divided into three sessions — one in the morning and two in the afternoon — the auction had a modest start with luxury goods but gained significant momentum in the later sessions, energized by active bidding via phone, web, and app.
Among the standout performers were Bulgari jewels, which drew strong interest. The first to be auctioned, lot 246, a gold bangle from the Boules collection estimated at €4,000, opened at €8,500 due to pre-auction written bids and sold for €16,000. Lot 247, a gold bangle from the Parentesi collection also estimated at €4,000, fetched €8,000. Lot 248, a Doppio Boules necklace in gold and steel with spherical gems (peridots, tourmalines, quartz, and topazes), estimated at €4,000, reached an impressive €50,000, awarded to a phone bidder. Lot 286, the final Bulgari piece — a gold necklace with cabochon gemstones estimated at €30,000 — sold for €100,000 after lively bidding in the room, online, and via phone. A rare Bulgari Tubogas in burnished steel and yellow gold with a Jaeger-LeCoultre movement, lot 250, estimated at €8,000, reached €19,000.
Great interest also surrounded natural pearls, long seen as a symbol of timeless elegance. Lot 319, white gold stud earrings with natural saltwater pearls and diamonds, sold in-room for €14,000. Lot 321, a platinum ring with an approx. 11 mm natural pearl estimated at €3,000, reached €13,000. Lot 322, white gold earrings with old-cut round diamonds and teardrop saltwater pearls estimated at €10,000, sold via phone for €26,000.
A demi-parure composed of a ribbon necklace and drop earrings in white and yellow gold with round diamonds and rubies, lot 314, was sold for €24,000. Among the vintage highlights, lot 328 — a second-half 19th-century brooch in rose gold and silver with an approx. 7.35 ct oval ruby and a total of 12.35 ct in diamonds — fetched €310,000.
Particularly appreciated were two lots from the noblewoman Dora VonWiller’s collection, previously exhibited at the Poldi Pezzoli Museum in Milan during the “20th-Century Italian Jewelry” exhibition. Lot 329, a collar made between the late 19th and early 20th centuries featuring a platinum Collier de Chien with round diamonds (19.50 ct), estimated at €24,000, sold for €54,000 to a collector who had seen the piece 20 years ago at a Rome exhibition and, after years of searching, finally secured his long-desired, emotional purchase. Lot 332, a 1930s Mario Buccellati yellow gold necklace with a pendant and approx. 2.10 ct old-cut round diamond, estimated at €15,000, sold in the room for €32,000.
With excellent results and strong collector interest, the May 27 auction by Faraone Casa d’Aste confirmed the positive trend in the high-end jewelry market — from classic vintage pieces to iconic names like Bulgari, and the timeless appeal of natural pearls.
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