We know, we know. We write about Tiffany & Co. quite a bit. We have apologized before. But when two extraordinary Tiffany pieces arrive during the same week, what are we supposed to do, keep quiet?
On the left is the iconic Tiffany & Co. Schlumberger parrot brooch in the coveted large size. This is no shy little bird: it will practically dwarf the average woman’s hand. The wonderfully sculptural parrot is fashioned from green garnet and fine natural coral, with a brilliant ruby eye. It bears the Tiffany & Co., Schlumberger and French hallmarks.
Our research found scant few offered at major auctions in the past decade. Some were smaller and brought $12,000 – $24,000.
We purchased the parrot from a Phoenix coin dealer who told us he had already been offered $18,000 for it. Naturally, that meant we had to pay more. We stretched to almost $20,000 because we simply had to have it.
Will we make a profit? We shall see! It is presently on display at our St. Petersburg store with an asking price of $25,000. Modern Tiffany versions are thought to retail for approximately $100,000.
On the right is an astonishing Tiffany ruby ring centered by a 3.02-carat natural ruby, flanked by two very large E-Color diamonds. We purchased it from a Tampa jeweler as part of a Tiffany collection. We paid $130,000 for the entire collection. This ring was the star of the show.
We needed to know exactly what we had, so we sent it to GIA. It nearly won the trifecta.
GIA determined that the stone is a natural ruby of Burmese origin the historic source of many of the world’s most celebrated rubies and described its color as “Vivid Red,” commonly known in the trade as “Pigeon’s Blood.” That is about the highest praise a ruby’s color can receive.
The only thing preventing the trifecta was evidence of mild heat treatment. Had GIA said “no heat” this might have easily been a $500,000 to $700,000 ring. Even with heat, it remains a spectacular and extremely important Tiffany ring.
The ring came with a Tiffany appraisal of $200,000, a figure that may actually be conservative in today’s high-jewelry market. We are offering it through our Tampa store at $75,000. If it does not sell privately, it will likely appear in a future auction by our sister company, Hess Fine Art.
So, yes Tiffany again. And yes, “sorry… not sorry” But these were simply too remarkable not to share.
And if you own something equally extraordinary, why not sell it to the dealer other dealers sell to?
