Phillips hosts Hong Kong Jewels Auction and the New Now Auction
Mar 22, 2024
As Hong Kong’s art week draws close, more glitzy events are popping up. Phillips’ upcoming events – the Hong Kong Jewels Auction and the New Now Auction – are definitely ones you need to add to your calendar
Auction house Phillips has a couple of events this month that anyone with an eye for beauty needs to check out for sure. These are the Hong Kong Jewels Auction and the New Now Auction.
The first event is guaranteed to have more sparkle than any other. Phillips’ Hong Kong Jewels Auction takes place on 28 March at the auction house’s Asia headquarters in West Kowloon Cultural District. The highlights include ‘fancy coloured’ diamonds, Burmese rubies, Colombian emeralds, highly sought-after gemstones, and vintage pieces from some of the top maisons.
There is a breadth of fancy coloured diamonds certified by the Gemological Institute of America in this auction, led by a round brilliant-cut fancy vivid yellow diamond weighing 15.51 carats.
Estimate: HK$7.4 million – HK$9.7 million
Only one in 10,000 diamonds has a ‘fancy colour.’ Fancy pink diamonds over 1 carat in particular are extremely rare, even the now-shuttered Argyle Mine in Australia could produce an average of 50 to 60 fancy pink diamonds that are mostly below 0.50 carat.
In this auction, there is a 1.38-carat fancy vivid purplish pink diamond, pink sapphire and diamond ring. This rare creation is expected to fetch between HK$2.4 million to HK$3.5 million. The tint of purple in this pink diamond gives it a natural feminine allure, so one can expect this to be on the top of the list for many ladies.
“Echoing the strong market demand for rare and important coloured diamonds, this spring we are delighted to present a breadth of fancy coloured diamonds certified by GIA, led by a round brilliant-cut fancy vivid yellow diamond weighing 15.51 carats. The sale also brings together a stunning array of treasures – from the finest Burmese rubies, Colombian emeralds, vintage signed pieces from Bulgari, Cartier, and Van Cleef & Arpels, as well as red spinels and Paraíba tourmalines that are currently sought after by collectors and connoisseurs. We look forward to welcoming enthusiasts at one of our preview exhibitions in Asia, and to Phillips’ Asia headquarters in Hong Kong on 28 March for the live auction,” says Louisa Chan, Head of Sale, Hong Kong, Phillips Jewels.
A turquoise and diamond necklace crafted by Van Cleef & Arpels in 1985, complete with a certificate of authenticity, is also on offer. Turquoise has long been favoured by many in history, from Queen Victoria to Napoleon’s second wife, Empress Marie Louise. Van Cleef & Arpels has long favoured the gemstone too and the maison’s beautiful creation in this auction is expected to fetch between HK$900,000 to HK$1.2 million.
Estimate: HK$380,000 to HK$600,000
The highlights from this auction have already been exhibited in Singapore, Taipei and in Hong Kong before the sale, so you know the jewellery aficionados in the region have already made their wish list. Drop by Phillips Asia headquarters before the auction to enjoy these dazzling stones in person and mark out your favourites before they go under the hammer.
What: Phillips’ Hong Kong Jewels Auction
When: 28 March, 2pm onwards
Where: Phillips Asia headquarters, WKCDA Tower, West Kowloon Cultural District, 8 Austin Road West, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Also see: Art Basel Hong Kong shares ambitious highlights
For the art lovers, Phillips will host its second New Now Auction in Hong Kong. This second round features an eclectic mix of works from both young and blue-chip contemporary artists alike, including Takashi Murakami, Chiharu Shiota, Mr., KAWS, Madsaki, teamLab, Guy Yanai, Gongkan, Oh de Laval, Kasing Lung, among others.
Takashi Murakami is one of the most iconic pop artists of our time and a sculpture of his Mr. DOB, a figure he debuted in 1994, is in the New Now Auction. The character is inspired by the Japanese otaku (manga and anime obsessed people) subculture, with its wide grin and oversized blue eyes being similar to that of many cartoon characters of Japanese shows. Its name hails from the Japanese slang dobojite, which roughly translates to ‘why’ and this addresses Murakami’s confrontation of the largely Western dominated art world. Mr. DOB’s body design also draws from several popular animated figures such as Doraemon, Sonic, and Mickey Mouse. This is expected to go for anywhere from HK$650,000 to HK$850,000.
American artist KAWS is known for his technical paintings and large-scale sculptural works. The New Now Auction features an acrylic painting of CHUM, a character that has become synonymous with the artist. This 2016 work has remained relevant, as it was just exhibited in the group show Exhibition Visuals at Galerie Strouk in Paris in 2023. It is expected to fetch between HK$3.8 million to HK$5.5 million.
The international art collective of teamLab also has a work under the hammer that is not in a traditional medium. Coming in the form of a software programme, teamLab’s Universe of Water Particles – Gold is a 5-channel artwork depicts a virtual waterfall within an immersive, three-dimensional space. With just simple lines and the colour gold, it evokes the gold foil and flat perspectives seen on Japanese folding screens. After having achieved the world auction record for teamLab in 2021, Phillips now expects this digital work to bring in anywhere from HK$1.3 million to HK$2.3 million. Those keen to see more of teamLab’s work can check out the ‘teamLab: Continuous’ exhibition launched in Hong Kong’s Central and Western District Promenade this month.
The second New Now Auction comes hot on the heels of the successful first edition last November, just in time to coincide with art week in Hong Kong. If all that art appreciation has you tuckered out, refresh yourself with some food and beverages at the new Phillips Café. This establishment by Phillips makes it the first international auction house to debut a café, in addition to a purpose-built sales room, exhibition space, and retail boutique in Hong Kong.
What: New Now Hong Kong Auction
When: 29 March, 2pm onwards
Where: Phillips Asia headquarters, WKCDA Tower, West Kowloon Cultural District, 8 Austin Road West, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Preview: 20 – 29 March, 11 am – 7 pm
Also see: Art Central reveals its most extensive and diverse programme to date