What it means to auction a $70m diamond

What got you interested in auctioneering and particularly jewellery?

I took a degree in Philosophy and initially wanted to go into film after University. But my father (who would be 105 today and was slightly old fashioned), thought that meant Hollywood to which he was very opposed. So he cunningly introduced me to a friend of his who was a director at Sotheby’s. He convinced me to join a one-year training programme. That was 1974 and by the end of that year the oil crisis had hit and the UK was plunged into a three-day week, even Sothebys. I was finishing the course in that uncertain climate, and a job came up in the jewellery department. My father’s friend advised me to take it. I knew absolutely nothing about jewellery. But he made it sound rather glamorous, he told me how interesting it could be, that I would travel, and that there were sales in Switzerland. So I decided to take it… and that’s where it all began. As a trainee cataloguer.

What exactly do you do? Tell us a typical working day

Apart from general management responsibilities as head of the jewellery division, one of the most wonderful things about my job is that it’s like a treasure hunt – you never know what’s around the corner. I spend quite a lot of my time meeting clients and collectors, discussing their jewellery collections, and throughout the year we are preparing auctions in Geneva, New York, Hong Kong and London. It is a privilege to earn the trust of people and help them to manage their collections – jewellery is an extremely personal thing, often intimately connected with important moments in people’s lives, and so each collection and each relationship is different. I must say that in my career I have had the opportunity to examine some of the most important jewels and gemstones in the world.

What according to you are the qualities an auctioneer should have?

Auctioneering is a little like theatre. It’s important to know how to manage the energy in the room, especially as an auction can last for several hours. Of course, there will be moments of high excitement, so I try to spread those through the sale.

What has been the most moving moment in your career?

I will never forget going to Paris in 1986, to examine the jewels of the Duchess of Windsor which were in a vault, deep in the Banque de France. At the time, everyone knew about the story of the Windsors – arguably the greatest love story of modern times – the man who gave up the throne of Great Britain in order to be with the woman he loved. We knew there would be exquisite pieces commissioned from the greatest jewellery houses (Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels). What we didn’t know was that on many of the pieces we would find tiny secret inscriptions, in facsimile of the hand of both the Duke and the Duchess, with very intimate and moving messages of love. What we knew would be an exceptional collection of jewels had just taken on a whole new dimension, and suddenly these two people and their incredible story came to life. It became, arguably, the jewel auction of the century, achieving some five times the total of the pre-sale estimates.

Tell us about the Graff pink and how it went on to become an auction record.

The Graff Pink was one of the most desirable diamonds I’ve seen in my career and a stone I had been following for many years. It’s difficult to exaggerate the rarity of a top-quality pink diamond weighing even as much as five carats. Once they exceed 20 carats and are of outstanding colour, they pass into the ranks of the world’s greatest gems. It was very exciting to set a new world record with the Graff Pink in 2010, and we were thrilled to break that record in April this year, with the Pink Star, which weighs almost 60 carats and sold for over $70 million.

What kind of jewellery do you enjoy viewing?

I found gemstones and gemology extremely interesting. Jewellery is very closely related to fashion and so it opens up a fascinating window on history. I began studying jewellery from the Roman period right up to the present day and became transfixed.

What is the most cherished piece of jewellery that you own or have bought?

I don’t really feel the need to own jewellery myself. With each sale that goes by, I get to spend time with these exceptional pieces, and then they go on to join someone’s collection. I get great pleasure from holding certain jewels in my hand and admiring them for a while, but I don’t covet them for myself.

What has been the most amazing piece of jewellery that you have had a chance to see at Sotheby’s?

There are so many! It was a very special experience indeed to be entrusted with the Beau Sancy diamond, an exceptional stone which over four centuries had belonged to four European royal families. Before the sale in 2012, a lady I know who collects jewels asked me if she might have a look at it. She came in, and when I opened the box, she just burst into tears immediately. It is an extraordinarily powerful diamond and she found it overwhelming to think that it had been worn at the coronation of Marie de Medici in 1610!

Why do you think the UAE, particularly Dubai, is so popular with jewellery lovers/buyers and sellers?

I think the answer is that collectors in that part of the world are very knowledgeable when it comes to the finest quality gems. The region has a wonderfully rich and fascinating cultural connection with jewels and gemstones, spanning centuries, and a tradition which recognises, understands and values the very finest jewels and stones.

You also continue to pursue philosophical studies. How do you view jewellery in philosophical terms?

I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to sum it up succinctly enough to do it justice! I am also fascinated by the connections between gemstones and the planets - connections have been known since antiquity.

What other passions do you have?

I am still passionate about film. This past winter I caught the flu and it knocked me out for a few days. I went back and watched The Third Man 9 times! It is such a fascinating film.

Tell us an instance when an auction did not go the way it was planned?

A long time ago, during an auction in London, we had a technical glitch at the start of the auction which meant that the sound system wasn’t working at all. So instead of having a microphone I had to bellow to make sure I could be heard at the back of the room. I had almost no voice left at all by the end of it!