Press Release

Atlanta, GA, USA, December 7, 2023 -- A 26-carat diamond and platinum Riviera necklace sold for $33,275, a never-worn 2019 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date Submariner “Hulk” wristwatch brought $24,805, and a circa 1990s Van Cleef & Arpels vintage Alhambra 18k yellow gold necklace finished at $18,150 at a Jewelry & Gifting auction held December 1st and 2nd by Ahlers & Ogletree, online and live in the Atlanta gallery.

Included in the auction were more than 200 lots of studio couture jewelry and vintage designer fashion accessories from the estate of Vectra Orkin Barnette – an avid lifetime collector of fine antiques and decorative arts from Italy, France and China – and fine jewelry from the estate of Fred Bentley, Sr. – the cherished local Atlanta politician, art collector, patriarch and philanthropist.

The platinum tested diamond Riviera (or Riverie) necklace was the auction’s top lot. It boasted one round brilliant cut diamond weighing about 2.20 carats of VS-2 clarity and I/J color, plus 95 graduated round brilliant cut diamonds of VS-2/SI-1 clarity and H/I color, weighing approximately 24.00 ctw. The diamond clasp contained one marquise cut and six baguette cut diamonds weighing 0.15 ctw.

The never-worn 2019 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date Submariner “Hulk” stainless steel wristwatch was the sale’s runner-up top lot. It featured a sapphire crystal, date window, luminous hour markers, an Oyster link bracelet with foldover fliplock closure, makers marks, an acid etched crown, and serial number to the interior of the bezel. The watch came with tag, card, papers and inner and outer box.

The Van Cleef & Arpels vintage Alhambra 18k yellow gold necklace, circa 1990s, featured 20 small textured quatrefoil stations having a small center polished gold sphere VCA, serial number, and fineness mark to the last station before clasp. The necklace, 31 ¼ inches long, weighed 56.5 grams.

Following are additional highlights from the officially titled Fine Jewelry, Studio Jewelry, Couture Jewelry, Fine Timepieces and Designer Accessories auction, which contained 630 lots across the two sessions and grossed $875,248. Internet bidding was provided by Ahlers & Ogletree’s popular online bidding platform – bid.AandOAuctions.com – as well as LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Bidsquare.com. All prices given in this press report are inclusive of a 21 percent buyer’s premium.

A circa 2002 Tiffany & Co. 18k yellow gold “Tiffany Squares” wide bracelet having three rows of repeating squares with a mirror like finish, a hidden tension clasp and two side safety bars, with the maker’s mark, 750, Italy and date, in a Tiffany & Company clam shell box, gaveled for $15,370.

An Angela Cummings (Austrian, 1944), for Tiffany & Co. (American 1837), 18k yellow gold necklace, 1979, composed of rose petal form plaques, stamped '1979', 'Tiffany & Co.', and '750', together with a box, 18 ½ inches long and having a total weight of 65 grams, brought $11,495.

A Van Cleef & Arpels (French 1896), double strand coral necklace, having 67 spherical pale slightly orangey pink Angel Skin coral beads, the platinum tension clasp having 81 round brilliant cut and 34 baguette cut diamonds, of VVS-2 clarity and F color, weighing 5.75ctw, finished at $10,285.

A Cartier 18k yellow gold Tank wristwatch, featuring a Swiss made quartz movement, a white dial with black Roman markers, synthetic sapphire crystal, wide link bracelet and a deployment clasp assembly, the case and bracelet having the maker's mark and fineness mark, with box, hit $10,285.

A diamond solitaire and 14k white gold pendant with chain, having one rectangular brilliant radiant cut diamond of SI-1 clarity and M color, weighing 3.40cts, together with an Italian platinum accent 16-inch chain necklace with lobster claw clasp, the pendant unmarked, changed hands for $10,285.

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