Jewellery Auctions

Are you looking to build your collection of fine jewellery or gemstones? OzBid jewellery auctions provide discerning collectors looking for antique, contemporary, or designer jewellery and individual gemstones the opportunity to improve and expand their collection with new and exciting pieces. Whether you love diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, rubies, or other gemstones, OzBid offers rare, unique, and classic jewellery sets.

Diamonds

With diamonds being the hardest minerals on the planet and having a clear, exceptional brilliance, it’s no wonder they remain in high demand during jewellery auctions. Their robust three-dimensional cubic structure allows light to refract in all directions at the same speed, hence, their exceptional brightness. The Hope Diamond (45.52 carats), the Cullinan (3106.75 carats, cut into nine major stones, including the 530.20-carat Star of Africa diamond), and the Excelsior (995 carats) are among the most famous diamonds worldwide.

Emeralds

Emeralds are gem-quality beryl mineral specimens with a vivid, distinctively green colour. They can be found in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks in a few places across the world. Emeralds have been one of the most sought-after and precious coloured stones for over 5,000 years. They were independently discovered and valued by ancient civilisations in Africa, Asia, and South America. Cleopatra, for example, is famous for her emeralds and the Egyptian mines for her favourite jewel.

Some of the world’s most famous emeralds include the Chalk Emerald (37.8 carats), Elizabeth Taylor’s Bulgari emerald and diamond pendant brooch (23.46 carats), and Queen Elizabeth II’s Vladimir Tiara. Taylor’s brooch was gifted to her by Richard Burton. It holds the record for fetching $6.6 million back in 2011 — the highest price for any piece of emerald gemstone sold at a jewellery auction.

Sapphires

Sapphire is a variant of corundum — the mineral group that includes the ruby, sapphire, and emery, in all hues except red (ruby in ancient times). Sapphire was thought to have magical abilities that would be bestowed on the wearer, including truth, authority, protection, and healing powers.

Sapphires have always been scarce. The 563-carat Star of India (the largest of its kind), the 117-carat Midnight Star at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the Star of Asia, a 330-carat Star Sapphire at the Smithsonian Institute, are among the most famous sapphires in the world.

Rubies

Along with emerald, sapphire, and diamond, ruby is one of the four acknowledged precious gemstones. However, before technological advances in gemmology, all known red gemstones — such as spinel, garnet, and tourmaline — were referred to as rubies.

Rubies are produced under tremendous pressure and intense heat beneath the earth’s surface. They are made up of corundum and aluminium oxygen. When the microelement is chromium, the corundum turns red, resulting in rubies. Blue sapphires are formed when iron and titanium are combined. Ruby is a rare mineral with a small distribution. Myanmar produces the finest rubies, although mines are also established in Afghanistan, Australia, Cambodia, India, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

The Liberty Bell Ruby (eight and a half thousand carats), stolen in a jewellery heist in 2014, the uncut Prince of Burma (approximately 950 carats), and the world-record-holding Sunrise Ruby (25.59 carats) are famous examples of this gemstone. The latter (Sunrise Ruby) is the world’s most expensive ruby, having been purchased for a record US $30.42 million by an anonymous buyer in 2015 during a jewellery auction in Geneva.

Other gemstones

Aside from diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, and rubies, OzBid features jewellery with gems or loose pieces like alexandrite, topaz, aquamarine, morganite, and more. If you’re an avid collector of precious stones, OzBid jewellery auctions online are great avenues to discover unique finds and purchase rare gems and other jewellery for sale at competitive prices.

Jewellery sets and pieces at OzBid jewellery auctions online

OzBid’s jewellery auctions in Australia showcase diamonds, coloured stones, and pearls, as well as unique timepieces and antique, modern, and contemporary jewellery.

Every year, our highly experienced team of specialists, certified gemological and diamond technicians, auction hundreds of valuable pieces. Our specialist knowledge, combined with our exceptional and highly personalised client services, ensures that all buyers at OzBid online jewellery auctions in Australia enjoy their time with us. If you want to learn more about our jewellery for sale online, please feel free to contact us today!

FAQs

Why should I buy jewellery at an online auction?

Auctions (onsite and online) have recently grown in popularity as a means of acquiring various types of jewellery. Both online and live jewellery auctions feature an unrivalled selection of designs, sizes, and pricing to fit most budgets.

You can have several unusual gemstone and material combinations at auctions that don’t generally make it into the catalogues of most big merchants. While jewellery stores may also have expansive catalogues, they rarely offer unique or vintage  jewellery.

Online auctions can be incredibly cost-effective — and if you do your homework, you may get some great offers at an auction that you wouldn’t be able to score from a regular seller. Because the people bidding at auctions know how much each item is worth, most products are sold at their market value rather than their retail price. Most jewellery for sale is worth only half or even a third of its market price, so bidding at an auction could save you money.

You can also find some physical and metaphorical gems at an auction if you do some proper digging. In fact, some of the jewellery you like and may end up purchasing may be otherwise unattainable through other means. Many of the items sold at auctions also have fascinating backstories that add to the unique charm of each piece. Although onsite and online auctions in general share similarities in terms of the advantages they offer, online jewellery auctions have the added benefit of ensuring your privacy or anonymity as all transactions are done digitally.

Is the jewellery for sale in online auctions guaranteed authentic? 

As one of Australia’s most reputable and well-established auction houses, OzBid strives to provide transparent and reliable information to all buyers — whether they are looking to purchase fine jewellery or contemporary, Aboriginal, or fine art made by Australian artists.

At OzBid, most jewellery items come with a gemologist-certified valuation. This is then displayed and mentioned in the lot description in the catalogue provided to interested buyers. Plus, everyone is welcome to send their questions and comments to our team of experts. We’re always ready to provide the information you need regarding art, jewellery, and other items for sale so you can confidently participate in OzBid online auctions and purchase the products you want.

Is it cheaper to buy jewellery through online auctions?

Online auctions (or auctions in general) provide buyers with a valuable opportunity to acquire artworks, jewellery, and other items at highly competitive prices. Since bidders already know the true cost of the item they are after, they will likely keep bidding to a reasonable point. Therefore, it is best to have a set budget if you plan to participate in an online jewellery auction. Know how much you are willing and can afford to shell out to get the item/s you want. Draw a line or be ready to bid until the item is sold to you.

What jewellery can I buy at auction?

The sky’s the limit when it comes to which articles of jewellery you’ll be able to bid on in an online jewellery auction. At OzBid, for example, you’ll find jewellery for sale in complete sets as well as individual and mismatched pieces. If you’re looking for jewels, OzBid auctions jewellery made with gold, silver, platinum, diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, rubies, pearls, and other precious stones.

We have a veritable treasure trove of classic, ornate, contemporary, and other jewellery styles. If you’re patient, you might even come across something that’s truly unique. If you find that piece, you can mix and match it with the other jewellery you already own.

Is it better to buy jewellery from a jewellery auction than a store?

Jewellery auctions are a terrific venue for finding unusual and affordable rings and other pieces. Online jewellery auctions are beneficial because they allow you to double-check everything in real-time and conduct as much research as you like before or while the bidding continues.

You should be well prepared with accurate research and knowledge before the auction begins. Doing your research also applies before going to a regular jewellery vendor, as it’s the best way to ensure you know what you’re getting and how much you should spend on an item. But since jewellery sold in a typical store is priced two to three times more than the actual value of each piece, there’s a higher likelihood of you saving money on your purchase and sticking to your budget in jewellery auctions online.

Where do you get the jewellery you put up for auction?

Our Luxury Jewellery Auctions offer a broad range of new, pre-owned, and vintage pieces to suit all tastes and budgets. We only get these products from reputable wholesalers, retail outlets, deceased estates, and private sellers. 

What are some popular tips for buying jewellery at an online auction?

Now that you’ve decided to attend a jewellery auction, here are some more pointers to consider so you have a smooth, pleasant experience:

  • Review catalogues — Prior to the auction, review the online catalogue, so you’ll know what to look for before asking about items that are no longer available.
  • Do your homework — A jewellery auction is not the place to be if you don’t know have a basic understanding of jewellery and gemstones. This isn’t to say you need to be an expert or that the specialists in the auction are dishonest. It just means that if you know the basics of gemstones and jewellery, you’ll be able to find what you’re searching for more quickly and pick the best value/price offers.
  • Set a budget — Prepare a maximum budget ahead of time and remember to factor in the buyer’s premium. This will prevent you from going over budget by accident and experiencing buyer’s remorse. When it comes to budgets, the OzBid online auction platform offers an absentee bidding or a proxy bid option. Here, you can set a ceiling as to how high you intend to go to purchase an item. This can help if you want to avoid overspending.
  • Read descriptions or inquire — All the items you’re interested in should have detailed descriptions and condition reports. Speak with auction professionals on hand and ask them all the questions you have.
  • Inspect pieces before purchase — Check if you can inspect an item you want up close (e.g. they can provide other photos or schedule an onsite inspection). If the auctioneer cannot offer this, it’s usually wise to pass on that item.
  • Review credentials — When it comes to diamonds and other gemstones, always inquire about the credentials of the certifier. Everything you’re told and shown should be absolutely clear to you. Move on if an auctioneer seems to be ignoring your queries.
  • Hope for the best — Keep calm, be patient, and stay positive. If the unique piece you’re looking for seems to elude you, it may turn up one day in one of OzBid’s online jewellery auctions in Australia.

By keeping these tips in mind, you can make bidding at an online jewellery auction can be a fruitful, pleasant experience.