Phillips celebrates a decade of excellence with spectacular ‘Tropical Oasis’ evening
Phillips reached a new pinnacle on September 26 with its “Tropical Oasis” evening at the Island Shangri-La in Hong Kong- its largest jewels-focused event in the city to date and a celebration of a decade of remarkable growth in Asia. The exclusive gathering brought together collectors, connoisseurs and industry experts for an evening that epitomised the knowledge and expertise at the heart of Phillips’ vision. “The ‘Tropical Oasis’ evening marked a defining moment for our jewels department,” said Benoît Repellin, worldwide head of jewellery at Phillips. “Not only as our largest event in Hong Kong to date dedicated to jewels, but also as a celebration of a decade of excellence in Asia. We were delighted to welcome our esteemed guests to an evening that embodied glamour, innovation and artistry at the heart of our vision.”
Anne Wang-Liu (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Antonia Li (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
LA Consing Lopez and Jo Black (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Benoît Repellin and Loletta Lai (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
The evening offered guests an exclusive preview of highlights from Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong Jewels Auction, featuring an extraordinary array of pieces that blends exquisite craftsmanship with modern allure. Key lots from the Hong Kong Jewels Auction included a Colombian no oil emerald and diamond bracelet, totalling 16.09 carats, with an estimate of US$ 410,000–513,000 (HK$ 3,200,000–4,000,000); as well as a 20.09-carat unheated Burmese sapphire and diamond ring by Cartier. Other exceptional signed jewellery included a 5.10-carat emerald-cut diamond ring by Harry Winston, a Van Cleef & Arpels panther brooch circa 1980, and a Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co. DiamondBracelet, ‘Hands’, among other creations by reputed houses like Piaget and Cindy Chao. Exquisite jadeite jewellery such as a lavender jadeite bead, ruby and diamond demi-parure also captivated guests.The showcase also featured several exceptional lots from the Geneva auction, headlined by a superb Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink diamond weighing 6.95 carats with VVS2 clarity and Type IIa classification, carrying an estimate of US$ 9,000,000-14,000,000. An important Kashmir sapphire and diamond ring, featuring an unheated step-cut sapphire of 18.09 carats, commanded attention with its US$ 2,200,000-2,800,000 estimate. Among the standout presentations were selections from the Vanderbilt Family Jewels Collection, including The Vanderbilt Sapphire by Tiffany & Co. and a Cartier diamond brooch circa 1908.
Antonia Da Cruz (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Alia Amer, Tania Mohan, Audrey Puckett (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Michelle Miller Erb and Janice Chan-Choy (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Robbie Du and Niki Wong (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Loletta Lai and Amanda Cheung (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Angie Ting (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Shalene Wadhwani, Lumen Kinoshita and Rina Wadhwani (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Angie Ng (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Lorraine Cowman (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Elaine Lu, Christy Liang and Ann Chan Lu (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Bonita Cheung (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Eleanor Chan and Carmen Choi (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Nicole Yeung (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Antonia Da Cruz, Yvonne Fong and Leticia Bishop (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Dervla Musgrave (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Sandra Paradies and Georgia del Rosario (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Phillips Auction’s Tropical Oasis high jewellery soirée (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Perhaps most intriguingly, the event highlighted a very fine Light Pink Brown diamond weighing 10.08 carats from the historic Golconda mines. The timing proved particularly relevant given recent attention on old-cut diamonds, sparked by high-profile celebrity engagements.
The celebration comes at a moment of exceptional growth for Phillips’ Jewels category. Building on last season’s Hong Kong auction, which saw a remarkable 55 percent year-on-year increase in total sales, the department has garnered increasing recognition from industry reports highlighting its performance and expanding presence in the Hong Kong market. “As we look ahead to our marquee auction, featuring a dazzling array of treasures that reflect both our curatorial rigour and the evolving tastes of collectors across generations, this event sets the tone for an exciting new chapter.” Repellin adds.
An exclusive preview showcased stunning highlights from Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong Jewels Auction (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
Tropical Oasis celebrates the elegance of fine jewellery by merging historic treasures with contemporary designs (Photo: Courtesy of Phillips Auction)
The Tropical Oasis evening served as more than just a preview—it represented Phillips’ commitment to elevating the conversation around fine jewellery in Asia and beyond. The carefully curated selection of pieces, from historic Vanderbilt treasures to contemporary marvels, demonstrated the auction house’s ability to bridge generations of collecting tastes whilst maintaining the highest standards of curatorial excellence.
As Phillips continues to build on their decade of success in Asia, events like Tropical Oasis underscore their position at the forefront of the international jewellery market, combining scholarly expertise with an intuitive understanding of what captivates today’s most discerning collectors. The upcoming Hong Kong and Geneva auctions promise to build on this momentum, offering collectors worldwide the opportunity to acquire pieces that represent the pinnacle of jewellery artistry and historical significance.