BOSTON, Mass. — Fine jewelry continues to sell strong as evidenced by Skinner, Inc.’s March 12 event. The sale, which featured everything from diamonds to pearls, recorded a final total of $2,532,640 – a half-million more than the high estimate.

An Edwardian, carved agate and enamel Cartier, Paris pendulette was the top selling lot at $174,000, destroying its pre-sale estimate of $70,000. A pendulette is a small table clock with a fast-moving pendulum.

Though not a piece of jewelry; per se, the timepiece had a rotating ball dial with Roman numeral indicators sporting rose-cut diamond stars to indicate the time. This sat atop a grouping of the Three Wise Monkeys, two having rose-cut diamonds for eyes. This all sat on a cylindrical guilloche enamel base.

The signed “Cartier” piece was 6 1/4 inches high. Purchased at Cartier, Paris by Mrs. Charles B. Alexander, the piece descended to her daughter, Mary Alexander Whitehouse, and then to her daughter, the consignor.

From the ornate to the simple, a natural pearl necklace composed of 62 pearls graduating in sizes from approximately 5 mm to 8 1/2 mm sold for $120,000 – three times its high estimate. A platinum, gray natural pearl and diamond pendant also did well when it brought $78,000. Set with two fancy-cut diamonds, having old European and single-cut diamond accents, suspending a gray natural pearl, the necklace was 15 1/2 inches long.

A platinum and diamond brooch designed to have flexible swags set with old European, square and single-cut diamonds, suspended from a pave-set diamond top set with a transitional-cut diamond went to $51,500. By Cartier, Paris, the brooch’s total diamond weight was 25 carats.

Another brooch, a platinum, emerald intaglio (depicting a family crest), sapphire and diamond example came in at $50,400, while a platinum and diamond solitaire, prong-set with an Assher-type diamond, 6.04 carats, flanked by tapered baguette-cut diamonds, a size 6 1/2, sold for $49,200.

A bid of $36,000 was needed to win a colored diamond and diamond pendant set with an old European-cut colored diamond weighing a little more than 7 carats, old European-cut diamond accents, all in a gold mount.

Art Deco enamel, diamond, and gem-set lorgnette, Boucheron, Paris, with polychrome enamel flowers sold for $27,600. Centering a cabochon turquoise with old mine- and rose-cut diamond accents, the piece had a platinum and 18K white gold mount. Suspended from a black cord with a conforming slide, the lorgnette measured 2 5/8 inches long.

Earrings also were represented at this Skinner event. Selling for $26,400 was a pair of platinum, South Sea pearl, and diamond ear clips by David Webb. Each was set with a pearl measuring approximately 16 mm by 14 mm and pavé-set with full-cut diamond melee. Each ear clip was 1 1/2 inches long and signed.

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