John Weldon: ‘Don’t buy her a diamond ring without her express input’

Looking for a Christmas gift for that special someone in your life?

In advance of his sale on December 12th, John Weldon has a few pointers for men who may be thinking of a jewellery gift for their wives.

“Don’t buy her a diamond ring without her express input – unless it’s an engagement ring. Chances are it won’t fit, it might not match what she has already, or she just won’t like it,” he says.

Instead, he advises to play it safe and buy a bracelet, earrings or pendant. He has a few offerings in the sale to suit, including a diamond set line necklace (€3,000-€4,000) and a diamond line bracelet, which has a valuation certificate for €7,000 from 2020 (€2,000-€3,000).

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If you’re thinking of popping the question, he advises: “Keeping it simple like a solitaire with no fuss or frills. While fashions change, a classic solitaire ring lasts.”

He has a couple in the sale to suit all budgets, along with a canteen of French silver crested cutlery – just in time for Christmas – with settings for 12 people, cased in a fitted box which reads M & J Hamilton, The Silver Vaults, London (€1,000-€2,000).

Sparkler solitaires

More engagement rings feature in O’Reilly’s sale on December 13th with two standout sparkler solitaires. Top of the bill is a 3.08ct stone on a band with diamond shoulders (lot 338, €42,000-€48,000), while lot 350 is a vintage diamond (2.31ct) mounted in platinum (€23,000-€25,000).

Along with a good selection of tennis/line bracelets and necklaces, is a yellow sapphire (6.50ct) and diamond (4.70ct) bracelet (€7,500-€8,500). There’s a great selection of emeralds and sapphires, and for gentlemen, lot 363 (€4,100 to €4,500) is an Omega Planet Ocean stainless steel wristwatch with a blue face. Boxed, the time piece has 007 in place of the 7th hour on the dial, as it is from the Omega Bond family of watches.

Hermès silk scarves

With 250 lots, Adam’s Jewellery Box online sale, closing December 17th, has a great selection of vintage and contemporary jewellery, along with watches, silk squares and other accessories.

Brooches are aplenty, including a diamond and ruby spray designed as a bouquet (lot 10, €500-€600). A silver mesh bib necklace by Elsa Peretti for Tiffany is listed at €400-€600, while a sapphire and diamond bracelet with seven carats of diamonds is listed at €5,000-€7,000. The sale also has leather Must de Cartier goods and Hermès silk scarves without reserves – estimates are about €300 each. dolansart.com, jwa.ie, oreillysfineart.com, hegartyantiques.com, fonsiemealy.ie and adams.ie

Rare whiskey

Currently open online and ending this Monday, Niall Dolan’s sale has a selection of paintings, Irish rare whiskeys along with wine and collectables.

Highlights from the Galway auction house include more than 80 bottles of Midleton Whiskey – mostly rare and very rare. Lot 7 is a collection of ten bottles from 2015 to 2023, estimated at €7,000 to €9,000, of which Dolan says there is interest as far afield as Sydney and San Francisco.

Cecil Maguire tops the Irish art selection, with Some Sheep for Inishlacken (€3,000-€5,000). Other artists include Arthur Maderson, Charles Harper, Gerald Davis and Susan Cronin.

First editions

Also on December 12th is Hegarty’s of Bandon live online sale of antiques, jewellery, collectables and art to include the contents of Clother House in Kinsale.

Lot 2 is a rare first edition paperback issue of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, which was the very first book in the series. One of 5,150 copies in wrappers, with a misprint on the back cover, this first edition, first impression paperback, published on June 26th 1997, has a starting bid of €3,000.

Incidentally, the highest record for a copy of this book was from the first run of 500 in hardback, that achieved $471,000 in December 2021 through Heritage Auctions in Dallas – making it the most expensive book on the boy wizard and the most expensive commercially printed fictional book of the 20th century.

Rare books

This Tuesday and Wednesday, Fonsie Mealy will hold its Rare Books, Literature and Memorabilia sale. Taking place at its auction rooms in Castlecomer, the sale of 1,100 lots has a diverse range of items on offer.

Highlights include lot 785, Incunabula: O’Fihily (Maurice), Duns Scotus Joannes, which the catalogue describes as a “landmark in Irish bibliography”. Dating from 1497, it is further described as “the first edition of the first book by the first Irish author to write for a printing press rather than the scriptorium” (€8,000-€12,000).

Should you fancy a lock of Oscar Wilde’s hair, look no further than lot 690 (€6,000-€8,000). It has a most interesting provenance, as it was presented to Irish actor Micheál Mac Liammóir after the first London performance in 1960 of The Importance of Being Oscar, by Oscar Wilde’s son Vyvyan Holland, and comes with the script, and publicity photographs.