NEW HAMBURG.- An 18kt gold ring claw-set with a 4.25-carat solitaire diamond graded VS1 for clarity and K-L for color sold for $33,040 and a superb men’s Patek Philippe 5110P “World Time” platinum wristwatch brought $29,500 at a Watches & Jewelry Auction held November 23rd by Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd., online and in the firm’s gallery.

The men’s Patek Philippe 5110P “World Time” platinum wristwatch featured a deployant clasp, Guilloche center dial, skeleton caseback and marked 33 jewel movement. It came in the original mahogany presentation box with inlaid brass Calatrava lid. The 18kt gold ring claw-set with a 4.25-carat solitaire diamond exhibited good-medium cut and came with a certificate of appraisal.

The sale – 335 lots in all – boasted luxury watches by famous makers like Omega, Rolex, Patek Philippe, Piaget, Omega, Tag Heuer and others, plus an exquisite selection of equally luxurious jewelry items, by names such as Cartier, Sabbadini and Birks, plus Art Deco and period jewels. Many of the jewelry items featured high-quality golds, diamonds, tanzanite and colored stones.

“Clearly the market for more antique pieces is hot right now,” said Roberta Bielak, a Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. jewelry specialist and Fellow of the Canadian Gemological Association.

Justin Miller of Miller & Miller added, “The market demand for both vintage and contemporary luxury watches by brands like Patek Philippe, Rolex and Omega continues to strengthen with no signs of slowing anytime soon. We observed many younger hands in the air when watches came up for bid. Young gentlemen didn’t hesitate to spend $2,000 to $3,000 on a vintage timepiece.”

Or more. In addition to the Patek Philippe watch, other top performers included the following:

• An Omega 18kt gold Grand Luxe Constellation men’s wristwatch, all original, stamped and trademarked on the outer lug and inner clasp, weighing 122.38 grams gross ($5,842).

• A Tag Heuer “6000” 18kt gold men’s wristwatch, with the original presentation box (somewhat deteriorated), guarantee papers and certificate, 208.73 grams gross ($4,612).

• An Omega Flightmaster stainless steel men’s wristwatch, made circa 1971 ($4,305).

Not to be outdone, ladies’ watches also performed brilliantly. A few top achievers included:

• A Patek Philippe 18kt white gold and diamond ladies’ Calatrava wristwatch, with bezel and lugs set with 62 well-matched VS quality diamonds of about 0.1 ct. each ($9,225).

• A Piaget ladies’ 18kt gold diamond ladies’ wristwatch having a bezel set with 21 round brilliant cut diamonds of VS quality and a presentation engraving to caseback ($7,380).

• A Rolex 18kt gold Datejust ladies’ wristwatch that bidders fought over despite some band stretching between the links and loss of detail on the bezel and clasp ($5,228).

Following are additional highlights from the auction, which grossed $297,253, including the buyer’s premium. Close to 100 people attended the auction live, while over 600 others registered to bid via LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and www.millerandmillerauctions.com (which saw 338 total bidders). All prices quoted include buyer’s premium and are in Canadian dollars.

An 18kt white gold ring containing one 2.38-carat emerald cut center stone with VVS2 clarity and H color, surrounded by 30 high-quality baguettes and round brilliant cut diamonds, brought $8,610; an 18kt gold ballerina-style ring with a square-shaped modified antique cushion cut, 12.39-carat violetish-blue tanzanite surrounded by 32 tapered baguette cut diamonds of 3.10 carats total weight, realized $3,382; and a 14kt gold emerald cut diamond ring with a 1.82-carat center stone and baguettes weighing an estimated 2.14 carats total, changed hands for $6,150.

An 18kt gold diamond choker necklace, marked “.750” on the clasp, 16 inches long and weighing 109.94 grams gross, went to a determined bidder for $4,305; while a Sabbadini 18kt gold diamond necklace and earrings set, marked “Sabbadini .750 Made in Italy – Accia 10 FORO” on the inner clasp, the necklace approximately 15 inches in length, garnered $3,998.

An 18kt gold necklace with a pear-shaped, 1.25-carat diamond, plus a smaller, .055-carat round brilliant cut diamond and 197 round brilliant cut diamonds totaling 12.06 carats, earned $3,998; and a pair of 18kt gold earrings with two cushion-cut and faceted matched tanzanites having a total weight of 12.23 carats, each one surrounded by baguette cut diamonds, finished at $2,768.

Miller & Miller’s next big auction, also online and in the gallery, is coming up quick: it will be an Advertising & Nostalgia auction featuring the collection of John McKenty – the Canadian historian and author whose collection tells the story of the rise and fall of the Canada Cycle & Motor Company of Canada. This important auction will be held on Saturday, December 7th.

Also, an Art, Antiques & Canadiana auction featuring the collection of the late Don Pero, a quiet but passionate collector of old school primitives, from pottery to furniture to folk art, will be held on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020. For years Mr. Pero was a patron of the renowned dealer Ron O’Hara. He absorbed some of Canada’s rarest historic objects and now they will be sold without reserve.