CHICAGO, IL.- An audience eager for antique jewels helped make the September Fine Jewelry and Timepieces auction a resounding success, realizing over $3 million. Fine jade jewelry, in particular, was in high demand from an international group of collectors. A pair of platinum, sapphire, diamond and carved jade pendant earrings sold for $10,980, quadrupling the pre-sale high estimate, while a fine “glassy” jade bead strand sold for $12,200. According to jewelry specialist Alexander Eblen, “Demand from the Asian market for fine quality was evident in the strong prices realized for jade jewelry.” Important diamonds were the high point of the sale, indicative of the current market’s desire for fine quality and large size. A vintage Van Cleef & Arpels platinum ring containing an excellent 7.00 carat emerald cut diamond and two triangular brilliant cut side diamonds outperformed its pre-sale estimate bringing $244,000.