Christie's Magnificent Jewels Hits $49.7M; India Pulls Ahead in Asian Art Market; CPI up 4.2%

June 10: Christie's Magnificent Jewels Hits $49.7M; India Pulls Ahead in Asian Art Market; CPI up 4.2%A $49.7M white-glove jewels sale at Christie's, two upcoming lots worth watching, a hard data read on Asia's splintering art market, and where the luxury names and metals opened this morning.In this episode:Jewelry — Auction Results- Christie's Magnificent Jewels, New York: $49.7M total, 100% sold by lot, 149% of the low estimate, led by a stone called The Azure Blue- Buyers: 58% Americas, 21% Asia-Pacific, 21% EuropeComing to the Block- 1985 Lamborghini Countach (1 of 300 of the most powerful version): RM Sotheby's, August, est. ~$1.1M- Christie's announces the Collection of the Hon. Patrick and Lady Amabel Lindsay: 6 specialist sales, June–October; first group (5 Old Master paintings + 2 Italian illuminations) on June 30Art Market — Asia Data Dive (Artnet)- Asia's fine-art auction market: $2.2B in 2025, down from a $5.4B peak in 2021- Average hammer price fell from $81,000 to $36,000; lot volume steady at ~61,000 works/year (a repricing, not a retreat)- India strongest of the 5 core markets: median hammer ~$11,000, 89% sell-through (region's highest); Mumbai house AstaGuru grew revenue 138% and opened a London outpost- Measured against 2016 prices: China −37% (held back by its property downturn), Japan −50%; South Korea climbed 26% above 2016 by 2021, then fell 88% the next yearHigh Jewellery- Chanel names Marie-Laure Cérède (ex-Cartier and Harry Winston) to lead its jewellery designMarkets- May CPI: US consumer prices +4.2% year-on-year; core inflation (excludes food and energy) came in below forecasts- Luxury stocks at today's open (vs Tuesday's close): LVMH (MC) 496 EUR +0.8%, Kering (KER) 257 EUR +0.9%, Hermès (RMS) 1,674 EUR +0.5%, Richemont (CFR) 168.25 CHF +0.3%, Watches of Switzerland (WOSG) 715p +3%, Burberry (BRBY) 1,124p +1%, Ferrari (RACE) $354 −1.1%, Signet (SIG) $86 −0.4%- Metals at the open: gold ~$4,276/oz, +0.4% vs Tuesday's close; silver ~$65, roughly flatCollectibles — Quick Hits- Elijah Craig 21-Year-Old Single Barrel bourbon returns, first release of that age statement in over a decade- Porsche unveils 3 one-off 911s inspired by Toy Story 5, to be sold for charityAlso Noted- The Economist: a bidding war for Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the world's oldest bankWeek Ahead- Bonhams London Fine Watches + Christie's first London sale of South Asian modern & contemporary art in 7 years — June 11- Christie's Important Watches, New York + Christie's Paris Hermès handbag sale (online, through June 24) + Sotheby's Gem Drop — June 12- Bonhams sells ~100 cars from the National Automobile Museum, Reno — June 13Links:- ALT/FNDATA: https://www.altfndata.com- Christie's Magnificent Jewels: https://press.christies.com/magnificent-jewels-totals-497-million/- Lamborghini Countach (RM Sotheby's): https://robbreport.com/motors/cars/1985-lamborghini-countach-rm-sothebys-auction-1238322103/- Christie's Lindsay Collection: https://press.christies.com/the-collection-of-the-hon-patrick-and-lady-amabel-lindsay/- Artnet Asia data dive: https://news.artnet.com/market/data-dive-asian-art-market-2779226- Chanel jewellery design: https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/luxury/chanel-taps-cartier-veteran-to-lead-next-era-of-jewellery-design/- Monte dei Paschi (The Economist): https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/06/08/a-bidding-war-erupts-for-the-worlds-oldest-bank- Elijah Craig 21-Year bourbon: https://robbreport.com/food-drink/spirits/elijah-craig-21-year-old-single-barrel-bourbon-1238317726/- Porsche one-off 911s: https://robbreport.com/motors/cars/porsche-911-toy-story-trio-1238317880/- Gandona Estate, Napa: https://robbreport.com/shelter/homes-for-sale/gandona-estate-napa-valley-california-1238317754/- May CPI (WSJ): https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-cpi-inflation-06-10-2026Also from ALT/FNDATA:- Closing Price — Mon/Wed/Fri at 5 PM ET- Luxury Spending — Wednesdays