It was a year defined by pinks and blues, and record-breaking diamonds, at one of the world’s most prolific jewellery auction houses, Christie’s.

The hammer crashed down on $492.3 million (£389.7m) of jewellery sales during 2018 at its auction rooms across the globe in London, New York, Geneva and Hong Kong. Highlights of the year included the jewellery auction of The Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller, the sale of The Winston Pink Legacy diamond and a Fancy Vivid Blue Diamond ring by Bulgari.

Blue diamonds and pink diamonds were prevalent amongst the top-selling jewels of the year, as well some exceptional blue sapphires. Christie’s broke a number of world auction jewellery records in 2018, including the highest price paid per carat – $2.6 million (£2m) – for The Winston Pink Legacy 18.96ct diamond, and the highest price ever paid at auction for a Kashmir sapphire necklace when The Peacock necklace sold for $14.9 million (£11.7m).

Online-only jewellery auctions became ever more important in 2018, generating $7.8 million (£6.1m) throughout the year and offering up a broader spectrum of price points for jewellery auctions. Live auctions, which also accept bids made via the internet as well as the phone, continue to be the main breadwinner, however, bringing in $484.5 million (£383.5m) in jewellery sales in 2018.

“We are delighted to announce that Christie’s maintains its position as the jewellery market leader for the 25th consecutive year,” says Christie’s international head of jewellery Rahul Kadakia. “As we move into 2019, our global team of jewellery specialists look forward to bringing to market the very best jewels for our clients.”

And here is the countdown of the top 10 most expensive jewels sold at auction at Christie’s in 2018.

NUMBER TEN

A ring set with a 3.09ct rectangular-cut fancy intense blue diamond

Price: $5,375,000 (£4.2m)

Sold: Christie’s New York in April 2018

NUMBER NINE

A ring set with a 20.49ct rectangular-cut fancy vivid yellow diamond

Price: $5,487,500 (£4.3m)

Sold: Christie’s Geneva in May 2018

NUMBER EIGHT

A ring set with an 8.52ct rectangular-cut fancy intense purplish-pink diamond

Price: $6,275,000 (£4.9m)

Sold: Christie’s Geneva in May 2018

NUMBER SEVEN

Harry Winston ring set with a 50.47ct cushion-cut D-colour diamond

Price: $6,500,000 (£5.1m)

Sold: Christie’s Geneva in May 2018

NUMBER SIX

A Burmese ruby and diamond ring of 10.04cts

Price: $7,233,626 (£5.7m)

Sold: Christie’s Hong Kong in November 2018

NUMBER FIVE

A necklace set with a 15.56ct heart-shaped fancy intense pink diamond

Price: $9,537,500 (£7.5m)

Sold: Christie’s New York in December 2018

NUMBER FOUR

The Peacock Necklace, a Kashmir sapphire and diamond necklace of 109.08cts

Price: $14,959,869 (£11.8m)

Sold: Christie’s Hong Kong in November 2018

Record breaker: World auction record price for a Kashmir sapphire necklace

NUMBER THREE

Bulgari ring set with an 8.08ct cushion-cut fancy vivid blue diamond

Price: $18,312,500 (£14.4m)

Sold: Christie’s New York in December 2018

NUMBER TWO  

Moussaieff necklace set with 8.01ct pear-shaped fancy vivid blue internally flawless diamond

Price: $20,470,000 (£16.2m)

Sold: Christie’s Hong Kong in May 2018

NUMBER ONE

The Winston Pink Legacy, an 18.96ct rectangular-cut fancy vivid pink diamond

Price:$50,375,000 (£39.8m)

Sold:Christie’s Geneva in November 2018

Record breaker: World auction record price per carat for a pink diamond