A Salvador Dalí-designed necklace, the Swirling Sea Necklace, sold for €736,600 ($858,500) at Sotheby's 'Surrealism and Its Legacy' auction on October 24, doubling its pre-sale estimate. The 18-karat gold piece, inlaid with diamonds, a cultured pearl, and sapphire and emerald beads, was conceived by Dalí in 1954 and first owned by São Schlumberger, a frequent patron of the artist. The necklace had previously sold at Sotheby's in 2014 for $665,000 to Anne Schlumberger, who died in April, prompting its return to auction.
The sale was part of a landmark auction series at Sotheby's that achieved a combined €89.7 million ($104 million), the highest-ever totals in France for Surrealist and modern art auctions. The result underscores the enduring market strength of Surrealist works and the crossover appeal of artist-designed jewelry, while also highlighting the role of provenance and notable collectors in driving value. The Schlumberger collection's history adds a layer of art-world prestige that amplifies the piece's significance beyond its material worth.