< Historic Diamonds / Auctions
What Makes Christie’s Jewelry Head Claibourne Poindexter Sweat
Claibourne Poindexter shares his best advice, style icons, and biggest jewelry thrills.
Claibourne Poindexter in the bidding booth during a Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction. (Courtesy of Christie’s)
When Claibourne Poindexter read about Ellen Barkin and Princess Margaret’s jewelry sales at Christie’s, he knew he wanted a career in jewelry. He was 15. The Greensboro, North Carolina, native followed his dreams to the top. Last year, he was named head of Christie’s jewelry department in the Americas, a role that perfectly suits someone who still admits to getting sweaty palms when a truly great jewel lands on his desk.
His passion for beautiful things was shaped early by his grandparents, auction buyers of everything from furniture to art and jewels, and his antique-dealer mother. Early on, he learned to trust his eye and instincts. He has strong opinions (mid-century, jet-set jewels, yes; best jewelry style, Babe Paley).
Meet the Author
- Jill Newman is a jewelry authority, editor, and storyteller with over 25 years of experience, having reported from diamond mines in Africa, cutting workshops in India and Belgium, and ateliers around the world.
- She serves as Editor-at-Large for the Natural Diamond Council, with additional bylines in The New York Times, Town & Country, Elle Décor, and Robb Report.
Here, he talks about the pieces that stop him in his tracks, his personal collection, and why auctions are the best places to uncover unique jewels and deals.
Claibourne Poindexter’s Most Memorable Career Moment
Only Natural Diamonds: Most memorable career moment?
Claibourne Poindexter: Going to Anne Eisenhower’s safe-deposit box, sitting in a little dark room, when she pulled out a curiously shaped Mark Cross leather case stamped with the initials MD. Inside was Marlene Dietrich’s Van Cleef & Arpels ruby and diamond bracelet. It was a real “pinch-me” moment. (It sold for $4.5 million in 2023).
I have a visceral reaction to jewelry sometimes. My colleagues poke fun at me because if something really speaks to me, my palms will start to sweat, and I’ll shake a little. I remember holding that bracelet and thinking, this is a dream come true. Nothing has ever been made like it since.
Achieving the Career He’s Always Dreamed Of
OND: What sparked your interest in jewelry?
Claibourne Poindexter: When I was 15, Christie’s held Princess Margaret and Ellen Barkin’s jewelry sales the same year in 2006, and I was completely enraptured by them. I thought the jewels were the coolest things I’d ever seen, and from that point forward, I started buying old auction catalogs, reading and studying them. I learned about the wonderful jewelry that came up for sale and the people who owned the jewels.
A few years later, I read a great article in Town & Country about Rahul Kadakia (Christie’s International Head of Jewelry and recently named President of Christie’s Asia), about his path coming up in the business, and that stoked the fire.
OND: Could you have imagined that one day you’d be working for Rahul at Christie’s?
Claibourne Poindexter: I mean, that was always the dream.
OND: First job in the business?
Claibourne Poindexter: During college, I worked at an auction house part-time, cataloging jewelry, and learned a lot. After college, I had a moment when I thought I wanted to be a jewelry designer. I worked for Nicholas Varney for a couple of years, and it was an amazing experience.
OND: How did you get to Christie’s?
Claibourne Poindexter: I met with Rahul, but there wasn’t a job available at the time. And at the end of the conversation, he said, “If I give you a tray of jewelry, can you give me auction estimates?” And I did. He later called and created a position for me, and I started as a junior specialist in September of 2015.
Who Are Claibourne Poindexter’s Jewelry Icons?
OND: Whose jewelry style do you most admire?
Claibourne Poindexter: There are so many great examples. One is obviously Babe Paley. She was such an icon and knew how to wear jewelry. She had a great Harry Winston riviere diamond necklace, for example, that she wrapped around her wrist twice as a bracelet. I also grew up admiring Anne Bass, who was the epitome of elegance and not overdoing it.
Today, I look towards women like Lauren Santo Domingo. She has such a great sense of self and way of mixing things up, whether it’s costume, antique jewelry, or diamonds.
OND: What part of the job is most exciting?
Claibourne Poindexter: Hunting for the jewelry is so much fun. I am a big treasure hunter and have always been a bit of a magpie. Also, I really love it when a client walks in, sees a piece of jewelry, and has a visceral reaction. Finding a new buyer, and especially younger, passionate collectors, is exciting. I love building the next generation of collectors.
OND: How are you making the auction house more inviting?
Claibourne Poindexter: Some people find auctions intimidating. We’re really working to change that narrative. Online sales are a wonderful way to dip your toe into the auction market without the intimidating factor of standing in the auction room, knowing when to raise your paddle, or being on the phone with a specialist and having to make a fast decision. Clients are realizing that you can buy something really incredible at auction, a jewel that you’re not going to see on anyone else at a party.
The Most Useful Hot Tips From the Head of Christie’s Jewelry
OND: What’s the upside of buying jewelry at auction?
Claibourne Poindexter: You can find something unique, and there are many options. You may want a Cartier Art Deco diamond bracelet. And yes, there are places where you can buy one, but we might have three or four examples. A specialist can explain why one is good and the other is even better. We source things privately from our network of international collectors that will never see the light of day, and we have access to things that other people simply can’t get for you.
OND: The most common advice you give clients?
Claibourne Poindexter: Buy what you love, and you will almost always come out on top, whether that means you’ll wear it for the rest of your life and never tire of it, or 20 years down the line, you may sell it for a profit. But a profit isn’t necessarily guaranteed. And buy the best that you can afford.
OND: What types of diamonds are most desirable?
Claibourne Poindexter: We’ve seen a real uptick in people wanting diamonds that are unique. We had an amazing pear-shaped diamond, an antique stone that had originally belonged to Margaret Thompson Biddle, who was married to Anthony Drexel Biddle, and she was an incredible collector. She had this fabulous pear-shaped diamond, nearly 12 carats, D color. Stones like that just blow past their estimate because you may have two private collectors who want something no one else will ever have, which drives the price (the estimate was $400,000-$600,000, and it sold for just over $1 million).
Another example was a cushion-cut 9.67-carat, unbelievably vivid orangey–yellow diamond that sold in Paris last year. The color was so unreal, and the cut was so charming. (It sold for $2.5 million, more than six times the high estimate). The truth is, if a client asks me to find this stone again, we couldn’t find it.
OND: Best diamond opportunities at auction?
Claibourne Poindexter: If you are looking for a modern diamond in the two-to-five-carat range, an auction is the way to go. You can acquire them for a fraction of what they would cost at a big retailer. The auction house is sort of the great balance. When you go to sell something, you’ll get more than you would get from a dealer buying it, and when you’re buying something, you also will pay less than you would ever pay in a store.
OND: Most in-demand jewelry?
Claibourne Poindexter: Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Tiffany’s are always very, very popular. Wonderful designers such as David Webb and Verdura are also always tremendously popular. Contemporary masters such as JAR, Hemmerle, Taffin, and Bhagat are in demand because everything is one-of-a-kind. I think these designers bring a unique perspective to what they design and what they make.
OND: How do client relationships evolve?
Claibourne Poindexter: I have very dear friends who started out as clients. They came in looking for an engagement ring. They were considering a 13-carat emerald-cut diamond and a 15-carat brown–yellow flat oval diamond. When they asked for my advice, I was very honest and pointed out that the oval is flat and doesn’t have a ton of life, but it’s charming and unique, and it seemed to like their personality. They ultimately bought the oval and have since purchased incredible jewels with me, ranging from great Art Deco pieces to JAR.
When a client is so loyal that they ask your opinion on anything and everything they buy jewelry-wise, whether it’s Christies or not, that’s when you know you are a trusted confidante.
Claibourne Poindexter’s Personal Jewelry Collection & Diamond Dreams
OND: Your dream piece?
Claibourne Poindexter: There are always certain pieces that I’m chasing, which will remain nameless, because I know where they are, and I want to get them someday.
OND: Are you a collector?
Claibourne Poindexter: I love buying jewelry. I buy jewels for my mom. I collect brooches and cufflinks because I can wear them. I have an Oscar Heyman brooch, a constellation of gemstones that I really, really love. I bought that at auction when I was probably 18 years old. I love mid-century design, the sort of jet set, post-war jewelry, like a 1950s diamond-heavy piece.
OND: What else do you collect?
Claibourne Poindexter: I like everything, which is kind of a problem. I love collecting objects because I can put them on my desk and enjoy them. I have a little pill box, a great antique Russian cigarette case, and a wonderful little gold Verdura photo album with portraits of every member of the Whitney family. I love nice art. I’m fortunate that I have some family things that I really love. Unfortunately, my apartment is so small that I had to store some things, but someday I hope they’ll all come out of storage.
OND: If not working in auctions, what would you do?
