The Bulgari "Trombino" ring with a rare pink diamond of over 3 carats is the absolute top lot in the history of Aste Bolaffi and the second highest price ever achieved by a jewel at auction in Italy. It was sold for the extraordinary figure of €2.26 million (including fees) at the auction held in Turin on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, after fierce competition among potential buyers connected by phone from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, several Middle Eastern countries, and Hong Kong.
«Seventeen phone connections from all around the world from the far east to the west, an immediate bid from €400,000 to €1,000,000, then countless offers from €25,000 to €50,000 – tells Matteo Armandi, head of the “Passion” division at Aste Bolaffi, who auctioned the record-breaking jewel – The result is a satisfaction for the whole auction house but also the awareness of having done the maximum for the success of the lot».
The ring was a family heirloom, passed down from grandmother to young granddaughter. The set stone had been mistakenly thought to be a common rose quartz, but the keen eye of experts at the Turin auction house revealed its true nature as one of the rarest diamonds in the world. The meeting of Bulgari’s legendary goldsmithing and the magnificence of one of the world’s most precious and coveted stones made it an icon of international collecting, an unrepeatable and unique piece.
The Bulgari "Trombino" ring dates to the early seventies. Crafted in platinum, it contains a precious rectangular step-cut pink diamond of 3.18 carats. The GIA certificate attests it is a Natural Fancy Intense Pink, VS2, Type IIa. In other words, a gem of timeless allure—among the most sought-after and desired worldwide.
The ring is further adorned with 64 round brilliant-cut and baguette diamonds, totaling 1.93 carats.
2025 is a record-breaking year for Aste Bolaffi. The Bulgari "Trombino" ring has surpassed the previous record set by the art-work Nature Morte (Contraste de formes) by French artist Fernand Léger, which returned to the market in May after 60 years and sold for €2.15 million.
«Rare objects lead to important results and certainly help the group grow — says Armandi — but I believe that the teamwork of all departments is the real driving force that helps improve the auction house».
On the third step of the podium for the most important results in Aste Bolaffi’s history is Alighiero Boetti’s tapestry “Senza titolo (Segno e disegno)” from 1978. The work, one of the artist’s very first, was auctioned in November 2024 for €800,000.
Lot | Department | Auction date | Sale price |
---|---|---|---|
"Trombino" Bulgari ring | Jewels | October 2025 | € 2.260.000 |
Nature Morte (Contraste de formes), by Fernand Léger | Modern and Contemporary Art | May 2025 | € 2.150.000 |
Senza titolo (Segno e disegno), by Alighiero Boetti | Modern and Contemporary Art | October 2024 | € 800.000 |
Natural diamond “Very light pink” | Jewels | September 2016 | € 755.000 |
Alfa Romeo 8C Pandion 2010 | Classic Cars | May 2018 | € 575.000 |
Somma di arithmetica, geometria, proporzioni e proporzionalità, byLuca Pacioli | Rare Books and Autographs | December 2014 | € 528.000 |
Tolomeo Cosmographia, Ulma, Lienhart Holle, 1482 | Rare Books and Autographs | June 2021 | € 495.000 |
Ferrari Dino 246 GT Berlinetta from 1972 | Classic Cars | May 2019 | € 380.000 |
Leopardo con serpente, by Antonio Ligabue | Modern and Contemporary Art | May 2022 | € 344.750 |
Blue sapphires and diamonds ring | Jewels | April 2024 | € 356.360 |