Salvador Dalí “Swirling Sea Necklace” Achieves €736,600 at Sotheby’s Paris

Conceived by surrealist artist Salvador Dalí in the mid-1950s and executed in 1963 by New York jeweller Alemany & Co., the Swirling Sea Necklace — a marine-inspired creation of 18-carat gold set with sapphire and emerald beads, pearls, and diamonds — was sold at Sotheby’s Paris during the “Surrealism and Its Legacy” auction.

Photography © Sotheby’s

On October 24, 2025, collectors gathered at Sotheby’s Paris for the auction house’s “Surrealism and Its Legacy” sale — an event presented in collaboration with CELINE, celebrating the continuing influence of surrealism in art and design. The auction was led by Aurélie Vandevoorde, Head of Sotheby’s Jewelry Department in France, and featured a remarkable selection of works including pieces from The Schlumberger Collection, surrealist-inspired paintings, and artist-designed jewels.

Among the highlights, the Swirling Sea Necklace, conceived by Salvador Dalí in the mid-1950s and executed in 1963 by the New York jeweller Alemany & Co., drew intense international bidding before achieving €736,600 — more than double its low estimate.

Crafted in 18-carat gold and set with sapphire and emerald beads, pearls, and diamonds, the necklace evokes the motion of the ocean through flowing, sculptural forms. Its dynamic composition reflects Dalí’s fascination with metamorphosis and nature’s rhythm — transforming surrealist imagination into wearable art.

Part of Dalí’s rare series of jewels conceived during the 1950s, the piece captures the artist’s ability to merge fine art, design, and craftsmanship. The Swirling Sea Necklace embodies a key moment in 20th-century jewelry history when creativity from the art world began to redefine the language of high jewelry.

The sale underscored the rising demand for artist-designed jewels that transcend adornment, functioning instead as sculptural expressions of artistic vision. Through works like this, Salvador Dalí’s surrealist legacy continues to ripple across the worlds of fine art and haute joaillerie.

Quick Facts

Artist: Salvador Dalí (1904 – 1989)

Jewelers: Alemany & Co., New York

Design period: mid-1950s

Execution year: 1963

Materials: 18-carat gold, sapphire and emerald beads, pearls, diamonds

Sale: “Surrealism and Its Legacy”, Sotheby’s Paris

Presented by: CELINE

Auctioneer: Aurélie Vandevoorde

Date: October 24, 2025

Result: €736,600

Discover more about the Swirling Sea Necklace at Sotheby’s official catalogue here.