Dubai Pearl Exchange Tender Nets Sales of $1M

Dubai Pearl Exchange Tender Nets Sales of $1M The Dubai Pearl Exchange held its first pearl tender in February, and reported that the sale generated more than $1 million. The invitation-only event attracted 40 companies. Highlights of the sale included an exceptionally rare drop-pair of Paspaley Pearls' natural pearls, which were purchased by Swiss Pearls of Switzerland, and a set of cherry-colored Robert Wan Tahitian pearls, strand and earrings, bought by Shafiian Gem.

Rapaport TradeWire 3/27/2009
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Historic Diamond Sells for $24.3 Million in Auction

The Wittelsbach Diamond was fetched last month for a record price at auction in London by famous diamond retailer Laurence Graff.
In spite of a global economic slump, the 35.6 carat, 17th century diamond sold on Dec. 10 for $24.3 million at King Street, Christie's reported. This is the most any jewel has ever fetched at auction. The record was previously held by a 100 - carat diamond sold in 1995 in Geneva. This record-breaking price tag equates to an average per-carat price of $683,667.
Spain's King Philip IV bought the Wittelsbach diamond in 1664 and included it in dowry for his teenage daughter. Her husband, Leopold I of Austria, passed the gem along through the generations. It earned its official name almost 80 years later in 1722, when Leopold's granddaughter wed Charles of Bavaria- a memeber of the Wittelsbach bloodline. The Wittelsbach Diamond was offered for auction in 1931, but didn't sell.
The Wittelsbach Diamond's color and clarity have been linked to the Hope Diamond. Graff bid against several Russian professionals for the cushion-shaped gem, notably Aleks Paul of Essex Global Trading in New York. The price was almost double the diamond's pre-sale estimate.

Source: Diamond District News, January 2009

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Christie's NY Auction

---Christie's NY Sale Garners $16M, 84% Sold by LotChristie’s latest New York jewelry auction generated $16.62 million insales, with 84 percent of the items sold by lot and 83 percent byvalue. The highlight of the sale was a pair of pear-shaped D-colorflawless Forevermark 17.01- and 17.79-carat stones, which sold for$3.55 million, or $102,000 per carat, to an unnamed private buyer.

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source: Rapaport Trade Wire
12/19/08

Kwiat Opens First Boutique

Kwiat celebrated the opening of its first store with a party at the location at 725 Madison Ave. The 1,000 square foot store opens on the 100th anniversary of the formation of family-owned business.

Source: Diamond District News
September 2008

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---Cartier Opens in Seoul

Cartier opened its first store in the fashionable Cheongdam-dongdistrict in southern Seoul. French architect David-Pierre Jalicondesigned the boutique that was inspired by the Korean wrapping clothor bojagi. Cartier decided the timing was right to open in Seoul asthe luxury market is growing rapidly in the South Korean capital.


Source: Rapaport TradeWire
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Bulgari Opens in Paris

Bulgari opened a new store in Paris at the corner of Avenue George Vand Rue Francois 1er. The luxury retailer's CEO Francesco Trapanicalled Paris a lucrative market not just because of the Frenchclientele, but also the hordes of tourists and the presence of majorflagship boutiques.

Source: Rapaport TradeWire
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4 Carat Diamond Found

---Visitor Finds 4ct+ Diamond at Crater of Diamonds State ParkOne visitor to Arkansas' Crater of Diamonds State Park found arectangular shaped 4.42 carat rough diamond, but it was even moreremarkable that he dug-up the gemstone only 30 minutes after hissearch began. According to park officials though, the lucky guy,Dennis Tyrrell of nearby Murfreesboro, searches for diamonds on aregular basis at the park. This new find was Tyrrell's largest diamondto date.

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