Rapaport Weekly Broadcast

Sotheby's Magnificent Jewels sale, which was held on April 20 in New York, generated $34,662,338, sold 84 percent by lot and featured a number of rare diamonds. which you can view in this video.

Highlights from the sale include a fancy vivid yellow necklace of 100.17 total carat weight that sold for $3,554,500; a beautiful, 7.67-carat, fancy intense pinkish orange diamond ring that sold for $3,106,500, a panther-themed wristwatch, an 8.66-carat ruby and more.

Preview the centerpieces from Christie's Jewels: The New York Sale held on April 22 -- the Catherine the Great emerald brooch and the Emperor Maximilian diamond ring -- and be sure to check diamonds.net on April 23 for the results of this auction.

Sotheby's Geneva to Auction 52.82-Ct.

Diamond Sotheby’s Geneva will hold its spring 2010 sale of Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels at the Beau-Rivage Hotel on May 11, 2010. At the heart of this sale will be an emerald-cut diamond weighing 52.82 carats, as well as a pear-shaped, fancy vivid blue diamond weighing 5.02 carats, both of which are set as rings.

The extremely rare 52.82-carat diamond was determined to be a type IIa, D, flawless with excellent polish and symmetry by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Sotheby's estimated that the ring would fetch over $7 million.

The 5.02-carat blue diamond is set in the form of a toi et moi ring (pictured), which was designed and created by Alexandre Reza. The blue stone is mounted alongside an exceptional 5.42-carat diamond with the same shape. Its estimated sale price ranges from $4 million to $7 million.

Source: Rapaport TradeWire Apr. 16, 2010

Christie's 39-carat 'Star' shoots off at $5.4M

The pear-shaped, D color "Evening Star" diamond weighs in at 39 carats and is from India's ancient Golconda mines. An anonymous buyer paid $5.4 million for the stone at Christie's on Thursday.

New York--A 39-carat, D color diamond from India's famed Golconda mines called the "Evening Star" fetched $5.4 million at Christie's, the latest in a line of remarkable diamonds to dazzle at auction. According to a press release from the auction house, an anonymous buyer snapped up the stone, paying $138,000 per carat for the diamond dubbed the "Evening Star" because its previous owner liked to wear it out at night.

It was part of Christie's "Magnificent Jewels from a Distinguished Private Collector" sale, held Thursday in New York.The sale of the "Evening Star" comes on the heels of the record-setting $10.8 million sale of "The Vivid Pink" diamond Dec. 1 in Hong Kong and the $7.7 million sale of the 32.01-carat D-flawless Annenberg Diamond in October."The diamond market continues to show remarkable strength despite the volatility of the financial world," Rahul Kadakia, head of jewelry at Christie's New York, said in the release. "Just two weeks after a very strong sale of jewels at Christie's Hong Kong--where a 5-carat pink diamond went for $10.8 million--the exceptional Evening Star Golconda diamond of 39 carats sold at Christie's New York for $5.4 million.

It was a fitting grand finale to a year that saw over $100 million in jewels change hands under our gavels in the U.S." The combined total for Christie's "New York Jewels" and the "Magnificent Jewels" sales was $25.18 million, with 85 percent of the goods sold by lot and 97 percent sold by value, according to the release.Other notable lots include a modified rectangular-cut fancy intense blue VS1 diamond of 7.02 carats, which went for $3.89 million to an anonymous buyer, and a 36.78-carat, D color internally flawless diamond, purchased by a member of the U.S. trade for $3.39 million.

In addition, a pair of D-VVS pear-shaped diamonds of 10.21 and 10.51 carats garnered nearly $2.1 million, while a modified cushion-cut fancy intense yellow diamond of 40.92 carats was auctioned off for $1.11 million.

Source: National Jeweler

Bubblegum-colored diamond pops records

December 02, 2009

The $10.78 million sale of "The Vivid Pink," a 5-carat cushion-cut fancy vivid-pink diamond, broke two records in the auction world: price paid for a pink diamond and per-carat price paid for any diamond at auction.


Hong Kong--A dazzling, 5-carat pink diamond dubbed "The Vivid Pink"--the largest pink diamond ever offered at auction--sold for $10.78 million at Christie's Hong Kong on Tuesday, setting a new world-record price for a pink diamond sold at auction.A private Asian buyer snapped up the cushion-cut, potentially flawless, Type IIa fancy vivid stone, paying $2.1 million per carat, a new per-carat record price for a diamond sold at auction, according to a news release from Christie's.

"The Vivid Pink was the glittering star of Christie's Hong Kong, where record prices were achieved across all categories throughout the week," Vickie Sek, director of the Jewellery and Jadeite Department at Christie's Asia, said in the release. "$2.1 million per carat is by far the highest price per carat achieved for any diamond worldwide and, at $10.8 million, The Vivid Pink is the most expensive jewel sold at auction in 2009.

The saleroom showed immense depth at all levels, with sensational results realized all through the day. Eight out of the ten most expensive jewels were acquired by discerning Asian private collectors, confirming once again Hong Kong's position as a major market for the finest gemstones."Overall, Christie's fall 2009 Magnificent Jewels sale in Hong Kong garnered $48 million, with 89 percent sold by lot and 92 percent sold by value.According to the release, other sales included a 16.09-carat circular-cut diamond with D color and flawless clarity, purchased by a private Asian buyer for $2.9 million.

A cushion-shaped Kashmir sapphire of 16.65 carats sold for $2.4 million, or $144,000 per carat, setting a new world-record price per carat for a sapphire sold at auction.A European private buyer paid $1.6 million for an 11-carat pear-shaped diamond pendant.A private Asian buyer paid $1.53 million for a 9.03-carat fancy vivid-yellow diamond with an oval shape and VVS1 clarity, while a 3.02-carat fancy intense-blue diamond with a rectangular cut and VSI clarity, garnered $1.16 million.

Source: National Jeweler

'Bonhams to auction five-pound 'Princess' pearl'

Jewelry Auctions
'Bonhams to auction five-pound 'Princess' pearl';

Bonhams to auction five-pound 'Princess' pearl

November 25, 2009

The "Palawan Princess," a five-pound, 11,339-carat blister pearl found off the coast of the Philippines, valued at between $300,000 and $400,000 will be for sale at Bonhams and Butterfields' Dec. 6 auction.


Los Angeles--Bonhams and Butterfields will auction off what is believed to be the world's second-largest documented pearl, a five-pound gem found off the coast of the Philippines that has been dubbed the "Palawan Princess."The natural non-nacreous pearl was found in saltwater near the Philippines' Palawan island and "bears an uncanny resemblance to a human brain," the auction house said.

Both rare and immense, the gem is thought to be surpassed in size only by the 14-pound "Pearl of Allah," an approximately 14-pound, 31,893.5-carat pearl that, like the Palawan Princess, was the product of the giant clam shell Tridacna gigas and was also found off the coastal waters of the Philippines.The approximately 11,339-carat Palawan Princess is a blister pearl measuring six inches in diameter and accompanied by the lower half of its original giant clam shell, which shows the point of attachment where the pearl formed.

The pearl, which will be on the auction block at Bonhams and Butterfields' Dec. 6 holiday auction of Natural History in Los Angeles, is valued at $300,000 and $400,000. "This is an once-in-a-lifetime look at one of nature's most unique treasures," said Mitch Jacubovic, director of EGL USA, one of the labs that was asked to examine the pearl, in a media release. "A pearl this size is not only one of the largest ones we've ever seen, it is among the largest pearls ever seen anywhere

'Vivid Pink' up for sale at Christie's

'Vivid Pink' up for sale at Christie's

Christie's Fall Sale of Magnificent Jewels, to be held in Hong Kong on Dec. 1, will feature "The Vivid Pink," a 5-carat fancy vivid-pink diamond with potentially flawless clarity set in a ring by Graff. It is estimated to fetch between $5 million and $7 million.


Hong Kong--Christie's annual Fall Sale of Magnificent Jewels will feature more than 250 gemstones and pieces of jewelry valued in excess of $33 million.Taking place on Dec. 1 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, the sale will be a showcase of important diamonds, fine colored gemstones, top jadeite jewels and signed creations from the likes of Bulgari, Cartier, Graff, Van Cleef and Arpels and Wallace Chan.The sale will also include four magnificent jewels from an esteemed private collection, including "The Vivid Pink," a 5-carat fancy vivid-pink diamond with potentially flawless clarity set in a ring by Graff. It is estimated to fetch between $5 million and $7 million.

The collection also includes a second ring set by Graff, this one featuring a 9.03-carat oval-shaped fancy vivid-yellow diamond with VVS1 clarity, estimated between $900,000 and $1.2 million.The remaining two items from the private collection, a 16.65-carat cushion-shaped Kashmir sapphire ring by Van Cleef and Arpels, and "The Cartier Diamond Love Cuff," a custom, one-of-a-kind creation studded with high-quality diamonds, are estimated between $700,000 and $1 million, and $250,000 to $350,000, respectively.Additional diamonds from the Magnificent Jewels sale include an unmounted, 16.99-carat brilliant-cut Type IIa diamond with D color and flawless clarity ($2.2 million-$3.2 million), as well as an 11-carat pear-shaped Type IIa diamond with D color and flawless clarity set into a pendant necklace ($800,000-$1.2 million).

Aside from The Vivid Pink, fans of colored diamonds will find a rare, rectangular-cut fancy intense-blue diamond weighing in at 3.02 carats ($940,000-$1.28 million), a 0.84-carat rectangular-shaped fancy red diamond ($250,000-$375,000), and a pair of 8.52-carat and 8.39-carat pear-shaped fancy yellow internally flawless diamond ear pendants ($400,000-$600,000).In terms of colored gemstones, auction highlights include a 25.04-carat pear-shaped Burmese sapphire and diamond pendant necklace ($600,000-$800,000), an emerald and diamond necklace from Bulgari ($80,000-$120,000) and a ruby and diamond Art Deco bracelet by Cartier ($625,000-$1 million).

Christie's said in a media release that natural pearls and jadeite are among additional strong draws for collectors in Asia. The Magnificent Jewels sale will feature a pair of diamond and natural-pearl ear pendants from Chaumet ($230,000-$350,000), a multicolored, graduated natural-pearl necklace ($150,000-$230,000) and a rare pair of natural-pearl and diamond ear clips from Cartier ($160,000-$230,000).The standouts among the jadeite pieces are a carved jadeite Guanyin, estimated between $1 million and $1.5 million, and a carved jadeite figure of Metteyya Buddha, commonly referred to as the "Laughing Buddha," estimated between $750,000 and $1 million.

Source: National Jeweler: November 05, 2009

Scientists hail queen conch's cultured pearls

Scientists hail queen conch's cultured pearlsNovember 09, 2009

Conch pearls have a porcelain finish and luster like the interior of the conch shell and come in a wide variety and combination of colors, including white, red, pink, orange, yellow and brown.


Boca Raton, Fla.--Scientists from Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute have announced the development of the first-ever technique to produce beaded (nucleated) and non-beaded cultured pearls from the queen conch.Scientists at the university say their novel and proprietary seeding techniques have successfully coaxed conch pearls from the queen conch--pearls that would be extremely rare if they occurred naturally. Ordinarily, it takes opening about 10,000 queen conch to find one conch pearl, and only one in 100 of those rare finds would be of gem quality, according to a press release from the university."Prior to this breakthrough, no high-quality queen conch pearl had been cultured," the release, issued on Nov. 4, said. "This discovery opens up a unique opportunity to introduce a new gem to the industry.

This significant accomplishment is comparable to that of the Japanese in the 1920s when they commercially applied the original pearl-culture techniques developed for pearl oysters."For more than 25 years, all attempts at culturing pearls from the queen conch--also known as Strombus gigas and found in the shallow sea grass beds of Florida, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean Islands and the northern coasts of Central and South America--have been unsuccessful. With less than two years of research and experimentation on the queen conch, however, Hector Acosta-Salmon and Megan Davis, co-inventors of the process, were able to produce more than 200 cultured pearls using the techniques they developed.

The Boca Raton, Fla.-based researchers have been working with the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to conduct extensive laboratory testing of the queen conch cultured pearls. In its independent analysis, the GIA used techniques that included conventional gemological examination, chemical composition, spectroscopy, spectrometry and microscopy, and thus far, gemologists are giving the cultured conch pearls a thumbs up. "This is a significant development for the pearl industry, and we were very excited to have the opportunity to closely examine these unique conch cultured pearls in our laboratory," Tom Moses, senior vice president of GIA Laboratory and Research, said in the release. "Several of the pearls we examined are truly top-quality gems."The lab is using its equipment and expertise to compile identification criteria that would separate queen conch cultured pearls from their natural counterparts, he added.

The oceanographic institute and the GIA plan to jointly publish the results of these trials in an upcoming issue of the GIA's scientific journal, Gems and Gemology. Scientists believe that previous efforts to culture queen conch pearls were likely unsuccessful for two reasons: the animal's sensitivity to traditional pearl seeding techniques and its complex, spiral-shaped shell, which makes it virtually impossible to reach the gonad, one of the pearl-forming portions in pearl oysters, without endangering the animal's life. "Perhaps the most significant outcome from our research is that the technique we have developed does not require sacrificing the conch in the process," Davis said in the release.

"The 100 percent survival rate of queen conch after seeding and the fact that it will produce another pearl after the first pearl is harvested will make this culturing process more efficient and environmentally sustainable for commercial application."Survival of the animal is critical because commercial fishing has depleted the once-abundant wild populations of queen conch, and they are now considered a commercially threatened species in Florida and throughout the Caribbean, according to the release.

There are basically two types of cultured pearls: nucleated (beaded) and non-nucleated (non-beaded). Nucleated cultured pearls are produced by inserting a piece of mantle tissue from a donor mollusk and a nucleus, usually a spherical piece of shell, into the body of a recipient mollusk. Non-nucleated pearls are produced by grafting only a piece or pieces of mantle tissue, and no bead is inserted.

The researchers used two different seeding techniques to induce pearl formation in the queen conch. One was a modification of the conventional technique used to produce cultured pearls in freshwater mussels, and the other was a modification of the conventional technique used in marine pearl oysters.Conch pearls are formed by concentric layers of fibrous crystals, which create a "flame structure" characteristic of conch pearls.

The pearls have a porcelain finish and luster like the interior of the conch shell, and come in a wide variety and combination of colors including white, red, pink, orange, yellow and brown. Queen conch pearls are measured in carats like traditional gemstones.The size of the cultured pearls produced by Acosta-Salmon and Davis is controlled by the size of the bead and the culture time. The researchers have experimented with culture times from six months to two years; longer culture times might produce larger pearls.

The queen conch is farmed in aquaculture tanks, and the queen conch cultured pearls in the initial harvest were grown in an aquaculture facility at the university. Queen conch achieve their full size at about three years and have a life span of up to 40 years.

Source: National Jeweler: November 09, 2009
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