Thursday, 31 October 2024

Fancy Yellow Diamond Earrings Sell for $8m

A pair of fancy vivid orange-yellow diamond earrings sold for almost $8m at Christie's Hong Kong.

A pair of fancy vivid orange-yellow diamond earrings sold for almost $8m at Christie’s Hong Kong.

They were the lead item in the Magnificent Jewels sale that raised just over $60m on 29 October.

The Oriental Sunrise earrings feature a pair of Type 1b oval mixed-cut diamonds – 12.20 carats (VVS2) and 11.96 carats (VS1) – surrounded by white shield and tapered baguette-cut diamonds, set in platinum and gold. The pre-sale estimate for the earrings was $6.4m to $10.3m.

Among other highlights was a necklace of 26 oval-shaped rubies (5.38 carat to 1.27 carat), some of them listed as “pigeon blood red” – with white pear and marquise-shaped diamonds, that sold for $6.4m.

A Cartier ring, set with a Type IIa 12.60-carat D-color, IF clarity round-cornered rectangular brilliant-cut Goloconda diamond, sold for $1.4m. The high estimate was $1.1m.

Source: IDEX

Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Record Gold Prices Hit Chow Tai Fook Sales

Chow Tai Fook (CTF), the jewelry chain with 7,500 stores across mainland China, posted a 21 per cent plunge in retail sales value (RSV) in the three months to 30 September, as gold prices hit an all-time high.

Chow Tai Fook (CTF), the jewelry chain with 7,500 stores across mainland China, posted a 21 per cent plunge in retail sales value (RSV) in the three months to 30 September, as gold prices hit an all-time high.

The Hong Kong-based company warned that interim profits for the half year to September could fall by 42 to 46 per cent.

Gold prices have broken multiple records in recent months and currently stand at just over $2,700 an ounce.

Central banks, particularly China’s, have been aggressively buying gold to diversify their reserves and reduce reliance on US dollars, thereby forcing the price up.

Before the gold surge CTF reported a record high revenue (up 18.5 per cent) and core operating profits for the year to 1 March (FY 2024).

Core operating profit for the year surged almost 29 per cent to US$1.58bn (HKD 12.2bn) with the company saying business had been boosted by post-Covid improvements in mobility and retail activity, especially tourism from mainland China to Hong Kong and Macau, which saw retail sales values rise by 32 per cent and 53 per cent respectively.

But in its latest quarterly update, CTF says: “Macro-economic externalities, particularly record gold prices, continued to weigh on consumer sentiment, a phenomenon observed across the industry”.

Same store sales across its franchised stores on mainland China fell by 24 per cent, and by 31 per cent at its outlets in Hong Kong and Macau.

Source: DCLA

Tuesday, 29 October 2024

Gem Diamonds Reports Revenue Surge

Gem Diamonds shows a 212.91 carat stone recovered in September.

Gem Diamonds says revenue for the three months to 30 September (Q3 2024) was $42.7m, a year-on-year rise of 36 per cent.

The company has seen above-average recoveries of +100-cts diamonds (13 so far this year compared to an historic average of eight) and other high-value diamonds from its Letseng mine, in Lesotho.

The highest price achieved during the quarter was $45,537 per carat for a 10.98 carat pink diamond.

The UK-based miner sold 26,617 carats, down 11 per cent year-on-year, but saw average per carat prices increase 18 per cent to $1,603.

Six diamonds sold for over $1m during the quarter, contributing $22.6m, and five +100-cts were recovered.

Letseng – 70 per cent owned by Gem and 30 per cent by the Lesotho government – is the highest dollar per carat kimberlite diamond mine in the world.

Total YTD 2024 sales are $120.5m, compared to $103m at the same point last year.

Source: DCLA

Monday, 28 October 2024

De Beers Diamond Production Down by a Quarter

De Beers’ diamond production fell by 25 per cent during the quarter ending 30 September, and could fall even further.

Parent company Anglo American said output for Q3 was 5.6m carats, compared to 7.3m for the same period last year. It reduced production because of challenging market conditions and warned that it would “continue to assess the options to reduce production going forward”.

Anglo also provided an update on plans to sell or demerge its platinum and steelmaking coal assets as part of its “accelerated portfolio simplification” to focus on copper and other more profitable parts of its business, but make no mention of De Beers.

The UK-based company announced in May that it would be seeking a new owner for De Beers, following a bid by mining rival BHP to buy out Anglo.

Duncan Wanblad, chief executive of Anglo American, said: “As previously announced, we reduced rough diamond production from De Beers in response to market conditions.

“The diamond market remains challenging as the midstream continues to hold higher than normal levels of inventory and the expectation remains for a protracted recovery.”

So far this year De Beers has produced 18.9m carats, a 21 per cent drop on YTD 2023.

Source: IDEX

Revenue Slump as Petra Defers Sales

Cullinan Diamond Mine

Petra reported a revenue slump for Q1 2025 after deferring the sale of almost all its South African goods because of persistent weak demand.

The UK-based miner said its only revenue for the quarter ending 30 September was $8.5m for an 18.85-carat blue diamond recovered at Cullinan Mine, South Africa, and $14m for goods from its Williamson mine, in Tanzania.

Total revenue for the quarter, including profit share arrangements, was $23m, down 77 per cent compared to Q1 FY 2024 and 80 per cent compared to Q4 2024.

Petra said its combined tenders 1 and 2, which took place this month, after the end of Q1, brought in $76m.

Average per carat prices were up 13 per cent to $113, compared to the last tender it held, in June. But like-for-like prices were down 9 per cent. Higher prices were due to a better product mix. The company said it had withdrawn 88,000 carats (worth around $3m) of brown goods because of poor demand.

“Our combined first and second tenders indicate continued weakness in the rough diamond market, more than offset by Petra’s product mix,” said CEO Richard Duffy in the Q1 FY 2025 operating update and final sales results for Tenders 1 and 2 FY 2025.

He said Petra was further reviewing cash generation opportunities in the face of ongoing market weakness and a stronger rand.

“We remain committed to our target of net cash generation for the full year in FY 2025,” he said.

“We continue to expect prices to show some improvement in CY 2025, with market fundamentals being supportive in the medium-to-longer term.”

Source: DCLA

Sunday, 27 October 2024

De Beers to Disclose Diamonds' Country of Origin

 De Beers to Disclose Diamonds’ Country of Origin

De Beers says it will, for the first time, disclose the country of its diamonds’ origins – Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, or Canada.

The move is designed to meet growing consumer demand for ethical sourcing and transparency, together with a desire to understand the journey of their particular diamond.

De Beers currently sells its rough output to sightholders in aggregated boxes marked only as DTC (Diamond Trading Company) without indicating the country in which they were mined.

It says it will initially provide data on the country of origin for all diamonds over 1.25 carats that are newly registered on its Tracr traceability platform, and over 1.0 carats from January 2025.

De Beers says advanced algorithmic matching enabled by artificial intelligence now allows it to digitally “disaggregate” diamonds to confirm their specific country of origin.

“For the first time in history, we have the technology to provide our customers with the provenance of their diamonds at scale,” said Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group.

“We know that our clients care deeply about sustainability and want to understand the good their diamonds have done. Our ambition is to offer them the story of every De Beers-sourced diamond, tracing its journey and positive impact from its origin to its crafting.”

Source: DCLA

Wednesday, 23 October 2024

UK miner Vast Resources appears to have finally secured the release of a parcel

UK miner Vast Resources appears to have finally secured the release of a parcel

The UK miner Vast Resources appears to have finally secured the release of a parcel of 129,400 carats of rough diamonds that have been held at Zimbabwe’s central bank since 2009.

“The Attorney-General’s Office has approved the terms of a settlement agreement relating to the historic claim and has recommended this to the relevant governmental institution for signature in order to resolve this longstanding matter,” it said in a corporate update on 10 October.

“Accordingly, the fully executed settlement agreement is currently awaited to enable the company to complete the process of recovery.”
It did, however, caution that settlement of the long and complex legal wrangle over the diamonds had yet to be signed.

“Shareholders will be advised of further developments,” it said, “but shareholders are also reminded that whilst the board remains confident, there can be no guarantee of a successful outcome.”

The diamonds were “surrendered as evidence that the mining firm had exploited diamonds on claims previously owned by De Beers,” according to the business weekly Zimbabwe Independent.

De Beers left the Marange diamond fields in 2006, claiming it had failed to find viable reserves, after a decade of exploration.

Vast Resources (then known as African Consolidated Resources) subsequently discovered massive alluvial diamond deposits there, which prompted the Zimbabwe government to revoke its mining licenses within months, and evict it.

Source: DCLA

Tuesday, 22 October 2024

Diamond miners results spark optimism for market recovery

Lucapa Diamond and Petra Diamonds provided a glimmer of hope for the precious gemstones market

Lucapa Diamond and Petra Diamonds provided a glimmer of hope for the precious gemstones market on Tuesday by posting stronger revenues and production figures, signalling a potential recovery in the depressed diamond market.

Australia’s Lucapa achieved third-quarter revenue of $16.9 million, an 86% year-on-year increase, driven mainly by the sale of high-quality diamonds, averaging $3,033 per carat.

This growth was also attributed to the company’s access to higher-grade mining blocks, a result of strategic river diversions aimed at mitigating the impact of flooding at the Lulo operation in Angola.

Nick Selby, Lucapa’s managing director, expressed optimism about the future, especially with the access gained to the higher-grade Lazaria gravel, historically known for producing large, high-value diamonds.

“We are aiming for a strong finish to the year,” Selby said, noting that the company sold a 176-carat diamond for $3 million, further boosting results.

Africa-focused Petra Diamonds also reported promising figures, with production rising by 7% to 679,625 carats for the quarter ended September 30. The increase was driven by higher grades at the company’s flagship Cullinan mine in South Africa and its Williamson mine in Tanzania.

Petra’s chief executive officer, Richard Duffy, attributed this growth to “solid performances” from these mines, despite weaker market conditions.

To counteract the softness in the rough diamond market, Petra deferred in August the sale of a significant portion of its South African diamonds. Its combined first and second tenders, however, indicated a 13% increase in overall average prices, thanks to an improved product mix, which included a standout 18.85-carat blue diamond from Cullinan that fetched $8.5 million.

Despite ongoing challenges in the global diamond market, both Lucapa and Petra’s results reflect resilience and strategic adjustments, injecting cautious optimism into a sector eager for recovery.

As both companies continue to leverage high-value diamonds and strategic planning, industry observers remain hopeful for sustained market improvements heading into the end of the year holidays, which tend to help boost diamond sales.

Source: DCLA

Monday, 21 October 2024

LVMH Watch and Jewelry Revenue Down 5%

LVMH saw revenue from its watch and jewelry division slip by 5 per cent during the first nine months of 2024 to $8.2bn.

LVMH saw revenue from its watch and jewelry division slip by 5 per cent during the first nine months of 2024 to $8.2bn.

Across all its 75 maisons the French luxury conglomerate reported a 2 per cent dip for the same period, to $66.1bn.

LVMH said it had shown “good resilience” and that it remained confident in an uncertain economic and geopolitical environment

It said it would “maintain a strategy focused on continuously enhancing the desirability of its brands, drawing on the authenticity and quality of its products, excellence in distribution and agile organization.”

LVMH’s eight watch and jewlery brands – Bvlgari, Chaumet, Fred, Hublot, Repossi, Tag Heuer, Tiffany & Co and Zenith – generated a total of $11.8bn in 2023. The company does not provide a brand-by-brand earnings breakdown.

It said the third quarter decline in revenue across all LVMH brands was largely due to a stronger yen and lower growth in Japan.

Source: DCLA

Sunday, 20 October 2024

Russia’s finance ministry considering new diamond purchases from Alrosa in 2025

Russia's Finance Ministry is considering new purchases of rough diamonds from Alrosa for the State

Russia’s Finance Ministry is considering new purchases of rough diamonds from Alrosa for the State Precious Metals and Gemstones Repository (Gokhran) in 2025, Deputy Finance Minister Alexei Moiseyev told reporters on the sidelines of the Moscow Financial Forum.

“We are considering this possibility,” Moiseyev said in response to possibly resuming purchases. “In order to allow Alrosa the opportunity to be calm and not feel obliged to sell on the market in order to maintain its liquidity position. Because the market looks alarming.”

The government could use budgetary allocations for precious metals and stones to purchase rough diamonds. The purchase limit is planned at 51.5 billion rubles for next year, Moiseyev said.

It became known in March that Alrosa and the Finance Ministry had concluded an agreement to buy out part of the raw materials produced in 2024 and completed a transaction for the first consignment of rough diamonds. There have been no reports since then regarding Alrosa purchasing diamonds from Gokhran.

“There are no plans for this year, though we are considering the possibility for next year,” Moiseyev said. “In general, this is all confidential, so we may not announce it.”

Wednesday, 16 October 2024

Call for Clear Lab Grown Labels in India

The Indian government is facing calls to adopt US guidelines to distinguish lab growns from natural diamonds.

Lab grown Diamonds

The Indian government is facing calls to adopt US guidelines to distinguish lab growns from natural diamonds.

The 10,000-member GJEPC (Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council) says there is widespread confusion in the way diamonds are marketed and advertised.

It says India should adopt the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines, which say there must be a “clear and conspicuous” indicating that a diamond is man-made.

They also say the term “diamond” without qualification can only be used to refer to a natural, mined diamond.

And lab growns cannot be described as “real,” “genuine,” “natural,” or “precious” without additional qualifying language.

The GJEPC has written to India’s Department of Consumer Affairs calling for strict rules to differentiate between natural and lab grown.

“The absence of standardised guidelines on diamond terminology leads to ambiguity,” it says.

“And there are no mandatory disclosure requirements to indicate whether a diamond is lab-grown or natural to the consumer.”

Source: DCLA

Tuesday, 15 October 2024

Rio Tinto buys back famed Argyle pink and red diamonds for latest tender due to dwindling stockpile

Rio Tinto buys back famed Argyle pink and red diamonds

A select few with deep pockets are rolling into Perth to snap up the latest collection of Argyle diamonds, as unsold inventory of the ultra-rare gems whittles down to a “teaspoon”.

A top secret location in the CBD this week will host prospective buyers from Australia and overseas vying for 76 polished pink, red, and other coloured diamonds — predominantly unearthed at Rio Tinto’s shuttered Argyle mine in the east Kimberley region.

Argyle operated for 37 years up until 2020, and about 95 per cent of the world’s circulation of pink and red diamonds can be traced back to the mine.

Each carat of an Argyle pink or red can easily fetch a multi-million-dollar sum. Earlier this year a 1.56ct Argyle red sold for $US4.3 million ($6.4m) in Geneva, equating to $US2.7m a carat. One of the pinks in the latest collection weighs 2.63ct.

But not all of the famed gems sold are destined for an extravagant jewellery piece, with many opting to keep their purchase locked away in a vault as an investment.

“We have seen double digit price growth year on year for the past 20 years . . . and we seeing demand continue unabated for these stones,” Rio Tinto diamond sales and business development manager Michelle Sherring told The West Australian.

“The constrained supply means the value of pink diamonds has eclipsed any kind of comparable equity indices, like the Dow Jones and Hang Seng et cetera, over the years.”

Since mining ceased at Argyle Rio has touted each of its annual tenders for the diamonds as being one of the last.

“We now have a mere teaspoon (of unsold Argyle pinks and reds) remaining within our own inventory,” Ms Sherring said.

Stockpiles are now so low that for the first time ever the collection includes diamonds Rio has bought back from customers.

“Including the secondary market is a new concept for this year, we have very strong relationships with our long running customers,” Ms Sheering said.

“So I approached a handful of them at the beginning of the year in terms of the concept and we have over these years understood where some of the important diamonds sit and which safes they might be held in.

“It was a process of curation, and ultimately, what we have is a set of seven round diamonds which represent the real pinnacle of rarity.”

Of the 76 stones in the latest collection, 74 are from Argyle — the pink, red and blue diamonds — while the remaining two are a yellow and white diamond sourced from Rio’s Daivik mine in Canada.

Rio is displaying the collection — comprising 48 separate lots and weighing a combined 39.44 carats — on an invite-only basis in Perth, London, Singapore and Belgium. Bids for the tender will close on November 18.

Murray Rayner, who was previously the chief geologist for Argyle Diamonds, last year told The West that the existence of Argyle’s pink diamonds was due to a “fluke of nature” that will be extremely difficult to replicate.

Mr Rayner said the pink diamonds emerged around 1.8 billion years ago when the Kimberley collided into Australia, bringing pink diamonds closer to the Earth’s surface.

These pink diamonds were originally created at one point three billion years ago when our planet’s once-connected continents began to rip apart, with the intense pressure from this event causing the pink colouration in the diamonds.

“To find another deposit would be an extraordinarily rare event in its own right, we’ve looked over the last few decades without any success,” he said.

Source: DCLA

Monday, 14 October 2024

Lab Grown Companies Move to Near-Empty Surat Bourse

The near-empty Surat Diamond Bourse (SDB) is hoping the arrival of around 40 lab grown traders will signal a change in its fortunes.

The near-empty Surat Diamond Bourse (SDB) is hoping the arrival of around 40 lab grown traders will signal a change in its fortunes.

The vast new center, recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest office building in existence, was officially opened last December by India’s prime minister Narendra Modi .

It has a capacity of 4,500 offices, but remains virtually empty.

The bourse has, according to local media reports, now reached an agreement with the Lab Grown Diamond Association (LGDA) to relocate around 40 lab grown companies from elsewhere in Surat.

Mahesh Gadhvi, CEO at SDB, said recently that 250 offices were currently occupied (that’s less than 6 per cent of the total).

“Steadily we are progressing towards opening more offices and starting more businesses from SDB,” he told the business news channel CNBC.

Source: DCLA

Sunday, 13 October 2024

De Beers Group Managed Operations

Beers Group Managed Operations

The global supply of natural diamonds has already peaked, according to Moses Madondo, CEO of De Beers Group Managed Operations. Speaking at the Joburg Indaba, a major mining and resources conference in South Africa, he explained that production is on the decline, with several mine closures on the horizon and no significant new discoveries in sight.

Madondo highlighted that this limited supply could push diamond prices higher. “Since the turn of the century, we’ve only seen one major commercial discovery, the Luele mine in Angola, where we aim to start production by the 2030s. But on a broader scale, global diamond production is set to decline,” he said. This trend, while concerning from a supply perspective, offers the potential for price growth.

In the short term, Madondo expects production to dip, but he anticipates a recovery after 2025, driven by the Luele mine ramping up and South Africa’s Venetia mine shifting to underground operations. However, the looming closure of Canada’s Diavik mine in 2026 and the shutdown of several mines in Russia will further tighten supply.

Thursday, 10 October 2024

5 carat Blue Diamond with $10m US Estimate

5 carat Blue Diamond with $10m US Estimate

A stunning platinum ring featuring a 5.02 carat blue diamond is set to headline Christie’s Hong Kong auction later this month, with an estimated value of up to US $10.3 million (HKD 80 million).

The centerpiece is an internally flawless, fancy deep blue marquise brilliant-cut diamond, graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

Dating back to 1923, the ring is listed in the auction catalog as “property of a lady,” though further details about the owner remain undisclosed.

This exquisite piece will lead the highly anticipated 124-lot Magnificent Jewels live sale on October 29, alongside a pair of diamond “Oriental Sunrise” earrings.

These earrings showcase two fancy vivid orange yellow diamonds (12.20 carats and 11.96 carats) and share the same US $10.3 million (HKD 80 million) high estimate.

Source: DCLA

Wednesday, 9 October 2024

First Dedicated Rolex Store in China

China is to get its first dedicated Rolex store.

Shenyang,Liaoning,China

China is to get its first dedicated Rolex store.

The luxury Swiss watchmaker will sell direct to consumers at the HKRI Taikoo Hui mall, in Shanghai, according to Chinese media reports.

The store will be operated by Bucherer, the long-established watch retailer that was wholly acquired by Rolex last September, and will carry Bucherer branding. No date has been given for its opening

China is the second biggest market for Swiss watches after the US, accounting for $209m of exports in August.

But it is currently intensifying efforts to curb conspicuous extravagance, particularly through a crackdown on social media influencers who flaunt excessive wealth.

In addition overall sales of Swiss watches are suffering, according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, which describes the outlook for the rest of the year as negative.

Rolex dominates the Swiss watch market, with a share of more than 30 per cent. It has always relied on authorized dealers to manage its Chinese operations.

Source: DCLA

Tuesday, 8 October 2024

Lucara Sells Digital Sales Platform to ex-CEO

Canadian miner Lucara has sold Clara, its digital sales platform

Canadian miner Lucara has sold Clara, its digital sales platform, to former CEO Eira Thomas and a group led by the Vancouver-based HRA Group of Companies.

The move gives Clara’s new owners the freedom to sell other diamonds, in addition to those produced by Lucara at its Karowe mine, in Botswana. It also allows Lucara to focus on the underground expansion of the mine.

Thomas, who stood down last August as Lucara CEO, led the commercialization of the Clara. She said it was designed to disrupt the way diamonds are traded after a century of inefficiency and inflexibility.

Clara’s new owners – HRA and Thomas – will pay $3m in cash and return 10,000,000 Lucara common shares initially issued as partial consideration when Lucara originally acquired the platform in 2018.

“We are excited about the opportunity to realize its full potential, which remains largely unexplored,” said Aaron Ariel, managing director and original founder of Clara.

“We believe it will become the industry’s premier global rough-diamond marketplace. We look forward to partnering with stakeholders throughout the supply chain who share our vision for a healthier, more transparent, and, last but certainly not least, a more profitable industry for all.”

Lucara will retain a 3% net profit interest on Clara’s net earnings and has granted Clara a five-year rough diamond supply agreement for stones meeting the size and quality specifications historically sold through the Clara platform.

Lucara’s larger stones – those over 10.8-cts – are sold via HB Antwerp as part of an ongoing 10-year agreement. They account for around 70 per cent of the company’s revenue.

William Lamb, president and CEO of Lucara, said: “The divestiture of Clara enables us to intensify our strategic focus on maximizing returns and long-term value creation at our world-class Karowe diamond mine in Botswana.

“While the Clara platform provides an innovative digital channel for rough diamond sales, the successful onboarding of other producers’ rough production required to scale the platform, remains unattainable while the platform is owned by a pure-play diamond producer.”

Source: DCLA

Monday, 7 October 2024

Angola Seizes 710 Rough Diamonds from Three Guineans

710 Rough Diamonds from Three Guineans

The Criminal Investigative Service (SIC) in Angola seized 710 diamonds of different carats on Sunday in Lucapa, a municipality in the northeastern Lunda-Norte province of Angola.

According to Graciano Lumanhe, the SIC spokesperson in Lunda-Norte, three individuals from Guinea Conakry were found in possession of the diamonds.

Angola seized 710 diamonds of different carats

Angola Seizes 710 Diamond Stones From Three Guineans
In addition to the diamonds, the officers also discovered a diamond weighing scale, two calculating machines, magnifying glasses, a sieve, and $860 and 68,000 kwanzas in cash during the operation.

All the evidence has been submitted to the Office of the Public Prosecutor as part of the preparations for criminal proceedings against the three suspects.

Source: DCLA

Thursday, 3 October 2024

Rio Tinto launches ‘Colour Awakened’ historic collection from Argyle diamond mine

Rio Tinto launched on Wednesday its 2024 Beyond Rare tender, the second in its Art Series, showcasing 48 lots of extraordinarily rare stones from its diamonds business.

Rio Tinto launched on Wednesday its 2024 Beyond Rare tender, the second in its Art Series, showcasing 48 lots of extraordinarily rare stones from its diamonds business.

Titled Colour Awakened, this collection is headlined by seven “Old Masters”, notable historic diamonds from the Argyle diamond mine in Western Australia that operated from 1983 to 2020.

The Old Masters comprise seven round brilliant cut, pink and red diamonds, ranging in size from 0.60 carat to 2.63 carats. All unearthed from the mine over a decade ago in one case, as far back as 1987 each diamond has been carefully retrieved from private vaults and handpicked for inclusion in this year’s tender.

“No other mining company in the world has custody of such a kaleidoscope of coloured diamonds,” Sinead Kaufman, chief executive of Rio Tinto Minerals said in the statement.

In addition to the Old Masters, the Art Series 02 includes legacy inventory of pink, red and violet diamonds from the Argyle diamond mine, together with white and yellow diamonds from Rio Tinto’s Diavik diamond mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

“Four years on from the closure of the Argyle mine, our Beyond Rare Tender platform is a testimony to the enduring prestige of the Argyle Pink Diamonds brand, the quality of production from our Diavik mine, and the ongoing demand for highly collectible natural diamonds,” Kaufman said.

In total there are 76 diamonds, weighing 39.44 carats, comprising seven Old Masters, including one Fancy Red diamond; 32 single lots of pink and violet diamonds, including one Fancy Purplish Red diamond; and a rarified offering of nine carefully curated diamond sets, two of which include a 2.47 carat Fancy Intense Yellow diamond and a 4.04 carat D colour diamond, respectively, each from Diavik.

The 48 lots will be showcased in London, Australia, Singapore and Belgium, with bids closing on November 18.

Source: DCLA

Tuesday, 1 October 2024

4ct. Pink Diamond Takes Spotlight at Sotheby’s

A fancy-pink diamond pendant is set to headline an upcoming jewelry auction at Sotheby’s in Paris

A fancy-pink diamond pendant is set to headline an upcoming jewelry auction at Sotheby’s in Paris, where it is expected to fetch up to EUR 550,000 ($612,797).

The cushion-cut, 4.03-carat diamond piece will feature at the October 10 Fine Jewels sale, according to the Sotheby’s website. The auction will also offer jewels from Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Giovanni Ferraris.   

Additionally, the event will showcase more than 80 pieces from the collection of British singer Dame Shirley Bassey, including diamond jewelry Elton John gifted her.   

Here are the rest of top 10 jewels that will be auctioned:   

Cartier Tutti Frutti bracelet
This Cartier Tutti Frutti bracelet designed as a band of articulated branches —embellished with carved emeralds, rubies and emerald beads drill-set with single-cut diamonds — carries a top estimate of EUR 450,000 ($501,395).   
necklace from the Shirley Bassey collection
A necklace from the Shirley Bassey collection composed of a row of graduated brilliant-cut diamonds, with the main ones weighing 5.50, 5.36, and 4.61 carats, could sell for up to EUR 280,000 ($311,798).   
gold and diamond Cartier set comprising a necklace, two bracelets, a pair of ear clips, and a ring image
Sotheby’s will offer this gold and diamond Cartier set comprising a necklace, two bracelets, a pair of ear clips, and a ring, each paved with brilliant-cut diamonds, for a high price of EUR 260,000 ($289,687).   
gold and diamond Cartier set comprising a necklace, two bracelets, a pair of ear clips, and a ring
A David Morris ring bearing a rectangular step-cut, 7.15-carat diamond of F color and internally flawless clarity, flanked by tapered baguette diamonds, is expected to bring in EUR 140,000 to EUR 250,000 ($155,990 to $278,554).   
sapphire and diamond bracelet by Van Cleef & Arpels
This sapphire and diamond bracelet by Van Cleef & Arpels forms a stylized buckle set with a row of oval sapphires framed by brilliant-cut diamonds. It has a presale range of EUR 140,000 to EUR 240,000 ($155,990 to $267,410).  
ring with a pear-shaped, fancy-brownish-yellow diamond image
This ring with a pear-shaped, fancy-brownish-yellow diamond weighing 20.03 carats could achieve as much as EUR 220,000 ($245,116).   
oval sapphire within a double surrounding of brilliant-cut diamonds
A necklace composed of openwork and oval motifs, each set with an oval sapphire within a double surrounding of brilliant-cut diamonds, has an upper price of EUR 180,000 ($200,540).
diamond ring with marquise-shaped diamond shoulders image
A 21.17-carat, fancy-light-brown-yellow, SI2-clarity diamond ring with marquise-shaped diamond shoulders is anticipated to realize up to EUR 170,000 ($189,415).   
5.06-carat diamond flanked by triangular diamonds
This claw-set ring with a rectangular step-cut, 5.06-carat diamond flanked by triangular diamonds carries a high estimate of EUR 150,000 ($155,990).  

Tiffany Buys Back Titanic Watch for Record $1.97m

Tiffany & Co paid a record $1.97m for a gold pocket watch it made in 1912, and which was gifted to the captain of a ship that rescued mo...