Rare Orangey Pink Diamond to Take Centre Stage at Christie’s Geneva Auction

 

A remarkable 14.63 carat fancy orangey pink natural diamond is set to be one of the highlights of Christie’s upcoming Geneva jewellery auction, with the David Morris ring carrying an upper estimate of approximately US$2.6 million.

The exceptional stone will be offered as part of Christie’s Exceptional Jewels & Objects of Elegance: A Connoisseur’s Collection, taking place in Geneva on November 10, with an accompanying online auction running from November 5 to 17.

The private collection comprises almost 300 lots and includes important jewellery from internationally recognised maisons including Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari and Graff, alongside Art Deco vanity cases and finely crafted gold objects.

Why are natural pink diamonds pink?

Pink diamonds are among the most intriguing of all natural diamonds because, unlike many other coloured diamonds, their colour is not easily explained by the presence of a specific trace element.

The colour of a natural pink diamond is generally associated with changes in the diamond’s crystal structure that occurred deep within the Earth during its formation. Diamonds are made from carbon atoms arranged in an exceptionally precise crystal lattice. In some diamonds, geological forces cause distortions within that lattice.

These microscopic structural distortions affect the way light passes through the diamond, producing the remarkable pink colour that makes these stones so desirable.

When the colour moves towards orangey pink, the diamond displays a combination of pink and orange body colour. The precise appearance can vary considerably from one diamond to another, ranging from delicate pastel tones to highly saturated and vivid colours.

This is one reason every exceptional natural coloured diamond is effectively unique.

For more information about diamond structure, properties and the differences between natural and laboratory-grown diamonds, see DCLA’s guide to What Is a Diamond? Natural vs Laboratory-Grown – Structure, Science and Pricing.

Why are pink diamonds so rare?

Natural diamonds occur in many parts of the world, but diamonds with a strong and attractive natural pink colour are extraordinarily uncommon.

Diamonds are formed under immense pressure and temperature deep within the Earth’s mantle and can take billions of years to reach the surface through geological processes. Only a very small proportion develop the particular crystal characteristics responsible for a natural pink colour.

Importantly, pink diamonds are not confined to one location. Natural pink diamonds have been discovered in diamond-producing regions around the world. However, the supply of fine-quality pink diamonds is exceptionally limited.

The rarity becomes even greater when factors such as carat weight, colour intensity, clarity, cut and overall beauty are taken into account.

A large pink diamond with strong colour and good clarity is therefore extraordinarily difficult to find.

DCLA has explored the extraordinary rarity of large natural diamonds in its article Nature vs Technology: Why Large Natural Diamonds Are Exceptionally Rare, explaining why increasing diamond size results in dramatically greater natural scarcity.

Size changes everything

With coloured diamonds, rarity increases dramatically as size increases.

A small natural pink diamond may already be a scarce gemstone, but a large stone with an attractive, saturated colour can be in an entirely different category.

The 14.63 carat diamond being offered in Geneva is therefore significant not simply because it is pink, but because of its combination of natural colour, substantial size and orangey pink appearance.

At more than 14 carats, the stone belongs to a category where the number of comparable natural diamonds available to the market is extremely small.

This scarcity is one of the fundamental reasons exceptional pink diamonds can command prices far beyond those of similarly sized colourless diamonds.

Natural colour is the key

The distinction between a natural coloured diamond and a treated or laboratory-grown diamond is particularly important when discussing rare pink diamonds.

A natural pink diamond has acquired its colour through the geological processes that formed the stone over an immense period of time. The colour is part of the diamond’s natural characteristics.

Modern technology can produce laboratory-grown diamonds and can also alter the colour of diamonds through various treatments. These stones can be beautiful in their own right, but they are fundamentally different from a rare natural coloured diamond.

For an important natural coloured diamond, independent examination and documentation are therefore critical.

DCLA explains the importance of determining diamond origin in its article Natural or Laboratory-Grown? How Can You Tell What Diamond Is in Your Ring?, which explains why visual examination or a basic diamond tester cannot reliably establish whether a diamond is natural or laboratory-grown.

The challenge of grading coloured diamonds

Coloured diamonds are assessed differently from traditional colourless diamonds.

The colour itself is a major component of the stone’s rarity and desirability, with factors including hue, tone and saturation playing an important role.

Two diamonds of exactly the same carat weight can therefore have dramatically different values because their colours differ in strength, distribution and attractiveness.

For a buyer or collector, establishing whether the colour is natural, determining the characteristics of the diamond and confirming any treatments is essential.

At the Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia (DCLA), diamonds undergo detailed examination using advanced laboratory technology. DCLA states that every diamond is screened for known treatments, tested to establish whether it is natural or man-made, and graded according to International Diamond Council (IDC) rules.

Learn more about the DCLA Diamond Grading and Certification Process.

Why independent certification matters

With an exceptionally rare coloured diamond, establishing exactly what the stone is becomes particularly important.

A DCLA diamond grading report provides a technical breakdown including carat weight, colour, clarity, measurements, stone type, treatments or enhancements, cut, symmetry, polish, transparency and fluorescence.

For rare natural coloured diamonds, documentation can therefore become an important part of the stone’s history and provenance.

DCLA’s Diamond Grading Report service provides independent documentation of the diamond’s characteristics.

Why exceptional pink diamonds command exceptional prices

The market for the finest natural pink diamonds is ultimately driven by a simple combination:

Nature created very few of them, and the world’s supply cannot simply be increased.

A large, naturally coloured pink diamond with attractive colour, good clarity and excellent cutting represents the convergence of several rare characteristics.

This scarcity is particularly important in today’s diamond market. While laboratory-grown diamonds can be produced using controlled manufacturing processes, the supply of large, exceptional natural diamonds remains limited by geology.

DCLA’s research into the changing natural diamond market notes that large, rare and unusually coloured natural diamonds continue to command strong premiums because of their exceptional rarity and provenance.

The Christie’s Geneva offering demonstrates the continuing fascination with these extraordinary natural treasures. While the US$2.6 million upper estimate is substantial, the importance of the stone extends beyond its auction price.

It is a reminder that in the world of natural diamonds, rarity is not simply about size. It is about how many times nature was able to create the right combination of colour, structure, clarity, size and beauty.

And when that combination occurs naturally, there may be very few comparable diamonds anywhere in the world.

DCLA — Independent Diamond Expertise

For consumers, collectors, jewellers and insurers, independent examination can provide confidence that a diamond is accurately identified and documented.

Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia (DCLA) is Australia’s internationally accredited diamond certification laboratory, providing independent grading and testing of natural and laboratory-grown diamonds in its Sydney laboratory.

DCLA — Where nature’s rarest diamonds meet independent science.

The Kao Legend Collection: A Rare Suite of Pink Diamonds from Lesotho

The Kao Legend Collection represents an extraordinary achievement in diamond cutting and curation. Cut from a single 108.39-carat pink diamond crystal unearthed at the renowned Kao Mine in Lesotho, this suite features seven magnificent pink diamonds each documented in detail by the GIA Monograph.

At the heart of the collection lies the Kao Legend, a 20.49-carat diamond graded Fancy Intense Purplish Pink by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The accompanying diamonds in the collection range in colour from Fancy Intense Purplish Pink to Faint Pink, showcasing a delicate and rare spectrum of pink hues.

What sets this collection apart is not only its shared origin and harmonious beauty but also the diamonds’ classification. All seven are Type IIa diamonds known for their exceptional chemical purity and rarity, comprising less than 2% of all natural diamonds. Type IIa pink diamonds are especially coveted for their remarkable clarity and vibrant colour saturation.

The Kao Mine, one of Lesotho’s most prominent diamond sources, has established a reputation for yielding high-quality pink diamonds. Alongside the Kao Legend, the mine also produced the celebrated Pink Eternity, a 47.80-carat gem of international acclaim.

For gemmologists and collectors alike, the Kao Legend Collection exemplifies nature’s artistry and the pinnacle of diamond excellence.

Historic “Marie-Thérèse Pink Diamond” Fetches Over $13.9 Million at Christie’s

A remarkable piece of royal history captivated the global jewellery market this week. The 10.38-carat “Marie-Thérèse Pink Diamond” achieved more than USD $13.9 million (including buyer’s premium) at Christie’s New York Magnificent Jewels auction, nearly doubling its high estimate. The hammer price alone reached USD $11.8 million.

This fancy purple-pink, modified kite brilliant-cut diamond boasts not only exceptional rarity and colour but also a royal provenance tracing back through French, Bavarian, and Austrian imperial families. It was most recently set in a ring by renowned Franco-American jewellery artist JAR, further enhancing its artistic and collectible value.

According to Christie’s, the pink diamond is believed to have been part of a group of jewels entrusted by Marie Antoinette to her hairdresser in 1791, just before her attempted escape from Paris. These jewels were later passed to her only surviving child, Duchess Marie Thérèse de Angoulême, and subsequently to her niece, Duchess Marie Thérèse de Chambord.

“Generations later,” Christie’s noted, a will identified Queen Marie Theresa of Bavaria as the next known custodian of the gem, referring to it as “a pink solitaire diamond from Aunt Chambord.” The diamond last appeared at auction in Geneva in 1996, offered by a European royal family member, and had remained out of public view until this recent sale.

The impressive result underscores continued global demand for rare, historically significant coloured diamonds — particularly those with noble provenance.

Red and Pink Diamonds Lead Sotheby’s Sale

A 16.73 carat very light pink diamond is expected to sell for CHF 1.1m to CHF 1.8m ($1.3m to $2m) in Sotheby’s Geneva Magnificent Jewels Sale.

Another highlight of the sale, which features many colored diamonds, is a 1.44 carat fancy red diamond (the rarest of all diamond colors) from Australia’s iconic Argyle mine.

They’ll be offered for sale next week (13 November) in a live auction of 88 lots, including pieces by Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany, Bulgari and JAR, spanning 250 years of jewelry history.

The pink diamond is claw-set in a ring, VVS1-clarity, natural color with a brilliant cut. The red diamond is also claw-set in a ring, with a cut-cornered rectangular mixed cut, together with an Argyle mine presentation case.

“The sale is a celebration of exceptional craftsmanship, with signed jewels from the most esteemed makers of the 20th century,” says Sotheby’s. The sale also offers a number of coloured diamonds of outstanding quality and size, within the rarest of colors.”

Source: IDEX

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, 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:   

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).   

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).   

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).   

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).   

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).  

This ring with a pear-shaped, fancy-brownish-yellow diamond weighing 20.03 carats could achieve as much as EUR 220,000 ($245,116).   

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).

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).   

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).  

10.20-Carat ‘Eden Rose’ Diamond Could Fetch $12 Million At Christie’s

Christie’s will offer “The Eden Rose,” a 10.20-carat round brilliant fancy intense pink diamond, as the top lot of its New York Magnificent Jewels auction on June 11. Its estimate is $9 million to $12 million. It is the first time this diamond has appeared at auction.

The Gemological Institute of America report supplied by Christie’s states that the diamond is also internally flawless.

Describing it as an “exceptionally rare gemstone,” Christie’s says the gem, named after the symbol for unconditional love, it is the most significant round brilliant internally flawless fancy intense pink diamond to be offered at auction since the “Martian Pink,” which sold at Christie’s Hong Kong in 2012 for $17.4 million, equating to $1.45 million per carat.

The diamond exhibits a pure pink hue, unlike many natural pink diamonds that typically display secondary hues such as purple, orange or gray. “The Eden Rose stands out for its complete absence of any secondary color, rendering it exceptionally rare,” Christie’s said in a statement.

Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International head of Jewelry, said in a statement that he is “anticipating significant interest from around the world.”

Christie’s says the round brilliant cut is known for its ability to maximize light reflection and is considered the ideal cut for diamonds.

The Eden Rose is mounted on a ring further adorned with eight brilliant-cut diamonds, ranging in weight from 3.11 to 0.73 carats, and two marquise brilliant-cut diamonds of 2.24 and 1.02 carats.

Source: DCLA

Storm Mountain Diamonds finds giant pink rock in Lesotho

Storm Mountain Diamonds (SMD), jointly owned by Namakwa Diamonds Limited and the Government of Lesotho, has recovered a 108.39-carat fancy pink diamond at its Kao Mine in the Southern African country.

The diamond is one of the largest pink roughs ever found in Africa, which include the “Lulo Rose”, 170-carat precious stone recovered by Australia’s Lucapa Diamond in Angola last year.

SMD said the diamond was recovered from a 1.5 tonne sample of kimberlite ore that was processed at the mine’s plant.

It is a Type IIa stone, which means it has very few impurities and a high level of clarity, the company said.

The Kao Mine is one of the largest diamond mines in Lesotho and produces about 400,000 carats of diamonds annually.

Coloured diamonds, especially pink ones, have repeatedly set record-setting prices in recent years as they are rarer than white ones. While they come in many hues, pink and blue are the most coveted.

Source: mining.com

$35M Pink Diamond Pulled from Christie’s Sale

                 The 13.15 carat pink diamond

A 13.15 carat pink diamond will no longer be available at the upcoming Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in New York.

The emerald-cut, fancy vivid pink, VVS1 clarity stone, which carried a price estimate of $25 million to $35 million, was poised to be the December 6 sale’s showcase piece. Christie’s described the diamond as one of the largest of its kind to appear at auction.

“Christie’s confirms that the fancy vivid pink diamond ring has been withdrawn from sale in New York on December 6,” a spokesperson said. The company declined to comment further or provide a reason.

The item was scheduled to appear on display in Hong Kong on Friday. The removal was “very surprising,” said one colored diamond dealer in the municipality.

Colored diamonds have had a mixed season at auction. On November 8, the 18.18-carat Fortune Pink fetched CHF 28.4 million ($28.9 million) at Christie’s Geneva, toward the lower end of its presale estimate. The following day, a 5.53 carat diamond from the De Beers Exceptional Blue Collection failed to find a buyer at a Sotheby’s auction in the Swiss city.

With the 13.15 carat pink off the list, the top remaining item at the Magnificent Jewels sale is a pear modified brilliant cut, 31.62 carat, fancy blue diamond pendant with a price estimate of $10 million to $15 million.

Source: DCLA

Diacore Buys 32ct. Pink Diamond

               32.32 carat Pink Rough Dimond

Manufacturer Diacore has purchased a rough pink diamond weighing 32.32 carats for $13.8 million.

The stone originated from Petra Diamonds’ Williamson mine in Tanzania, Diacore said last week. It was among the goods Petra offered at its first tender of Williamson rough since the resumption of operations at the site following a near two-year shutdown due to Covid-19. Diacore will analyze, design and cut the diamond.

“This rare masterpiece of nature is a natural fit to our unique offering as cutters and marketers of special diamonds,” said Diacore chairman Nir Livnat.

The pink is not the first colored diamond Diacore has purchased from the miner. In July, it partnered with De Beers to buy a blue diamond of 39.34 carats from Petra’s Cullinan mine in South Africa for $40.2 million. Last year, the two bought five rough blue diamonds from the same deposit ranging from 9.61 to 25.75 carats for a combined $40.4 million.

In June, Diacore acquired a 204.36-carat, yellow diamond known as the Dancing Sun — the largest polished diamond of North American origin — for $5 million at a Christie’s auction in New York.

Source: DCLA

Diacore Buys 32ct. Pink Diamond

               32.32 carat Pink Rough Dimond

Manufacturer Diacore has purchased a rough pink diamond weighing 32.32 carats for $13.8 million.

The stone originated from Petra Diamonds’ Williamson mine in Tanzania, Diacore said last week. It was among the goods Petra offered at its first tender of Williamson rough since the resumption of operations at the site following a near two-year shutdown due to Covid-19. Diacore will analyze, design and cut the diamond.

“This rare masterpiece of nature is a natural fit to our unique offering as cutters and marketers of special diamonds,” said Diacore chairman Nir Livnat.

The pink is not the first colored diamond Diacore has purchased from the miner. In July, it partnered with De Beers to buy a blue diamond of 39.34 carats from Petra’s Cullinan mine in South Africa for $40.2 million. Last year, the two bought five rough blue diamonds from the same deposit ranging from 9.61 to 25.75 carats for a combined $40.4 million.

In June, Diacore acquired a 204.36-carat, yellow diamond known as the Dancing Sun — the largest polished diamond of North American origin — for $5 million at a Christie’s auction in New York.

Source: DCLA