Diavik ‘Stars Of The Arctic’ Provide Rough Diamond Tender Sparkle

Rio Tinto and Dominion Diamond Mines have revealed three of the finest large rough diamonds from their Canadian diamond mine that will be tendered to diamond specialists from around the world.

Collectively known as The Diavik Stars of the Arctic, the three rough diamonds showcase a rare combination of size, quality and color from the Diavik diamond mine in the remote Northwest Territories of Canada, 220 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle, the miner said in a statement.

The Diavik Stars of the Arctic will headline Rio Tinto’s forthcoming “Specials” Tender, which showcases rough diamonds greater than 10.8 carats. Taking their inspiration from constellations across the night skies of the North.

The Diavik Stars of the Arctic comprised of the, Vega of the Arctic, 177.71 carats, one of the largest and most valuable gem quality rough diamonds ever produced in Canada , Altair of the Arctic, 59.10 carats, a white gem quality rough diamond Capella of the Actic , 24.82 carats, a yellow diamond

Diavik Diamond Mines president and chief operating officer Patrick Boitumelo said, “Diavik diamonds are over two billion years old and it has taken 15 years of production to unearth these extraordinary diamonds, underscoring the ongoing importance of the Diavik ore body in the context of the global diamond industry.”
The Diavik Diamond Mine owned by Rio Tinto 60 per cent and joint venture partner Dominion Diamond Mines (40%) began production in 2003 and has been a fully underground mining operation since 2012. It recently opened its fourth pipe, the A21 pipe, which will provide an important source of incremental production.

The Diavik mine produces predominantly gem quality diamonds destined for high end jewelry in all major consumer markets around the world. The discovery of Lot 3, Capella of the Arctic, a large yellow diamond is very rare, with the mine on average producing only five of these diamonds each year, in effect less than 0.001% of annual production.

The Diavik Stars of the Arctic will be showcased in Antwerp and Israel to large diamond specialists from around the world before bids close on October 25.

Source: IDEX Online

Diavik ‘Stars Of The Arctic’ Provide Rough Diamond Tender Sparkle

Rio Tinto and Dominion Diamond Mines have revealed three of the finest large rough diamonds from their Canadian diamond mine that will be tendered to diamond specialists from around the world.

Collectively known as The Diavik Stars of the Arctic, the three rough diamonds showcase a rare combination of size, quality and color from the Diavik diamond mine in the remote Northwest Territories of Canada, 220 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle, the miner said in a statement.

The Diavik Stars of the Arctic will headline Rio Tinto’s forthcoming “Specials” Tender, which showcases rough diamonds greater than 10.8 carats. Taking their inspiration from constellations across the night skies of the North.

The Diavik Stars of the Arctic comprised of the, Vega of the Arctic, 177.71 carats, one of the largest and most valuable gem quality rough diamonds ever produced in Canada , Altair of the Arctic, 59.10 carats, a white gem quality rough diamond Capella of the Actic , 24.82 carats, a yellow diamond

Diavik Diamond Mines president and chief operating officer Patrick Boitumelo said, “Diavik diamonds are over two billion years old and it has taken 15 years of production to unearth these extraordinary diamonds, underscoring the ongoing importance of the Diavik ore body in the context of the global diamond industry.”
The Diavik Diamond Mine owned by Rio Tinto 60 per cent and joint venture partner Dominion Diamond Mines (40%) began production in 2003 and has been a fully underground mining operation since 2012. It recently opened its fourth pipe, the A21 pipe, which will provide an important source of incremental production.

The Diavik mine produces predominantly gem quality diamonds destined for high end jewelry in all major consumer markets around the world. The discovery of Lot 3, Capella of the Arctic, a large yellow diamond is very rare, with the mine on average producing only five of these diamonds each year, in effect less than 0.001% of annual production.

The Diavik Stars of the Arctic will be showcased in Antwerp and Israel to large diamond specialists from around the world before bids close on October 25.

Source: IDEX Online

Fluorescence Has No Negative Impact on Diamond Colour

HRD Antwerp, a leading European authority in diamond certification, recently undertook a study entitled “The Effect of Fluorescence on the Colour of a Diamond”, concluding that even strong fluorescence does not negatively impact a diamond’s appearance. In fact, their findings demonstrate the contrary: under normal conditions and even when outdoors, strong fluorescence has a positive influence on the color of diamonds.

This finding directly contradicts the common perception that fluorescence is a negative property of diamonds, driving down their value. Given HRD Antwerp’s findings, they conclude there is no justification for the price penalties that currently apply to fluorescent diamonds.

Fluorescence, along with the 4Cs (carat weight, clarity, color and cut) is an important characteristic of a diamond and influences its value. Typically, in the diamond trade, it is perceived as a negative property, which drives the value of fluorescent diamonds down. HRD Antwerp’s study found this common perception is not justified. To make this determination, the lab set out to identify how fluorescence influences the color grading results by gemologists in standard laboratory environments, as well as to assess how fluorescence influences the visual appearance of a diamond for regular consumers. The latter was in fact the main purpose of the study: to determine the impact on the appearance of a mounted diamond as observed by an end consumer.

The experiments HRD Antwerp conducted in its laboratory revealed several significant points, foremost of which is that diamond fluorescence has no influence on the color grading of a diamond in a laboratory environment, due to the insignificant UV content in conventional grading lamps. In short, fluorescence should not lower the official color grade. Furthermore, conventional grading through the pavilion (lower half) of a diamond in outdoor conditions actually improves the color grade for diamonds with a fluorescence grade above ‘medium’.

 As an example, a diamond graded in the HRD Antwerp laboratory as a J color with very strong fluorescence can appear as a D color when examined in outdoor conditions. When the diamond is examined through the table (face up), there is still an improvement in color, although this change is less significant.

The results of HRD Antwerp’s study thus support findings from earlier studies conducted by other labs, adding additional objective assessments. It confirms that even very strong fluorescence has no detrimental effect on the appearance of diamonds in a laboratory setting, and when viewed through the pavilion in outdoor conditions, it results in a clear improvement in a diamond’s color. For the wearer or casual observer, fluorescence has a neutral or even positive impact on the appearance of a diamond, making it appear to be more colorless.

Given these observations, HRD Antwerp concludes there are no grounds on which to justify the price penalties that currently apply to fluorescent diamonds.

Fluorescence Has No Negative Impact on Diamond Colour

HRD Antwerp, a leading European authority in diamond certification, recently undertook a study entitled “The Effect of Fluorescence on the Colour of a Diamond”, concluding that even strong fluorescence does not negatively impact a diamond’s appearance. In fact, their findings demonstrate the contrary: under normal conditions and even when outdoors, strong fluorescence has a positive influence on the color of diamonds.

This finding directly contradicts the common perception that fluorescence is a negative property of diamonds, driving down their value. Given HRD Antwerp’s findings, they conclude there is no justification for the price penalties that currently apply to fluorescent diamonds.

Fluorescence, along with the 4Cs (carat weight, clarity, color and cut) is an important characteristic of a diamond and influences its value. Typically, in the diamond trade, it is perceived as a negative property, which drives the value of fluorescent diamonds down. HRD Antwerp’s study found this common perception is not justified. To make this determination, the lab set out to identify how fluorescence influences the color grading results by gemologists in standard laboratory environments, as well as to assess how fluorescence influences the visual appearance of a diamond for regular consumers. The latter was in fact the main purpose of the study: to determine the impact on the appearance of a mounted diamond as observed by an end consumer.

The experiments HRD Antwerp conducted in its laboratory revealed several significant points, foremost of which is that diamond fluorescence has no influence on the color grading of a diamond in a laboratory environment, due to the insignificant UV content in conventional grading lamps. In short, fluorescence should not lower the official color grade. Furthermore, conventional grading through the pavilion (lower half) of a diamond in outdoor conditions actually improves the color grade for diamonds with a fluorescence grade above ‘medium’.

 As an example, a diamond graded in the HRD Antwerp laboratory as a J color with very strong fluorescence can appear as a D color when examined in outdoor conditions. When the diamond is examined through the table (face up), there is still an improvement in color, although this change is less significant.

The results of HRD Antwerp’s study thus support findings from earlier studies conducted by other labs, adding additional objective assessments. It confirms that even very strong fluorescence has no detrimental effect on the appearance of diamonds in a laboratory setting, and when viewed through the pavilion in outdoor conditions, it results in a clear improvement in a diamond’s color. For the wearer or casual observer, fluorescence has a neutral or even positive impact on the appearance of a diamond, making it appear to be more colorless.

Given these observations, HRD Antwerp concludes there are no grounds on which to justify the price penalties that currently apply to fluorescent diamonds.

Christie’s to auction largest, finest pink diamond in its history

The largest and finest fancy vivid pink diamond ever offered at auction by Christie’s it’s about to go under its hammer in Geneva, with experts expecting it to fetch a record price of between $30 million and $50 million.

The Pink Legacy was once owned by the Oppenheimer family, the former owners of De Beers.The rectangular cut diamond, named Pink Legacy, was once part of the Oppenheimer collection, Christie’s said, referring to the family who built De Beers into the world’s No. 1 diamond producer.

It’s rated “vivid”, which is the highest rating for a diamond’s colour, as it displays the optimum hue of the stone. At 18.96 carats, is also the largest fancy vivid pink diamond Christie’s has ever offered and it would lead its Magnificent Jewels auction in November.

“To find a diamond of this size with this colour is pretty much unreal,” Rahul Kadakia, International Head of Jewellery at Christie’s said in a statement. “You may see this colour in a pink diamond of less than one carat. But this is almost 19 carats and it’s as pink as can be. It’s unbelievable.’

Scientists classify diamonds into two main “types”  Type I and Type II. In the latter, the diamond has a particularly rare, almost homogenous colour. “Pink diamonds fall under the rare Type IIa category of diamonds,” Kadakia said. “These are stones that have little if any trace of nitrogen, and make up less than two per cent of all gem diamonds. Type IIa stones are some of the most chemically pure diamonds often with exceptional transparency and brilliance.”

Pink Diamonds have been fetching record prices at auctions. The 59.6 carat Pink Star diamond, in fact, sold for $71.2 million in April last year, becoming most expensive gem ever sold that way.

In November, another pink rock set in a ring embellished with smaller diamonds sold for about $32 million at Christie’s in Hong Kong after a three-minute contest.

The Pink Legacy will be shown in Hong Kong, London and New York before being auctioned in Geneva on Nov. 13.

Source: DCLA

Christie’s to auction largest, finest pink diamond in its history

The largest and finest fancy vivid pink diamond ever offered at auction by Christie’s it’s about to go under its hammer in Geneva, with experts expecting it to fetch a record price of between $30 million and $50 million.

The Pink Legacy was once owned by the Oppenheimer family, the former owners of De Beers.The rectangular cut diamond, named Pink Legacy, was once part of the Oppenheimer collection, Christie’s said, referring to the family who built De Beers into the world’s No. 1 diamond producer.

It’s rated “vivid”, which is the highest rating for a diamond’s colour, as it displays the optimum hue of the stone. At 18.96 carats, is also the largest fancy vivid pink diamond Christie’s has ever offered and it would lead its Magnificent Jewels auction in November.

“To find a diamond of this size with this colour is pretty much unreal,” Rahul Kadakia, International Head of Jewellery at Christie’s said in a statement. “You may see this colour in a pink diamond of less than one carat. But this is almost 19 carats and it’s as pink as can be. It’s unbelievable.’

Scientists classify diamonds into two main “types”  Type I and Type II. In the latter, the diamond has a particularly rare, almost homogenous colour. “Pink diamonds fall under the rare Type IIa category of diamonds,” Kadakia said. “These are stones that have little if any trace of nitrogen, and make up less than two per cent of all gem diamonds. Type IIa stones are some of the most chemically pure diamonds often with exceptional transparency and brilliance.”

Pink Diamonds have been fetching record prices at auctions. The 59.6 carat Pink Star diamond, in fact, sold for $71.2 million in April last year, becoming most expensive gem ever sold that way.

In November, another pink rock set in a ring embellished with smaller diamonds sold for about $32 million at Christie’s in Hong Kong after a three-minute contest.

The Pink Legacy will be shown in Hong Kong, London and New York before being auctioned in Geneva on Nov. 13.

Source: DCLA

Lucapa to Sell Large Stones

Lucapa Diamond Company will sell six large stones weighing a total of 449 carats from its Lulo mine in Angola after an overhaul of the nation’s mining laws prompted it to delay the sale, it said.

The Angolan government introduced reforms to its diamond sector in the first half of the year to help boost foreign investment. Those measures included a new marketing policy for Angolan diamonds, and the option of offering goods for sale in locations such as Antwerp.

Anticipating the changes, Lucapa has been holding back a selection of large stones from previous sales, and will now sell them under the new policy, it explained Friday. These include six type IIa white diamonds weighing 114 carats, 85 carats, 75 carats, 70 carats, 62 carats and 43 carats, as well as a 46-carat pink diamond.

“The discussions with our Angolan partners regarding the policy changes taking place in the Angolan diamond sector have reached a stage where we are now able to plan for the sale of these large, premium-value Lulo diamonds held over from previous sales,” Lucapa managing director Stephen Wetherall said. “We look forward to marketing these exceptional diamonds as soon as the necessary arrangements are put in place to continue showcasing Angolan diamonds to the world.”

The decision to delay the tender for those stones had a negative impact on Lucapa’s first-half results, the company added. Its losses grew to $4.6 million for the period, versus a loss of $1.2 million a year earlier.
Even so, Lucapa’s sales rose 3% year on year to $15.9 million in the first half, while production for the same period climbed 15% to 9,566 carats. The average price of rough diamonds from Lulo rose 1% to $1,642 per carat. Rough-diamond inventory from the asset grew 61% year on year to 2,755 carats as of June 30, the miner reported.

Lucapa’s most recent sale of 2,531 carats of rough from Lulo fetched $2.5 million, achieving an average price of $985 per carat, the company noted.

Image: 46-carat pink Lulo diamond. Credit: Lucapa.

Source: DCLA