Monica Bellucci Wore the Historic Cartier María Félix Tribute Necklace at Cannes

There are a select few necklaces that might be deemed jewelry royalty Marie Louise’s diamonds from Napoleon, the Maharajah of Patiala’s bib, Daisy Fellowes’s Tutti Frutti, the Duchess of Windsor’s Zip, and of course, the one made by Cartier in 1975 to resemble two fully articulated crocodiles and using 1,023 yellow diamonds, 1,060 emeralds, and two cabochon rubies for Mexican actress María Félix.

Félix’s necklace was based on her own pet croc she even brought it into the store to make sure Cartier got it just right. She even suggested they live there for a while, just in case. Only one person other than María Félix has ever worn that necklace, now owned by the Cartier Collection.

In 2006, actress Monica Bellucci paired the necklace with a crisp white shirt for the red carpet at Cannes.

Over the weekend, on that same red carpet, Bellucci wore Cartier’s one of a kind diamond and emerald necklace made in tribute to the iconic piece and created by the same artisanal sculptor who brought María Félix’s little pets to life.

The María Félix Tribute necklace is in all diamonds and emeralds totaling 46.45 carats, and is by all reports “strikingly realistic with a body and legs ready to move!”

The crocodile necklace is of course but one proud member of the Cartier menagerie. The Panther, brought to three dimensional life in 1948 for the Duchess of Windsor, being the most iconic.

To make sure those diamond and onyx figures looked ready to pounce, legendary Cartier jewelry Director Jeanne Toussaint made all her designers spend quality time at the Paris zoo.

Source: DCLA

Monica Bellucci Wore the Historic Cartier María Félix Tribute Necklace at Cannes

There are a select few necklaces that might be deemed jewelry royalty Marie Louise’s diamonds from Napoleon, the Maharajah of Patiala’s bib, Daisy Fellowes’s Tutti Frutti, the Duchess of Windsor’s Zip, and of course, the one made by Cartier in 1975 to resemble two fully articulated crocodiles and using 1,023 yellow diamonds, 1,060 emeralds, and two cabochon rubies for Mexican actress María Félix.

Félix’s necklace was based on her own pet croc she even brought it into the store to make sure Cartier got it just right. She even suggested they live there for a while, just in case. Only one person other than María Félix has ever worn that necklace, now owned by the Cartier Collection.

In 2006, actress Monica Bellucci paired the necklace with a crisp white shirt for the red carpet at Cannes.

Over the weekend, on that same red carpet, Bellucci wore Cartier’s one of a kind diamond and emerald necklace made in tribute to the iconic piece and created by the same artisanal sculptor who brought María Félix’s little pets to life.

The María Félix Tribute necklace is in all diamonds and emeralds totaling 46.45 carats, and is by all reports “strikingly realistic with a body and legs ready to move!”

The crocodile necklace is of course but one proud member of the Cartier menagerie. The Panther, brought to three dimensional life in 1948 for the Duchess of Windsor, being the most iconic.

To make sure those diamond and onyx figures looked ready to pounce, legendary Cartier jewelry Director Jeanne Toussaint made all her designers spend quality time at the Paris zoo.

Source: DCLA

Amend laws on synthetic diamonds, Russia tells India

Russia's major diamond mining firms including Alrosa have urged India to amend consumer laws on synthetic diamonds so that there is clarity on the quantity of synthetic diamonds entering the country and how they are being used.

Industry executives said that around 5 million carats of synthetic diamonds are produced globally, and the volume is increasing, causing concern to rough diamond producers. A senior executive, who did not wish to be identified, told the Economic Times that a meeting was recently held between India and Russia on synthetic diamonds.

"India is the chair of the Kimberley Process Certification System (KPCS) for 2019 and the Russian Federation is the vice chair. The KPCS is a joint initiative of 54 members, including India and the European Union, to stem the flow of 'conflict diamonds' that are used by rebel groups to overthrow legitimate governments. 

It came into effect on January 1, 2003 through a United Nations General Assembly Resolution and includes governments, civil society and industry."

"During the meeting between Aleksey Vladimirovich Moiseev, the KPCS vice chair 2019 and deputy minister of finance of the Russian Federation Peter Karakchiev, Alrosa's head of international relations department and other senior representatives of the Russian foreign office it was decided that the KPCS should work towards having separate HS (harmonized system) code implemented for synthetic rough diamonds at the national level and encourage participant countries to expedite the process of implementation.

Source: DCLA

Amend laws on synthetic diamonds, Russia tells India

Russia's major diamond mining firms including Alrosa have urged India to amend consumer laws on synthetic diamonds so that there is clarity on the quantity of synthetic diamonds entering the country and how they are being used.

Industry executives said that around 5 million carats of synthetic diamonds are produced globally, and the volume is increasing, causing concern to rough diamond producers. A senior executive, who did not wish to be identified, told the Economic Times that a meeting was recently held between India and Russia on synthetic diamonds.

"India is the chair of the Kimberley Process Certification System (KPCS) for 2019 and the Russian Federation is the vice chair. The KPCS is a joint initiative of 54 members, including India and the European Union, to stem the flow of 'conflict diamonds' that are used by rebel groups to overthrow legitimate governments. 

It came into effect on January 1, 2003 through a United Nations General Assembly Resolution and includes governments, civil society and industry."

"During the meeting between Aleksey Vladimirovich Moiseev, the KPCS vice chair 2019 and deputy minister of finance of the Russian Federation Peter Karakchiev, Alrosa's head of international relations department and other senior representatives of the Russian foreign office it was decided that the KPCS should work towards having separate HS (harmonized system) code implemented for synthetic rough diamonds at the national level and encourage participant countries to expedite the process of implementation.

Source: DCLA

118ct. Yellow Smashes Estimate at Christie’s

A diamond bought in memory of late diamantaire Sam Abram sold for more than double its high estimate at Christie’s Geneva auction Wednesday.

The cushion brilliant-cut, 118.05-carat, fancy-yellow, VS2-clarity stone fetched $7.1 million, or $60,000 per carat, at the Magnificent Jewels auction. The diamond, which was estimated at $2.5 million to $3.5 million, was purchased by Siba Corp. in honor of its former president. The company subsequently named it The Siba Diamond.

Three ruby pieces broke the top 10, all selling for well above their estimates. A 22.86-carat Burmese ruby ring by Harry Winston went for $7.2 million against its high estimate of $3 million, a final price of $314,900 per carat. Meanwhile, a Van Cleef & Arpels ruby and diamond necklace, which was valued at $400,000 to $600,000, garnered $2.4 million, and a ruby and diamond bracelet by the same jeweler fetched $1.6 million. That piece was estimated at $150,000 to $250,000.

A necklace comprising 110 natural pearls achieved $5.8 million, well above its high estimate of $3.5 million. All other pearl pieces of note offered at the sale also exceeded their original estimates, Christie’s said.

Other notable lots included a pear-shaped, 75.61-carat emerald pendant necklace that belonged to the Grand Duchess Vladimir of Russia, which sold for $4.3 million, or $57,300 per carat. It was estimated at $2.3 million to $3.5 million.

“Natural pearls and jewels with noble provenance, such as the 75.61-carat emerald from Grand Duchess Vladimir of Russia, found much acclaim and sold for far above their presale estimates,” said Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s international head of jewelry. “Also of note was the 118-carat, fancy-yellow diamond that was purchased by Siba Corp. in honor of Sam Abram, a prominent figure in the jewelry world, who very sadly passed away last week.”

In addition, the rectangular-cut, 25.27-carat, D-color Jonker V diamond connected to Anglo American founder and former De Beers chairman Sir Ernest Oppenheimer fetched $3 million against a valuation of $2.5 million to $3.5 million.

Christie’s sold 87% of all lots on offer, it said. The sale brought in a combined $62.1 million.

Source: DCLA

118ct. Yellow Smashes Estimate at Christie’s

A diamond bought in memory of late diamantaire Sam Abram sold for more than double its high estimate at Christie’s Geneva auction Wednesday.

The cushion brilliant-cut, 118.05-carat, fancy-yellow, VS2-clarity stone fetched $7.1 million, or $60,000 per carat, at the Magnificent Jewels auction. The diamond, which was estimated at $2.5 million to $3.5 million, was purchased by Siba Corp. in honor of its former president. The company subsequently named it The Siba Diamond.

Three ruby pieces broke the top 10, all selling for well above their estimates. A 22.86-carat Burmese ruby ring by Harry Winston went for $7.2 million against its high estimate of $3 million, a final price of $314,900 per carat. Meanwhile, a Van Cleef & Arpels ruby and diamond necklace, which was valued at $400,000 to $600,000, garnered $2.4 million, and a ruby and diamond bracelet by the same jeweler fetched $1.6 million. That piece was estimated at $150,000 to $250,000.

A necklace comprising 110 natural pearls achieved $5.8 million, well above its high estimate of $3.5 million. All other pearl pieces of note offered at the sale also exceeded their original estimates, Christie’s said.

Other notable lots included a pear-shaped, 75.61-carat emerald pendant necklace that belonged to the Grand Duchess Vladimir of Russia, which sold for $4.3 million, or $57,300 per carat. It was estimated at $2.3 million to $3.5 million.

“Natural pearls and jewels with noble provenance, such as the 75.61-carat emerald from Grand Duchess Vladimir of Russia, found much acclaim and sold for far above their presale estimates,” said Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s international head of jewelry. “Also of note was the 118-carat, fancy-yellow diamond that was purchased by Siba Corp. in honor of Sam Abram, a prominent figure in the jewelry world, who very sadly passed away last week.”

In addition, the rectangular-cut, 25.27-carat, D-color Jonker V diamond connected to Anglo American founder and former De Beers chairman Sir Ernest Oppenheimer fetched $3 million against a valuation of $2.5 million to $3.5 million.

Christie’s sold 87% of all lots on offer, it said. The sale brought in a combined $62.1 million.

Source: DCLA

Debmarine Namibia invests in custom diamond vessel

The vessel, which has an expected total capital cost of US$468 million, will be the seventh in Debmarine’s fleet. It is expected to start production in 2022 with the capacity to add 500,000 carats of annual production, a 35% increase above current levels.

De Beers CEO Bruce Cleaver said some of the highest quality diamonds in the world were found at sea off the Namibian coast.

“With this investment we will be able to optimise new technology to find and recover diamonds more efficiently and meet growing consumer demand across the globe,” he said.

Anglo American CEO Mark Cutifani said the addition of the vessel would bring numerous benefits, including improving De Beers’ production profile by value and volume, greater efficient and productivity through the vessel’s deployed technologies, and sustained economic benefits for Namibia.

“This highly attractive investment offers a three-year payback, a more than 25% IRR and an EBITDA margin of more than 60% – typical of the high quality of our brownfield growth options,” Cutifani said.

“We will continue allocating appropriate levels of capital in a disciplined manner across Anglo American’s wider organic pipeline of near- and medium-term growth opportunities, including the world-class Quellaveco copper development in Peru, that we expect to contribute towards our 20-25% production growth by 2023.”

Debmarine last ordered a new vessel in November 2017. At the time it was projected to cost US$142 million and was expected to start operations in 2021.

Source: DCLA