A Unique Blue Moon Diamond Now on Display at Natural History Museum

Petra Diamond Mine is a birthplace of exceptional world-know diamonds that cause a jaw-dropping effect at any auction they appear: first off, by their unique properties and, second, by their extremely high price tags. Since it would take much time to name all those notable diamonds found in Petra mine, let's focus on two latest blue diamonds that were discovered in South African's mine this year.

Early this year a 29.6-carat fancy vivid blue diamond was found and later sold at a record $25.6 million price to Cora International, the leading supplier and manufacturer of white and colored diamonds in the world. Little time passed after that when another blue diamond made headlines due to its unbelievable huge size — 122.5 carats. Petra again proved its status of the mine that produces giant gems. To give you a vivid illustration of what size that is, it's as big as a wall-nut. Taking into account its blue, it looks like it's priceless. So far the fate of the last is still unknown, while there's a follow-up story of a smaller fancy vivid blue.

Diamonds for Charity

Diamonds are expensive and there's hardly a person to doubt that. But it's one thing when a huge some of money they are sold for drop in the pocket of a jewelry collector, and quite another when they raise funds for charity. Hopefully, a lady's diamond watch sponsored by anonymous donor will be sold for a pretty some of money during the charity night in Bury St Edmunds on September 23.

The New York Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: A Must Attend Event

The show is scheduled for July 25 to July 28 and will take place at the Metropolitan Pavilion. In just seven years it grew to a much-anticipated show. This year about 100 dealers are planning to come, they are looking forward to take part there and showcase their products.

The New York Antique Jewelry & Watch show first of all attracts local buyers and guests looking for some dainty jewelry to buy. There are much pieces of jewelry to rest an eye one! They are brought here from farthest parts of the world by international retailers and collectors. The increase in attendance is dramatically high from year to year.

Dainty Diamonds of Rare Colors are Expected at Geneva Auction

Such big-name auctions as Sotheby's and Christie's that take place in Hong Kong, New York, Geneva and other places always have some special lots on offer. They are rare pieces of art among which are fancy colored diamonds. Tomorrow some of them – daffodil yellow and sky blue diamonds – are going to shine in Geneva.

Huge Graff Vivid Yellow Diamond weighing 100.09 carats is announced as a star of the event. It was cut by Laurence Graff , the London-based top jeweler. But this is not only the size that gives a stone a status of extremely rare, but a deep daffodil color that is full or life and charm. The experts say this cushion-shaped yellow giant is going to fetch from $15 to $25 million.

Golconda Diamond on Sale

Auction sale is the event where apart from exquisite lots, wealthy customers and skilled experts the records are set. We mean the record prices for diamond jewelry are set. The customers elegantly 'fight' for the right to own the lot on sale by raising the price to the amount other customers are incapable to pay. Christie's and Sotheby's auctions are world-known and most prestigious where apart from various pieces of art diamond jewelry is on sale, too. This is Christie's auction to take place on December 10 and this is Golconda diamond that is the star of the event.

The Orange Diamond on Sale

The last couple of years can justly called “Colored-diamonds fever” with investors, celebrities and common customers looking for diamond gems of exquisite colors. Their unique beauty is not the only reason for that and sky-high price tag is not an obstacle on the way of winning the bet. The thing is the price for colored diamonds grows from year to year, meaning after a year of admiration the owner of a one-of-a-kind diamond can yearn on it. Mostly pinks and blues are in the center of everyone's attention and anxiety, but this time this is “The orange” gem to fascinate the customers.

A beautiful pear-shaped diamond called “The Orange” after its sunshine color is graded vivid orange (it is a luck to find one), VS1, type IIa. It will be offered for sale on November 12 at Christie's auction, just about the same time as the highly talked about “Pink Star” will be offered for sale in Geneva.

The Pink Star diamond is Supposed to Fetch $60 million at Sotheby's Auction

The difference between the shop and auction sale is a price tag of the offered products. With the first it is fixed, while with the second it may skyrocket to unpredictable rates. The last is likely to happen this November during Sotheby's auction in Geneva. There is a 60-carat reason for that named the “Pink Star”.

A flawless huge (59.60 carats) vivid pink diamond is up for sale at Sotheby's in November with the starting price $60 million — the highest ever offered for a gemstone at the auction. This is one of the most rarest combination of diamond color and size what automatically ranks the Pink Star as the Earth's greatest natural treasure. The thing is, the majority of vivid pink diamonds weight not more than five carats, thus it make this giant off any scale.

Five Most Expensive Diamonds in the World

There are many factors that make diamonds so talked about, like color, size, purity, brilliance, and many more. But this is also the price tag that turns any gem into a legendary jewel. With flawless diamonds the price breaks all limits exceeding tens of millions of dollars. That is why to satisfy everyone's curiosity we offer the list of five most expensive diamonds so far:

1 The Graff Pink, a fancy intense pink diamond, was named after its owner, the diamond dealer Laurence Graff. This is a 24.78-carat round-cornered rectangular step-cut diamond. Evidently the buyer knew the real value of the stone since he overpaid $19 million of the minimal estimated price. The diamond mounted in a ring was expected to fetch between $27 million to $38 million, however Laurence Graff parted with $46 million for the opportunity to be the sole owner of the most expensive single jewel on the planet named after him.

Blue Diamond That is Worth $9.8 Million

Diamond experts never stop speaking about rarity of fancy colored diamonds. Blues are sure among the most deficient diamonds, that is why when the record price is concerned they are on the top of the list. However, a large number of zeros in a price tag is not a stumbling block for celebrities who like to dazzle their fancy colored diamond jewelry in the limelight. This time the blue diamond jewel that is offered for sale is going to fetch $9.8 million.

Fancy Red Diamonds from Argyle Mine

Do you know what is the number of world population? It's more than 7 billion of people and it's constantly increasing. Let's write it in full — 7,000,000,000. Now compare it with 3. It looks like a tiny needle in a huge haystack, the contrast is vivid. This example was taken to illustrate how high the price for a product would be if there is an uncommonly small supply but an incredibly great demand. By the way, three is the number of fancy red diamonds presented at the Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender, the grand event where the most sought-after diamond gems are showcased and sold.

Gina Lollobrigida Diamonds Sold at Sotheby's Auction

When speaking on diamonds as an investment option, these are mostly celebrated people to take maximum from them. Gina Lollobrigida was one of the most famous Italian actresses of her time, a photojournalist and a sculptor – definitely holding a position in a 'celebrated' niche. In addition to all unique properties typical for diamonds, Lollobrigida's gems also acquired a kind of charm from their celebrated proprietress.

74.79-carat Pear-Shaped Diamond is the Centralpiece at Sotheby's NY Sale

Spring is the season of hope, love and ... sales. The diamond market has all these components. It won't take long for Sotheby's New York auction to take the baton from the Osenat sale in Fontainebleau, France. There are a couple of days left till April 17, the day when more than 400 lots will go under the hammer. There is hardly an auction without diamonds on offer, but among many there is always a special jewel and the Sotheby's action has the one now– exceptional 74.79-carat potentially flawless diamond.

Be My Josephine! Napoleon Engagement Ring Sold at Auction

“The fiancé of the French Emperor deserves to be proposed with the deluxe jewelry” Napoleon Bonaparte might have thought since the adjectives “beautiful, awesome and stunning” can't reproduce the splendour of the ring he gave to Josephine.

The ring popped up at the Osenat auction in Fontainebleau, France. The pre-estimated price varied between $13,000 and $20,000 but skyrocketed to unexpected $1.2 million!

Fancy Intense Pink Diamond Ring at Lauder's Auction

'Auction season' is going full steam! After Sotheby's Auction with its deep blue record breaker and Christie's Auction where flawless colorless diamond was sold at a very high price, it's just the time for Lauder Auction which also had the lot to boast – a 6.54 ct. fancy intense pink diamond ring.

The pink diamond ring of amazing beauty (pink diamonds are bond to be so, in fact) is an item from the collection of Evelyn H. Lauder that is to benefit breast cancer research. The estimated price was only $5 million while during the auction the ring fetched $8.59 million, which is $1.3 million per a carat. This is not the record, of course, but it wasn't supposed to be so either. The money gained at auction sale should help in breast cancer research.

Six bidders fought for this flawless diamond whose color speaks for Lauder's awareness of breast cancer problem.

Colored diamonds were, are and will be in high demand among customers. The love for them seems to be endless.

One of the Rarest Red Diamonds to Hit the Auction

 

Speaking about diamonds these are colored gems that are rare, pricey and in high demand. But among them there still exist the rarest ones – red, which are always longed for. But while it's quite a rule to find yellow diamond jewelry or even blue diamonds, it's rather an exception to see red diamonds on someone: normally they can be senn in the museum, on the Red Carpet or at the auction. This time such a rare specimen will highlight Christie's Auction.

Magnificent Jewels Auction is planed for December 7. Magnificent it really is just because there is an unusually large (3.15 ct.) red stone and it will soon be introduced there. One may thinks 3 ct. is not as large stone to pay attention at, but with red diamonds there is quite a different policy concerning size. The largest red diamond ever is a circular-cut 5.03 fancy dark red stone, in this regard the 3.15 ct. gem looks like a giant, too. Moreover, this is the largest reddish orange rock ever graded by GIA, so it is going to be a unique gem of the event.

It's always a challenge to have such stones at auctions as far as the assuming price, which is between $700,000 and $1.2 million, can be roughly equal to the fetched price, which is usually much higher than expected. This nameless red stone is of SI2 clarity and excellent polish and symmetry.

76.02 Flawless Colorless Diamond Fetched More Than Expected at Christie's Auction

 

As it turned our fall is a harvest season not merely for fruit and vegetables but for auctions either. While Sotheby's Auction was proud to sell such exquisite lot as fancy deep blue diamond, Christie's Auction in Geneva didn't lag behind and dazzled with flawless colorless diamond gem.

The diamond is 76.02 carat stone, really huge in size, but this is its history that adds up to its dimensions and perfectness: the Archduke Joseph diamonds is the gem with a name. The unmounted gem comes from Golconda region in India famous for its eminent world-known diamonds. This gem was previously owned by the Archduke Joseph August of Austria, Palatine of Hungary, a member of the House of Habsburg, after whom it got its name.

According to Gemological Institute of America, this is the largest D-color, IF diamond it ever graded. The starting price was $15 million and it raised to $21.5 million quite fast, setting a record price ever given for colorless diamond. There is always a buzz after that sort of sales concerning who the lucky owner is, but the latter preferred to remain anonymous and placed bids via the telephone. Alfredo J. Molina, the former diamond owner, was really surprised to get such a high price for the gem: “I am thrilled but not surprised that the Archduke Joseph Diamond should have fetched such a high price. I was blessed to be the Archduke’s guardian and champion for the past 13 years, and indeed it has become part of my very identity.”

Fancy Deep Blue Record Holder

 

Theaters and Art galleries are not the only places to enrich and inspire you. Sotheby's Auction is the place where you can see most rare things you can't find even in a museum and this is also the place where records are fixed! This time we are to speak about blue diamond jewelry.

Fancy deep blue diamond was sold at Magnificent Jewels in Geneva this month for a record price - $10,860,146. This is a briolette 10.48-carat diamond, flawless by nature and 'unsullied' by other colors, it set a record price per carat for fancy blue diamond - $1.04 million. This blue beauty is characterized by perfect symmetry and polish. According to Gemological Institute of America (GIA), it acquired the highest possible grade.

Actually it was not the only diamond generously sold during the auction. Moreover, this auction featured 'the finest offering of colored gems in 20 years'! Among them were sapphires, emeralds and rubies of highest quality, but this fancy deep blue diamond and a pair to ruby earrings attracted most biddings.

Yellow Diamonds To Cheer Up Your Spirits

Time flies, fashion and trends changes but there is one thing that unchangeable – love for diamonds. What is more, this love has not boundaries: from poor to rich, young and old, men and women all over the world – various categories of people are charmed by diamond luster. But now these are all shades of yellow that managed to win even the toughest heart – yes, the yellow diamonds rule today!

Canary yellow diamonds are in abundance in collections of such high-end jewelers as Cartier, Bulgari, and Van Cleef & Arpels. Fueled by celebrities and rarity, they seem to go far beyond the bounds of Paris. Over the past few years De Beers jewelers have noticed strong interest in fancy colored diamonds, in yellow in particular. Actually, the trend for colored gems was started about 50 years ago, when the iconic blond girl Marline Monroe used to dazzle with diamonds. But this was HeidiKlum who revived the interest for yellow diamonds after she had been spotted with yellow diamond engagement ring. Later she gave up the baton to Jennifer Lopez, Carrie Underwood, Rebecca Romijn and other stars. Hey, but apart from jewellery, yellow diamonds seem to penetrate every sphere of life including music (“Yellow diamonds in the light” by Rihanna) and perfumery (“Yellow Diamonds” by Versace).

The range of yellow shades is impressive: from pale yellowish, to lemony yellow and deep orange. Alongside the hues, yellows also varies in price. Lighter gems can sell cheaper while vivid yellow will demand a fortune for the right to possess it. Yellow diamonds of deep shades can have additional hues such as green, pink or blue, but this only makes a stone unique and thought-after, consequently more costly. While the price for pale yellow may start from $6.500 it sky rockets to $40.000 and higher once there is a vivid gem. The highest price paid for yellow diamond at auction is $12.4 million given for the sun-drop diamond last November. Should we expect for a new wave of price increasing.

Pink Diamonds Attacking the Auctions

When a rare diamond appears at Christie's auction it always makes a stir with everybody anticipating to find out jewel's final price. Once it's found, it might make you dumb, dazed or even shocked. Just like it happened to Clark Pink, 9-carat cushion-cut diamond, the jewel from Huguette Clark's estate.

This purplish pink diamond ring with a gem set in platinum is now the world's known jewelry piece as it hit the record price ever paid for pink diamond ring - $15.7 million! It was a big surprise for both the auction organizers and bidders as far as the pre-estimated price was only $8 million upper limit.

But this is not the only pink diamond that is likely to go under the hammer this year. “Martian Pink”, the largest pink diamond that has never been auctioned before, will be on sale at Christie's in Hong Kong on May 29. 12.04-carat pink diamond of brilliant cut is supposed to fetch about $8 million. Jewelry specialists are talking about its history: in 1976 it was bought from Harry Winston who decided to name it “Martian” to commemorate the Martian Exhibition launched by the United States. You may ask why Hong Kong became the target market, the answer is simple — Shanghai is getting the reputation of a prospective jewelry market where there are enough buyers ready to pay a significant sum of money for rare diamonds. Let's wait to find out the selling price of this gem, meanwhile you may enjoy this video

Diamonds at Sotheby's on April 18, 2012

Diamonds are versatile gems you can see adorning lady's neck, ring finger, dazzling you from under the museum and shop windows and of course skyrocketing the price at well known auctions including Sotheby's.

The upcoming sales at Sotheby's are not an exception at all. April 18 is going to be a special day with exquisite jewelry offered for sale there. These are the pieces from estate collection of several women known mostly not by name but by their deeds of philanthropy. One of them is Eunice Joyce Gardiner, the wife of Robert David Lion Gardiner. Lady Gardiner was generous this time, too. Her lots comprise 47 jewels which are estimated at $2 million minimum.
Valerie Pascal Delacorte presented her jewels from Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Buccellati and Devid Webb to gather some funds for The Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, Florida.
Nancy Blackburn Hamon's estate is quite valuable as well: 12.64-carat diamond ring and a platinum & diamond necklace or bracelet depending on how you like to wear it.

Sotherby's auction is also the place where you can see many colored rare gems, so be ready to jaw-drop at pink, yellow and blue stones this time. Such items, of course, have high presale estimate. For instance, a fancy yellow 23.02-carat ring was estimated at $1.5 million to $2 million. As usual, Sotheby's will turn into a powerful magnet for devoted collectors and buffs of one-of-a-kind things ready to part with huge sums of money to get one.