Two Flawless Diamonds May Fetch $18 Million at Hong Kong Auction

Leading Christie’s Hong Kong sale of Magnificent Jewels is a pair of unmounted round brilliant-cut D flawless diamonds, weighing 35.77 and 35.61 carats each. The auction house said it is the largest pair of its type to ever be offered at auction.

The diamond pair—each roughly the size of a cherry tomato—received a “Triple Excellent” rating for their polish, symmetry and cut grade. Adding to their allure is that they have also been determined to be Type IIa, the most chemically pure form of diamond showing exceptional appeal transparency. The Steinmetz Diamond Group, a leading diamond manufacturer and trader, cut this pair of diamonds, both of which were uncovered in South Africa.

“To find large pieces of colorless rough within the same timeframe represents an extremely rare occurrence,” Christie’s said. “To combine that with the vision to obtain a closely matched pair raises the project to new heights.” This pair was exhibited by Steinmetz at the Guggenheim in New York in December 2010.

Offered separately, the pre-auction estimate is $7 million to $9 million each.

The November 29 auction at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre will feature diamonds, colored gems, rare jadeite and signed jewels and is expected to bring in $75 million, said Vickie Sek, director of the Jewellery and Jadeite Department, Christie’s Asia.

Jewels by Harry Winston will be prominent in the sale. Leading the selection is an emerald and diamond brooch, originally purchased by a Texas oil-man and personal client to Mr. Winston who called upon the jeweler for a significant gemstone. Mr. Winston offered the man and his wife a choice: The 68.90 carat emerald or a 69.42 carat pear-shaped diamond. The wife chose the emerald, and the diamond went on to be acquired by Elizabeth Taylor and subsequently known as Taylor-Burton Diamond. For the emerald, Mr. Winston had his legendary designer, Ambaji Shinde, create the jewel. Auction estimate: $2 million – $3 million.

Among the selection of natural pearl jewels offered is a necklace of saltwater natural pearls boasting 16 matching button-shaped pearls of impressive size. Assembling such a finely-matched selection of natural pearls of this size and quality is rare and likely took decades, the auction house said. Estimate: $1.6 million to $2.25 million.

It wouldn’t be a Hong Kong auction without a strong selection of important jadeite. This sale is led by, “Three Friends of Winter,” a jadeite pendant necklace featuring a carved jadeite plaque that provides a rare balance of color, texture and translucency, the auction house said. Estimate: $2 million – $3 million.

Golconda Diamond Ear Pendants to Lead Christie's Hong Kong Jewelry Sale

Imperial Cushions: Pair of 23.49 ct. and 23.11-ct. Golconda diamond ear pendants

A pair of ear-pendants with diamonds from the legendary Golconda mines will be offered at Christie's Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels Sale on May 31. Known as the Imperial Cushions, the 23.49 cts. and 23.11 cts. D potentially flawless Golconda type IIa diamond ear-pendants has a presale estimate of $7 million to $10 million.

Besides the exceptional size and quality of the diamonds, the ear-pendants are fashioned in a cushion shaped cutting style as a perfectly matched pair. The pair of stones is “as rare as you can possibly find,” the international auction house said. “While the diamonds do not actually come with an imperial provenance, the quality, workmanship, size, and rarity are of a caliber worthy of a royal collection.”

The Golconda mines were renowned for the diamonds they produced. Among the legendary diamonds taken from the mines in the region surrounding the ancient ruined city of Golconda in south-central India, is the Darya-e Nur, meaning sea of light, at 185 carats (37 g), the largest and finest diamond of the crown jewels of Iran. Other famous diamonds that are believed to come from the area are the Hope, Wittelsbach and Regent.

The upcoming auction at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre will offer close to 300 pieces of diamonds, colored gemstones and jadeite with a presale estimate exceeding $70 million.

Other diamonds highlights include a pair of 13.09-ct. and 12.86-ct. heart-shaped diamond ear pendants with very good polish and symmetry with a presale estimate of $3 million to $4.5 million. The Type IIa, D color with internally flawless clarity diamonds are the largest pair of this quality ever to appear at auction, according to Christie’s.

Another important diamond is an un-mounted 18.88-ct. D color, flawless clarity brilliant-cut, type IIa diamond with a presale estimate of $3.2 million to $5 million. It comes with a Gemological Institute of America certificate.

All three diamonds, as previously mentioned, are of Type IIa quality. These types of diamonds are of the most chemically pure, lacking in nitrogen which therefore yield exceptional optical transparency. These diamonds represent less than 2 percent of the world’s production.

The spring sale also offers a range of important sapphires from top sapphire producing regions, including Kashmir and Burma.

Of note is a pair of 14.84-ct. and 13.37-ct., cushion-shaped Kashmir sapphires and diamond ear pendants with a presale estimate of $2.6 million to $3.8 million. The “cornflower blue” color is a hallmark of Kashmir sapphires. This rich blue is distributed throughout the stones. They possess a high clarity with a superior degree of transparency. The combination of all these characteristics is rare in natural Kashmir sapphires of this size, Christie’s said.

Among the ruby highlights is a pair of 5.23 cts. and 5.13 cts. oval-shaped Burmese ruby and diamond ear pendants with a presale estimate of $1.7 million to $2.5 million. They exhibit a well-saturated color combined with a pleasant cutting style, Christie’s said.

For pearl lovers, the sale includes a three-stranded necklace composed of 143 white natural pearls with lustrous quality. It has a presale estimate of $1.2 million to $1.8 million. The pearls measure from 2.5 to 12.8 mm, spaced by diamonds, with a suspending drop-shaped natural pearl.

A jewelry auction in Hong Kong wouldn’t be complete without Jadeite. The top piece being offered is a ring set with a 13.5mm thick double cabochon perfectly rounded on both sides. “In spite of its thickness, this precious cabochon is of exceptional translucency and purity, with even green tone and without any trace of impurities,” Christie’s said. Its pre-auction estimate is $770,000 to $1 million.

Sotheby’s Sees Red in Upcoming Hong Kong Jewelry Auction

1.92-carat VS2 fancy red diamond ring.

China now has 115 billionaires, according to Forbes magazine, and it appears Sotheby’s is making every possible effort to attract these super-rich residents as well as other high-net-worth individuals from the Asian countries with its Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite Spring Sale 2011 in Hong Kong.

The international auction house is presenting a display of colored diamonds, colored gemstones, jadeite and luxury jewelry from several periods for its April 6 sale at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre—promising that buyers will be seeing plenty of red. The sale will offer 329 lots, with an estimated value of more than $60 million. (All prices are in U.S. dollars and don’t include the buyer’s premium.).

“This auction provides a colorful variety for Asian and global collectors who have discerning taste for truly exceptional gems,” said Quek Chin Yeow, Sotheby’s deputy chairman and head of its jewelry department.

Despite all the color, the top two lots of this sale are expected to be for white diamonds. The first is a pair of D color internally flawless diamond pendent earrings totaling 36.48 cts. by Harry Winston (left), each suspending a pear-shaped diamond weighing over 14 cts., surmounted by an oval diamond weighing 4.01 cts., all D color and internally flawless (auction estimate $4.1 – 4.8 million).

This is followed by a 25.50-ct. brilliant-cut unmounted D-color flawless diamond (auction estimate $3.8 – 4.8 million) with excellent cut, polish and symmetry and Type IIa chemical purity (left). 

 

The third big item being offered is a jadeite bead necklace (Est. $3.8 – 4.5 million) comprising 53 graduated fine natural jadeite beads of luscious translucency, imperial emerald green color and great consistency. Measuring approximately 12.36 to 9.92 mm, the necklace is further adorned with a clasp set with rubies, sapphires and diamonds.

The Hong Kong auction is introducing what it calls the “Red Sale,” led by three stunners. The first is a 1.92-carat VS2 fancy red diamond ring (top picture). It is among the most unusual and rarest color in diamonds, Sotheby’s said. Few red diamonds exist in the world, most are of SI or below in clarity and rarely weigh more than 1 carat (auction estimate $2.5 – 3 million).

Next is a 27.67-ct. Burmese ruby and diamond ring from Bulgari (left). The auction house says its “pigeon’s blood” color “is the largest gem-quality unheated Burmese ruby from the legendary mines of Mogok, famous for producing the world’s best rubies to appear at auction in recent years.” Rubies exceeding 10 carats without thermal enhancement are extremely rare and are irreplaceable as the mines no longer produce rubies of such a significant size and quality (estimate $1.5 - 2.5 million).

Finally, there’s a Burmese ruby and diamond necklace, and pair of matching pendent earrings, totaling 29 rubies weighing 75.56 cts. (left), also from the Mogok mines (estimate $1.4 - 1.9 million).

The top colored diamond being offered is a 12.72-ct. pear-shaped internally flawless fancy pink diamond and diamond ring by Indian jewelry designer Nirav Modi (Est.$3.2 – 4 million). Also featured in the sale is a 25.26-ct. fancy vivid yellow diamond and diamond ring (Est. $1.7 - 2 million); and a 1.13-ct. fancy vivid yellowish green diamond ring (Est. $500,000 – 580,000).

Colored gemstone offerings are led by a 23.19-ct. Brazilian cat’s-eye alexandrite on a diamond ring (Est. $1.3 – 1.6 million). The color changes from reddish purple in incandescent light to bluish green in daylight (pictured left). This combined with a well-centered and pronounced chatoyancy (or cat’s-eye effect), makes the gem is extremely unusual and among the finest to exist in the current market in both quality and size, Sotheby’s said.


 
Other natural gemstones include a 29.20-ct. Burmese sapphire and diamond ring ($400,000 – 600,000) and a pair of 9.10 and 8.56-ct. Burmese sapphire and diamond earrings ($190,000 – 230,000), both natural, unheated and of noble “Royal Blue,” color, the most desirable in Burmese sapphires, Sotheby’s said. In addition, there’s a pair of 10.73 and 9.52-ct. Colombian emerald and diamond pendent earrings (pictured left) with natural untreated Colombian emeralds ($800,000 – 1 million).

Chinese and Chinese inspired jewelry designs include a 7.31-ct. cushion-shaped F-color diamond, amethyst and pink Sapphire ring, by renowned Hong Kong contemporary jewelry, Wallace Chan (Est. $85,000 - 120,000). Another highly sculptural piece is a diamond and gem-set “Azalea” solstice cuff by Cindy Chao (pictured left). Centering on a 7.02-ct. fancy light yellow diamond, the bangle is modeled as a blooming azalea and adorned with diamonds and gemstones of more than 30 colors, together weighing approximately 124 carats (Est. $150,000 – 190,000). There’s also the "endless-cut" diamond bangle by Nirav Modi (Est. $60,000 – 80,000), weighing approximately 16.80 cts. (pictured left) It features Modi’s signature diamond cutting and setting technique known as “Enigma setting.” It requires diamonds of a particular shape substantially different from ordinary diamond cuts. The result is an endless ring of brilliance, without beginning or end.

Classic period jewels include a Burmese ruby and diamond “Foliage” bracelet from Van Cleef & Arpels, circa 1959 (Est. $400,000 – 480,000), made of natural and unheated Burmese rubies weighing approximately 29.60 cts. and diamonds weighing about 20 cts., mounted on a lithe and graceful bracelet that curls naturally around the wearer’s wrist (left). There’s also a Kashmir sapphire and diamond clip brooch from Cartier London (Est. $50,000 – 60,000). The Art Deco creation centers on a 3.04-ct. hexagonal natural unheated Kashmir sapphire, surrounded by sapphires totaling approximately 7.50 cts. 

Then there’s a Jadeite “Huaigu” ruby and diamond necklace and pair of matching pendent earrings by American jewelry designer Carvin French, circa 1996. The Chinese-inspired suite comprises 33 highly translucent jadeite “huaigus”—one of the most iconic forms in traditional Chinese jewelry – each centering on a cabochon ruby. The necklace is accompanied by pendent earrings each set with two jadeite “huaigus” (Est. $490,000 – 640,000).

Finally, there’s a pair of Jadeite “8” and diamond pendent earrings (Est. $320,000 – 380,000), of vivid emerald green color and outstanding translucency. The number 8 is an auspicious symbol in traditional Chinese culture that bestows good fortune upon its wearer.

Christie’s Jewelry, Jadeite and Watch Sales Totaled $518 Million in 2010

“The Perfect Pink,” a 14.23ct. intense pink gem achieved $23.2 million in Hong Kong in November, 2010, to become the most expensive jewel ever sold in Asia.

Led by spectacular colored diamonds, jewelry sales at Christie’s International totaled a new record of $426.4 million, smashing the previous record of $395 million set in 2007. The international auction house said each of its major sales regions experienced significant increases, most notably Asia with (up 73 percent) and Europe (up 70 percent).

“This tremendous leap in Christie's results is due to a renewed confidence in the jewelry market, seen all over the world,” the company said in a statement. “With many new buyers in Europe, the U.S. and naturally Asia actively participating at a high level, competition has become more intense than ever for rare jewels and gems of the highest quality. In particular, collectors from Mainland China have become a formidable force as they bid enthusiastically on many top pieces, displaying a continued passion for jadeite and growing connoisseurship of ‘Western’ jewelry.”

Colored diamonds were undoubtedly the highlight of the year, with “The Perfect Pink,” a 14.23ct intense pink gem achieving $23.2 million in Hong Kong in November, becoming the most expensive jewel ever sold in Asia. Similarly, The Bulgari Blue (left), a two-stone ring featuring a 10.95ct vivid blue and a 9.87ct G, VS1 diamond, fetched $15.8 million or a world record $1.4 million per carat for the blue gem.

“Based on current market demand, the focus in 2011 will undoubtedly be the search for gems of the highest quality, historic diamonds and colored stones, as well as rare signed jewels, which international collectors consider the most desirable today,” Christie’s said.

In addition, 2010 was a strong year for Christie’s watch sales, which realized a record-breaking $91.2 million. Every watch sale hosted at Christie’s salerooms in Dubai, Hong Kong, Geneva, and in New York achieved sell-through rates above 90 percent by value and the top watch of the year was a unique Patek Philippe Reference 1527 manufactured in 1943 that sold for a record $5.7 million at Christie’s Geneva.

In total, jewelry, jadeite and watch sales took in $518 million for the auction house.

Total sales for Christie’s rose a spectacular 53 percent in 2010 to $5 billion, the highest sales total in the 245 year history of the firm. The figure is also the highest annual sales total ever recorded in the industry. Sales totals include private sales of $572.4 million, a year-over-year increase of 39 percent.