Diamond Adorned Barbie Fetches $302,000 at Auction

Billed as the world’s most expensive Barbie, the doll, designed by Stefano Canturi was sold at auction for $302,000.

The Australian jewelry designer spent four weeks working on the doll. It is adorned with a diamond collar necklace made of three carats of white diamonds centered by a 1-ct. emerald cut fancy vivid pink diamond.

All proceeds from the October 20 auction at Christie's New York went toward the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, in recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Barbie Doll with Pink Diamond Choker at Charity Auction

Barbie in all her transformations has now ventured into the world of luxury as she prepares herself for a special charity auction at Christie’s. 

Wearing a black strapless party dress, pink peep-toe stilettos, and a stunning necklace featuring a one-carat fancy vivid pink diamond, the world's most expensive Barbie (with a pre-sale estimate to sell from $300,000 to $500,000) is designed head-to-toe by fine jewelry designer Stefano Canturi. This one-of-a-kind Barbie is being offered by Christie's New York as a special item within its "Jewels: The New York Sale" on October 20. The item will be auctioned without reserve and all profits from the sale will benefit The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, in recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“Barbie by Stefano Canturi” is adorned with a Canturi collar necklace, exemplifying Stefano Canturi's 'Cubism' style of arranging carré- and baguette-cut diamonds in his signature geometric pattern. Three carats of white diamonds comprise the necklace, which is centered with a 1-ct. emerald cut fancy vivid purplish-pink diamond from the Australian Argyle mine. Collector demand for colored diamonds of this saturation and hue are on the rise, yielding auction prices in excess of $300,000 per carat, Christie’s said in a statement.

The Australian designer spent four weeks designing the doll's frame, hair style, makeup, dress, shoes, nail polish, and her jewels. The doll was unveiled to the public for the first time on September 10 at New York's Fashion's Night Out. Additional previews of the doll will be held at Canturi Jewels salons in Las Vegas and New York before being placed on public view at Christie's Rockefeller Center galleries in New York as part of its pre-sale exhibition, from October 16 - 19. The Christie’s auction and preview are free and open to the public.

Pink Diamond Ring Fetches $7.7M at Hong Kong Auction

A 6.43-ct. fancy pink vivid diamond and diamond ring by Van Cleef & Arpels was sold for $7.7 million Thursday by Sotheby’s Hong Kong. It was the top prize in the fall jewelry and jadeite auction that produced a record sale of $54 million for the auction house in another display of China’s growing wealth.

The pink center stone is flanked on each side by a cluster of pear shaped and brilliant cut diamonds, embellished to the shoulders with brilliant cut diamonds, weighing approximately 1.60 cts. The gems are mounted in platinum and 18k white gold.

A pair of fancy vivid yellow diamond and diamond pendent earrings sold for nearly $5 million. The earrings are suspended on an emerald-cut fancy vivid yellow diamond weighing approximately 21 cts and surmounted by an oval diamond each weighing 2.02 cts., to stylized open-work frames set with brilliant-cut diamonds, mounted in platinum.

      In addition, a matched pair of unmounted brilliant cut diamonds, each weighing 10.88 cts., was sold for $4.8 million, a world-record price per carat for any round white diamond.

Sotheby’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite Autumn Sale 2010 held at the new wing of Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre sold 302 lots out of the 390 lots offered (77.4 percent).

Pink Diamond Sets Canadian Auction Record

A pink diamond was auctioned for a Canadian record of $2.3 million Sunday in Toronto, according to media reports.

The gem was purchased by an anonymous buyer, possibly an American, via phone during Sunday's auction at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Toronto, The Toronto Star reported Monday. The gem, with a clarity rating of VS2, came from the Argyle mine in Australia, which is known as the world’s largest supplier of pink diamonds.

The sum paid for the diamond, which includes "full naming rights," beat the previous record for an auctioned gem in Canada, $244,000.

The auctioneer, Toronto-based Circa Auctions, said the pink diamond was valued at $2.4 million to $2.9 million before the auction.

Rare 24-ct. Fancy Pink Diamond Up for Auction

A rare pink diamond of the "purest, vibrant hue," weighing 24.78 carats and graded Fancy Intense Pink by the Gemological Institute of America will be up for auction on November 16 at Sotheby’s Geneva, as part of its sale of Magnificent Jewels. The stone has a pre-sale estimate of $27- $38 million.

The emerald-cut stone, mounted as a ring, is categorized as a type IIa classification, which comprises less than 2 percent of the world’s diamonds, the auction house said in a statement. In addition, while presently graded as VVS2 clarity, the GIA states that the stone may be internally flawless after repolishing. It is part of a private collection and has not appeared on the open market since it was purchased some 60 years ago from Harry Winston.

“During my 35-year career at Sotheby’s I have had the opportunity to examine many magnificent and rare gemstones and, put simply, this stone is one of the most desirable diamonds I have ever seen,” said David Bennett, chairman, Europe and the Middle East, Sotheby’s International Jewellery Department. “What makes it so immensely rare is the combination of its exceptional color and purity with the classic emerald-cut—a style of cutting normally associated with white diamonds and one that is so highly sought-after when found in rare colors such as pink and blue. The stone’s character is further enhanced by the gently rounded corners which impart a unique softness and charm to this truly outstanding gemstone.”

28-Carat Kashmir Sapphire Sets World Auction Record

A 28.18-carat square emerald-cut Kashmir sapphire sold for nearly $5.1 million. It achieved $180,731 per carat, setting a world auction record of a price per carat for a sapphire.

“With its exceptional quality and deep color, I knew as soon as I saw it that the stone had the potential to reach historic heights,” Gary Schuler, head of Sotheby’s Jewelry Department in New York, said in a statement.

The untreated gem on a ring is framed by 32 tapered baguette diamonds with a mounting by Oscar Heyman & Brothers. It is described by the American Gemological Laboratories as “a gem of singular importance.” The proceeds of the sale will go toward charity, according to the auction house.

The sapphire was one of three colored gems that took top honors in Sotheby’s spring auction of Magnificent Jewels held Tuesday in New York.

The top lot of the auction went to a 15.23-carat fancy intense orangy pink diamond on ring that sold for $6.1 million (pictured above). The cushion-cut diamond with VS2 clarity “displays a soft, feminine color reminiscent of pink diamonds in historic and royal collections,” according to the auction house.

In addition, a 36.53-carat emerald-cut Colombian emerald, known as the “El Dorado,” fetched more than $2.1 million (pictured above). Mounted on a ring it is flanked by two triangle-shaped diamonds weighing approximately 6 carats.

Jewelry from the estate of American entertainer Eydie Gorme sold for $2.2 million. Almost all of the jewels in the collection were given to Gorme by her longtime husband and partner, award-winning singer Steve Lawrence. Top lots of this collection included a 15.44-carat platinum and diamond ring that sold for $677,000. The center diamond is flanked by two pear-shaped diamonds weighing approximately 3 carats. And a 17.40-carat platinum and diamond ring by Harry Winston that sold for $569,000 (pictured above). The center diamond was flanked by two diamond baguettes. Both sold for well above their high estimate.

Sotheby’s auction of 445 lots fetched more than $44.3 million, with 81.8 percent sold by lot and 87 percent sold by value.

“Our results reflect the global participation of bidders throughout the day, with significant interest from private collectors, as well as the steady, strong market for diamonds and gemstones of outstanding quality,” Schuler said.

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World’s Largest Flawless Vivid Blue Diamond May Fetch $25 Million

The Blue

A 13.22-carat blue diamond is the lead item at Christie’s Geneva Magnificent Jewels sale May 14. Known as “The Blue,” the auction house says it is the largest flawless vivid blue diamond in the world. It has a pre-auction estimate of $21 to $25 million.

The Ocean Dream

Another highlight of the 250-lot auction at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues is what the auction house is calling the largest fancy vivid blue-green diamond in the world to come to auction. Known as “The Ocean Dream,” the 5.50-carat gem has an estimate of $7.5 to $9.5 million. “The combination of its size, natural origin, hue, and saturated color makes it an extremely unusual occurrence,” Christie’s said in a statement.

Other diamonds expected to generate strong international interest include a 76.51-carat light pink cut-corned diamond set as necklace centerpiece by diamond dealer Lev Leviev with an estimate of $7 to $10 million (pictured above); and a 75.97-carat pear-shaped D-color flawless diamond with an estimate of $13.5 million to $15 million (pictured below).

The 250 lot sale is estimated to fetch a total of $80 million, Christie’s said. It includes the following:

* A collection of 14 jewels from a “European Gentleman” under the heading, “A Passion for Jewels.” It includes the Rajah diamond, a 26.14-carat, old-mine brilliant-cut diamond with an estimate of $3 to $5 million. 

* Another highlight of “A Passion for Jewels” collection is the Belle Époque Devant-de-Corsage brooch, crafted in 1912 by Cartier. It is estimated to fetch $7 million to $12 million. 

* 20 pieces from the Estate of Baroness Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kaszon will be another highpoint of the auction led by a natural pearl and diamond necklace estimated at $550,000 to $700,000.

* A five-strand necklace composed of 87, 81, 76, seventy-one and 65 natural pearls with an estimate of $2 to $3 million.

* A 21.41-carat cushion-shaped Alexandrite with no indications of treatment and a distinct color-change from green to purple with an estimate of $500,000 to $700,000. 

* A necklace made of seven Mughal engraved spinel beads that date back to the 17th century with an estimate of $1.5 to $2 million. 

* A three rectangular-cut diamond ring designed by JAR with an estimate of $330,000 to $460,000. Proceeds will benefit Ospendale Pediatrico Bambino Gesu in Rome and the Pediatric department of the Ospedale San Paolo in Milan.

* Mystery-set ruby and diamond ear pendants, entitled Entrée en scène, was part of the “Une journée à Paris collection Van Cleef & Arpels launched in 2006 as an homage to Paris. It has an estimate of $200,000 to $310,000.

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11-ct. Fancy Pink Diamond Up for Auction at Sotheby’s Geneva

Sotheby’s Geneva will offer a 10.99-ct. pink diamond at its Magnificent & Noble Jewels sale on May 17. It is being offered for sale from a private collection and has not appeared on the market for more than 30 years. It has a pre-auction estimate of $9 to $16 million.

The diamond features a classic emerald cut, normally associated with white diamonds. This type of cut is highly sought-after when found in rare colors such as pink and blue, Sotheby’s said. This gem, mounted as a ring, has been graded “fancy intense pink,” natural color and VS1 clarity. It’s further assessed to be type IIa, meaning it is almost or entirely devoid of impurities with extraordinary optical transparency. Fewer than 2 percent of all diamonds in the world are given this grade of purity and most of those diamonds are white.

Colored diamonds are very desirable on the auction market right now. In November 2010, Sotheby’s Geneva set a world auction record for any diamond and any jewel when it sold the 24.78-ct. Graff Pink for $46.15 million.

“I do not remember the market for colored diamonds to have ever been as strong as it is today,” said David Bennett, chairman of Sotheby’s Jewellery Department for Europe and the Middle East.