Sales of diamond jewelry in India are recovering and could reach 85 per cent of last year, despite the pandemic, says De Beers.
A surge over the Diwali period, together with strong performances early in 2020 before COVID-19 hit, will largely make up for the second-quarter “washout”, said De Beers India managing director Sachin Jain.
“We saw very high surge in number of consumers with pent-up demand where consumers came and bought,” he told the Press Trust of India news agency.
“Due to government restrictions on travel and number of people allowed in gatherings, a lot of the overall budget for wedding is being utilised towards jewellery.”
He said the De Beers’ brand Forevermark was expected to increase its number of retail outlets by 10, to 270, by the end of the year.
He predicted diamond jewelry sales across all retailers for 2020 would be 70 to 85 per cent of 2019.
A Cartier emerald and diamond ring blew past five fancy colored diamonds to become the top lot at Sotheby’s New York Magnificent Jewels auction held Wednesday. It fetched $3.6 million, more than three-and-a-half times its high estimate.
The ring features a 21.86-carat Colombian square-emerald-cut emerald flanked by diamonds and mounted on 18k yellow gold. The emerald is described in the grading report as having “minor clarity enhancement” and a “richly saturated medium deep slightly bluish green, slightly included with a few surface reaching inclusions, and the girdle bearing a chip and a few nicks, noticeable under 10x magnification.”
The ring was from the collection of Cecile Zilkha, best known for her lifelong interest in the arts, particularly The Metropolitan Opera.
Private collections featuring a variety of signed jewels were an important part of this sale, with many items from these collections far exceeding estimates. All 29 jewels from the Cecile Zilkha collection sold, fetching a total of $11.7 million, nearly double the estimate for the collection. Eleven jewels from the collection of Marylou Whitney, the philanthropist, thoroughbred breeder, arts patron and society hostess, all sold fetching a total of $1.7 million.
The sale overall was quite successful, taking in a total of $46.9 million, the highest total for a Sotheby’s jewelry auction since 2017. In addition, 91% of the lots sold, with 74% of the lots fetching prices above their high estimates and nine pieces surpassing $1 million.
1.71-carat heart-shaped fancy red diamond with SI2 clarity fetched more than $3.1 million SOTHEBY’S
Fancy colored diamonds, including three heart-shaped gems, made up the top five lots prior to the sale. However two of the gems failed to meet the reserve price. The first was the anticipated top lot of the sale, a pink gold and platinum ring set with a 5.03-carat cut-cornered rectangular mixed-cut fancy vivid pink diamond, accented with two cut-cornered triangular step-cut fancy intense blue diamonds. Its estimate was $9 million – $12 million.
The second was a ring centered with a 2.28-carat fancy vivid blue heart-shaped diamond, encircled by round yellow and framed by white diamonds with an estimate of $2.25 million – $3.25 million.
The three remaining fancy colored diamond lots sold within estimates and were the next three top lots of the sale. They are:
* A 1.71-carat heart-shaped fancy red diamond with SI2 clarity surrounded by white diamonds and mounted on an 18k white and pink gold pendant for a necklace. It fetched more than $3.1 million.
3.67-carat fancy intense blue diamond fetched more than $3.1 million SOTHEBY’S
* A 3.67-carat fancy intense blue diamond in a cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut diamond. The stone is flanked by two emerald-cut diamonds and mounted on an 18k white gold ring. It fetched more than $2.6 million.
A 2-carat fancy vivid orange diamond fetched nearly $1.9 million SOTHEBY’S
* An 18k white and pink gold ring centered with a 2-carat fancy vivid orange diamond framed and accented by round diamonds that fetched nearly $1.9 million.
As mentioned, private collections were an important part of this sale. In addition to the Cartier emerald ring, the Cecile Zilkha collection comprised of 28 other signed and historic jewels. Among the standouts:
Emerald and diamond earclips by Bulgari fetched more than $1.1 million SOTHEBY’S
* Emerald and diamond earclips by Bulgari that fetched more than $1.1 million, double its high estimate;
* A 1930s diamond rivière by Bulgari that fetched $806,500, well above its high estimate;
* A silver-topped gold, sapphire and diamond brooch that fetched $625,000, more than double its high estimate;
* Earclips by Harry Winston featuring two cut-cornered square modified brilliant-cut Fancy Intense yellow diamonds weighing 15.24 and 14.22 carats that fetched $528,200, within estimates; and
* A ruby and diamond bracelet by Harry Winston that fetched $441,000, well above the high estimate.
A Cartier natural pearl necklace from the collection of Marylou Whitney fetched more than $1.6 … [+] SOTHEBY’S
The sale ended with 11 jewels from the collection of Marylou Whitney. The top lot in this collection was a Cartier necklace composed of 32 rare natural pearls with a diamond clasp. It fetched more than $1.6 million, more than three times its high estimate.
Emerald, ruby, sapphire and diamond Mughal-inspired necklace by David Webb sold for $327,600 SOTHEBY’S
In addition, two David Webb pieces from the Whitney collection performed extremely well. The first was a platinum bracelet set with 10 emerald-cut diamonds weighing 21.16 carats. It fetched $352,800, above estimates. The second was a showstopper Mughal-inspired necklace that boldly displays a 181.95-carat translucent carved emerald and 10 cabochon emeralds that weigh a total of 126.30 carats, along with rubies and diamonds. The necklace sold for $327,600, more than triple its high estimate.
Van Cleef & Arpels mystery-set sapphire and diamond flower brooch fetched $1.1 million SOTHEBY’S
While Cartier, Bulgari and Harry Winston dominated the headline sales, jewels from Van Cleef & Arpels may have had the biggest impact overall. Twenty-eight jewels by the Parisian luxury brand were sold at the auction. The top lot from Van Cleef & Arpels was a mystery-set sapphire and diamond brooch designed as a flower from a New York collector that sold for more than $1.1 million, nine times its high estimate. That was certainly a headline sale.
An indication that private collections and signed jewels were going to dominate came at the very beginning of the sale. The first 10 lots from a private family collection were by Van Cleef & Arpels. They all sold well above their estimates.
Other auction highlights included:
Jadeite, natural pearl and diamond necklace by Raymond Yard, circa 1935, fetched $1.6 million SOTHEBY’S
* A jadeite, natural pearl and diamond necklace by Raymond Yard, circa 1935, sold for $1.6 million after competition from three phone bidders, more than four times its high estimate. The piece was offered from the estate of Mary Lily Kenan Flagler.
Cartier sapphire and diamond bracelet in a fan design, circa 1960s, fetched $1 million SOTHEBY’S
* A Cartier sapphire and diamond bracelet in a fan design, circa 1960s, that fetched just over $1 million, just topping its high estimate.
A ring set with a 1.08-carat pear-shaped fancy vivid blue diamond sold for $927,500 SOTHEBY’S
* A ring set with a 1.08-carat pear-shaped fancy vivid blue diamond accented by round diamonds sold for $927,500, above estimates. The piece was offered by a Texan collector.
Christie’s sold a Kashmir sapphire and diamond bracelet to Harry Winston for $6 million on Tuesday, kicking off the December New York Magnificent Jewels season.
The piece, which led the auction house’s New York sale, featured a 43.10-carat sapphire surrounded by 67.90 carats of D-color, internally flawless diamonds. The final price fell within the estimate of $5 million to $7 million that Christie’s had given ahead of the sale.
“We are very proud to have purchased this extraordinary Kashmir sapphire, which joins the ranks of the finest diamonds and colored gemstones acquired by Winston to form our superb Legacy Collection,” Harry Winston CEO Nayla Hayek said in a statement Tuesday.
Christie’s brought in $44.6 million at the 10-hour Magnificent Jewels auction, with 95% of items selling by value and 91% by lot, it reported. Bidders took part from 39 countries, with the final sales total equal to 118% of the items’ combined low estimates.
Sapphires were a theme at the sale: A 1917 Van Cleef & Arpels ring featuring a 21.72-carat cabochon Kashmir sapphire ring went for $1.7 million, while a necklace with an 80.86-carat Burma sapphire in the center fetched $1.1 million. Meanwhile, a Cartier brooch set with an Art Deco Kashmir sapphire weighing 12.64 carats, formerly from the collection of Jean Stralem, realized $1.5 million.
Other highlights included a pair of earrings containing fancy-intense-purplish-pink and fancy-intense-pink diamonds, weighing 2.61 and 2.34 carats. The piece sold for $2.1 million.
The auction preceded the Sotheby’s New York Magnificent Jewels sale, which takes place Wednesday. A ring featuring a fancy-vivid-pink diamond flanked by two fancy-intense-blue diamonds — estimated at up to $12 million — will headline that event.
Lucapa Diamond Company has recovered the 16th 100 plus carat diamond from the Lulo alluvial mine in Angola, Africa.
The 127 carat gem quality white stone is the third 100 plus carat diamond delivered this year.
Lucapa recovered the stone from the flood plain area in Mining Block 24 the first 100 plus carat diamond produced in this mining block.
It was found during Lucapa’s dry season operations.
“The recovery of this 127 carat stone, which is Lulo’s 16th 100 plus carat diamond recovered, continues to showcase the exceptional nature of the lulo alluvial deposit and highlights the potential of the mining campaign planned for these previously untouched and expansive leziria areas along the Cacuilo River,” Lucapa managing director Stephen Wetherall said.
The discovery was preceded by a 46 carat pink coloured diamond recovered at the Lulo mine last week. It was cut and polished into three diamonds.
Meanwhile, the largest stone in carat found at Lulo was a 404 carat diamond the largest recorded gem in Angola, which was discovered in 2016.
An elaborate floral-shaped ring sporting 12,638 tiny diamonds has earned a place in the Guinness World Records, but its Indian creator has no plans to sell his priceless design just yet.
Called “The Marigold – The Ring of Prosperity,” the chunky circular band weighs a little over 165 grams (5.8 ounces).
“It’s wearable and comfortable,” said 25-year-old Harish Bansal, who described his audacious creation as a dream project. Bansal said he got the idea two years ago while studying jewelry design in the western city of Surat, India’s diamond hub.
“My target was always more than 10,000 diamonds. I trashed many designs and concepts over the years to finally zero in on this,” Bansal Said.
In a statement, his company said that each tiny petal in the ring’s eight-layer flower design was unique.
Bansal said he had already knocked back requests from prospective buyers.
“We have no plans of selling it right now,” he said. “It’s a matter of pride for us. It’s priceless.”
The previous record determined by Guinness, also set in India, was for a ring containing 7,801 diamonds.
The gem-quality 46 carat rough pink diamond was sold by SML into a cutting and polishing partnership with SML’s preferred buyer, Safdico International.
Under the partnership agreement, SML retained a share in the margin to be generated from the sale of the resultant polished diamonds.
The Lulo partners are pleased to advise the results delivered from cutting & polishing the 46 carat diamond.
The rough diamond delivered three polished diamonds a 15.2 carat Heart and two Pear shaped diamonds weighing 3.3 carats and 2.3 carats.
The main delivery, a 15.2 carat Heart shaped diamond was graded by the Gemmological Institute of America (GIA) as Fancy Intense Orangy Pink, with a clarity grade of VVS1 and Excellent gradings for both polish and symmetry.
The 46 carat pink coloured diamond is the largest gem quality coloured rough diamond recovered to date from Lulo mining operations.
Hong Kong customs officials seized 162 diamonds at a border with China last week, claiming the stones had been smuggled in a driver’s trouser pocket.
The goods had a market value of around HKD 6.4 million ($826,000), making it the largest diamond-smuggling case Hong Kong authorities had detected in the past three years, the Customs and Excise Department said in a statement Friday.
Officers intercepted a truck at Heung Yuen Wai Control Point, a crossing between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, and arrested the 33-year-old male driver, the statement reported. They later arrested another 33-year-old man in Sham Shui Po, a neighborhood of Hong Kong, in connection with the ongoing investigation.
“Customs will continue to take stringent enforcement action against cross-boundary smuggling activities through risk assessment and intelligence analysis,” the department continued. “Smuggling is a serious offence.”
The penalty for this type of crime is a fine of up to HKD 2 million ($258,000) and seven years’ imprisonment, it noted.
The incident comes after Chinese officials arrested 121 people in September in connection with alleged smuggling of diamonds. The suspects were accused of bringing CNY 3.88 billion (around $570 million) in goods into the country via illegal means since 2015.
Lucapa Diamond Company has pocketed a neat $9 million from the latest diamond sales from its Lulo alluvial mine in Angola.
The diamonds were sold through Lucapa’s partners, Empresa Nacional de Diamantes and Rosas & Petalas, for an average US$1550 per carat.
With 4269 carats sold, this brings the total proceeds from the sale to US$6.6 million.
Importantly, this sale price is higher than the year-to-date average of US$1371 per carat.
So far, Lucapa has sold just under 20,400 diamond carats over the 2020 calendar year for US$28 million.
Angola and Lesotho diamond exploration Lucapa produces diamonds from both the Lulo mine in Angola and the Mothae kimberlite mine in Lesotho a small kingdom completely landlocked by South Africa.
The company faced some turmoil earlier this year when COVID-19 restrictions in Angola and South Africa dealt a blow to Lucapa’s operations.
Nevertheless, operations were back up and running at both mines soon after the end of the September quarter.
So far, Lucapa’s Lulo mine has produced 15 100 carat plus diamonds making it one of the highest dollar-per-carat alluvial diamond producers in the world.
At Mothae, Lucapa has produced over 30,000 carats of diamonds in just one year of production, with three diamonds at over 100 carats each.
Botswana Diamonds (LON:BOD) said on Monday it had completed the acquisition of Sekaka, the exploration vehicle that belonged to embattled rival Petra Diamonds (LON:PDL) and which held three prospecting licenses in the country’s Central Kalahari Game Reserve.
In one of its licenses, Sekaka had singled out the KX36 kimberlite pipe, which is situated about 70 km from Gem Diamonds’ Ghaghoo mine, and 260 km north-west of Botswana’s capital Gaborone.
SIGN UP FOR THE PRECIOUS METALS DIGEST Sekaka also had a recently built, fit-for-purpose bulk sampling plant on-site that includes crushing, scrubbing, dense media separation circuits and X-ray recovery modules within a secured area.
The acquisition includes an extensive database, built up over 15 years of exploration.
Botswana Diamonds believes the information contained in the database will provide substantial support to its future kimberlite exploration activities in the mining-dependent country, the world’s second-largest diamond producer.
“We are delighted that this acquisition has now closed. This paves the way to explore commercial development options for KX36 and begin to evaluate the extensive database in conjunction with ours to discover more kimberlites in prime diamond real estate,” chairperson John Teeling said in a media statement.
Diamond exports from the southern African nation dropped 42% to $1.49 billion in the first nine months of this year as production fell 29% to 12.3 million carats due to covid-related restrictions.
Botswana’s mining sector provides a fifth of the country’s GDP and 80% of its foreign exchange earnings.
Mounting woes Petra Diamonds, the former owner of Sekaka, has been struggling for over two years. Its weak financial position pushed it to shed non-core assets and put itself up for sale in June.
The company reversed the decision in October, opting instead for a debt-for-equity restructuring. The deal would leave existing shareholders with just 9% of the company.
Petra is also dealing with allegations of human rights abuses at its Williamson mine in Tanzania, resulting from the actions of its security guards.
It recently reported a 36% fall in revenue and a net loss of $223 million (168.7 million pounds) for the year ended June 30, as the coronavirus pandemic deepened the company’s financial woes.
Gem Diamonds has recovered a 179 carat rough diamond from its Letšeng mine in Lesotho.
The miner found the high quality, type I diamond on Thanksgiving Day, it said last week. The stone is the 16th diamond over 100 carats the company has found this year. Earlier this month, Gem Diamonds unearthed 104 and 111 carat specimens from the deposit.
The company has already found more diamonds over 100 carats this year than in 2019, when it reported 11 rough diamonds of that magnitude.
Letšeng also yielded a 14.09 carat, pink, type II diamond of high quality last week from its mine in Lesotho.
The miner unearthed the “top quality” type II stone from the deposit on November 24, it said Wednesday. The discovery comes after the company found a 77 carat yellow diamond at the mine in September.
Gem Diamonds has also found 14 diamonds weighing over 100 carats this year, including 104 and 111 carat diamonds earlier this month.
