Christie’s New York auction

The Largest Diamond Ever Mined in North America up for Auction

*204.36-carat “Dancing Sun” fancy intense yellow diamond*

A 204.36 carat fancy yellow diamond hits the block at the Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction on June 8 in New York City. The Dancing Sun, with an estimate of $3.5 million to $5.5 million, is the largest polished diamond ever mined in North America.

It was cut from a piece of rough weighing 552.74 carats. Six smaller diamonds were cut from the same rough, ranging from 14.52 to 1.06 carats, and are also included in the sale. All six are set into rings. The rough diamond came from the Diavik Diamond Mine, the second to open following the great Canadian diamond rush of the 1990s.

The previous record for the largest known gem quality rough ever mined in North America was the 187.66 carat Foxfire rough, also mined at Diavik. It was cut into several gems, including a pair of pear shapes weighing 37.87 and 36.80 carats, auctioned at Christie’s New York in December 2018 for $1.5 million.

Largest ever Russian diamond to be auctioned at Christie’s

100.94 carat D colour, internally flawless,
christies, — *100.94 carat D colour, internally flawless rectangular step-cut diamond*

Alrosa Spectacle, a 100.94 carat diamond that is thought to be the largest ever cut in Russia, will be auctioned in Geneva later this month.

The diamond could fetch between 12 million and 18 million Swiss francs ($13.32 million – $19.96 million) when it goes under the hammer at Christie’s May 12.

“This fantastic 100 carat D color diamond was cut from a rough stone that originally weighed more than 200 carats. It was called the Sergei Diaghilev rough diamond and it was mined in 2016,” Marie-Cecile Cisamolo, a specialist in the auction house’s jewelry department, said.

“Between the rough and diamond that we’re offering today, it took one year and eight months to cut into this perfect stone.”

The diamond is one of 144 lots on offer in the sale, which also includes rings, earrings, brooches and other pieces made with diamonds, sapphires and rubies.

Source: dailysabah

Christie’s to Auction $12M Pink Diamond Ring

A fancy-intense-pink diamond ring with a high estimate of CHF 11 million ($12 million) is set to feature in the Magnificent Jewels sale at Christie’s Geneva.

The oval-shaped, 15.23-carat piece, surrounded by diamonds, will be offered alongside the 100.94-carat Alrosa Spectacle diamond at the May 12 auction, Christie’s said last week.

Other notable items include a heart-shaped, 53.33-carat, D-color, VVS1-clarity, type IIa diamond pendant with a high valuation of CHF 3 million ($3.3 million). A pear-shaped, 141.22-carat, fancy-brown-yellow diamond set in a diamond necklace is also on offer, carrying a high estimate of CHF 2.8 million ($3.1 million).

Meanwhile, a ring featuring a 47-carat, cushion-shaped old mine Colombian emerald surrounded by diamonds will go under the hammer. The jewel, which is from an important private collection, carries a high presale estimate of CHF 1.6 million ($1.7 million).

Christie’s will also sell a rectangular cut-cornered, 8.06-carat, fancy-purplish-pink, VVS2-clarity diamond ring bracketed by tapered baguette-cut diamonds. The piece, created by Boucheron, has a high valuation of CHF 1.5 million ($1.6 million).

Christie’s will preview the items from May 8. The sale will also feature an online component, which will be open for bidding between April 29 and May 10.

Source: Diamonds.net

Fancy Colour Diamond Trio Fetches $8M at Christie’s

The Perfect Palette diamonds. Christie’s

Three rings featuring diamonds with fancy-vivid color stole the show at the Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction, selling for more than $8 million combined.

The trio of jewels, called the Perfect Palette, achieved a total of $8.4 million at the New York sale, Christie’s said Tuesday. A 2.17-carat, fancy-vivid-purplish-pink diamond ring brought in $3.5 million, beating its $2.5 million high estimate, while a 2.13-carat, fancy-vivid-blue diamond ring sold for $2.7 million, toward the upper end of its valuation. The third — a 2.34-carat, fancy-vivid-orange diamond ring — went for $2.2 million, just under its top estimate at the April 13 sale. The entire auction garnered $35 million, with 94% of items on offer finding buyers.

Another high earner was a pear brilliant-cut, 38.04-carat, D-flawless, type IIa diamond ring, which fetched $3 million. A Burmese ruby ring by F.J. Cooper, a prominent Philadelphia jeweler, went for $1.7 million. Both pieces fell within their presale estimates.

Other notable items included an oval modified brilliant-cut, 25.55-carat, fancy-vivid-yellow, VS1-clarity diamond ring, which sold for $1.7 million, smashing its $1.2 million high estimate. An emerald-cut, 14.50-carat, D-color, internally flawless, type IIa diamond ring also shattered its $1 million upper valuation, selling for $1.4 million at the auction.

A diamond and onyx Serpenti wristwatch, donated by Bulgari, fetched $50,000, within estimates. Proceeds from the timepiece will benefit the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.

Participants at the sale originated from 40 countries across five continents, Christie’s noted. The auction house is still holding its Online Jewels sale, which began on April 8 and will run through April 20. It features a selection of items from Bulgari, Cartier and Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co., among others.

Source: Diamonds.net

Christie’s Gets Colorful with New York Auction

Three rings featuring diamonds with fancy-vivid color will head up the Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in New York next month.

The trio of jewels, called the Perfect Palette, comprises a 2.13-carat, fancy-vivid-blue diamond ring, estimated at $2 million to $3 million, Christie’s said Tuesday. Also included are a 2.34-carat, fancy-vivid-orange diamond ring and a 2.17-carat, fancy-vivid-purplish-pink diamond ring, both with a high valuation of $2.5 million. Each will be offered as a separate lot at the April 13 sale, the auction house added.

Other notable items are two oval modified brilliant-cut diamonds. The first — a 25.55-carat, fancy-vivid-yellow, VS1-clarity diamond ring — has a high estimate of $1.2 million, while the 6.56-carat, fancy-intense-orangey-pink, VVS1-clarity diamond ring carries an upper valuation of $1 million.

An oval mixed-cut, 3.02-carat, fancy-vivid-purplish-pink, SI2-clarity diamond ring, set with round pink diamonds on the band, is estimated at up to $1.5 million. Christie’s will offer that piece without reserve.

Meanwhile, a pear brilliant-cut, 38.04-carat, D-flawless, type IIa diamond ring with a high estimate of $3.5 million will feature as a top lot. An emerald-cut, 14.50-carat, D-color, internally flawless, type IIa diamond valued at up to $1 million is also up for sale, as are signed pieces by designers Suzanne Belperron, Bulgari, Cartier, David Webb, Harry Winston, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Verdura.

Christie’s will hold a concurrent Online Jewels auction from April 8 to 20, featuring a selection of items from Bulgari, Cartier and Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co., among others. The auction house has not decided whether it will hold an in-person sale or conduct live bidding over the phone and online, a spokesperson told Rapaport News.

Source: diamonds.net

Christie’s Online Jewelry Auction Sells Out

Christie’s garnered $799,125 from its online sale of jewelry by designer Michele della Valle, with 100% of items finding buyers.

The top lot at the auction was a pair of yellow sapphire, tsavorite garnet and diamond lemon earrings, which went for $75,000, smashing its $10,000 high estimate, Christie’s said last week. Another set of earrings — containing 52 round and 12 baguette-cut diamonds weighing a total of 1.55 carats, tsavorite garnets, and red agate beads — also soared past its upper valuation. The pair, designed to look like cherries, brought in $37,500, well over its $6,000 estimate.

A number of emerald and tourmaline pieces also fared well. A brooch featuring round emeralds and cabochon green tourmalines sold for $37,500, well above its estimate, while a pair of earrings set with round, oval and marquise-cut emeralds fetched $25,000, nearly four times its high valuation. A square step-cut, 13.25-carat orange tourmaline ring, surrounded by cabochon green tourmalines and diamonds, brought in $23,750, against a high valuation of $6,000.

“With a background in opera and the arts, della Valle’s aptitude for creative output knows no bounds,” said Caroline Ervin, a specialist for Christie’s jewelry department. “For decades, della Valle has delighted jewelry collectors and fans alike with his bold and colorful creations. His unexpected and whimsical creations offered in our sale were met with enthusiasm from Christie’s clients around the world.”

In total, Christie’s offered 65 pieces by the designer, with bidders from 24 countries participating in the auction.

Source: Diamonds.net

28 Carat Diamond Could Fetch $2 Million At Christie’s Online Auction

Christie’s is offering the largest D-color diamond to be sold at an online auction. What may be more important is that this sale could establish a new way of selling statement diamonds and gems.

A 28.86 carat, D color, VVS1 clarity diamond is the top lot at Christie’s Jewels Online sale, June 16 – 20. Its estimate is $1 million – $2 million, making it the highest valued lot ever offered for sale online at Christie’s.

With live auctions closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic, auction houses have turned to its already robust infrastructure of online auctions and it has paid off for the two largest auction houses, Christie’s and Sotheby’s, with sell-through rates well above 90 percent and many items surpassing estimates. However, what is being sold is limited to signed and unsigned period jewels at lower values than what are normally sold at live auctions.

8ct. Bulgari Blue Diamond to Lead Christie’s New York

A Bulgari diamond ring will be the top lot at next month’s Christie’s New York auction, with a presale estimate of $13 million to $18 million.

The cushion-cut, 8.08-carat, fancy-vivid-blue piece will go under the hammer at the Magnificent Jewels sale on December 5, the auction house said last week.

The stone is one of a number of colored diamonds on offer, including a heart-shaped, 15.56-carat, fancy-intense-pink diamond-pendant necklace estimated at $9.5 million to $12 million.

Christie’s will also offer a pair of earrings weighing a combined 77.71 carats from the 187.7-carat Diavik Foxfire, North America’s largest known gem-quality rough diamond. The earrings are valued at $1 million to $3 million, with the buyer getting something extra for the money: a trip to the Diavik diamond mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories, where Rio Tinto unearthed the stone in 2015.

Other notable lots include a 28.70-carat, D-color, VVS2-clarity, type IIa diamond ring from the estate of art collector Lee Vandervelde. Proceeds from the piece, estimated at $1.5 million to $2.5 million, will benefit the Los Angeles-based Children’s Hospital and Children’s Institute. An Old European-cut, 15.19-carat, D-color, internally flawless diamond ring will also go under the hammer with a presale estimate of $1.5 million to $1.8 million.

An 8.09-carat fancy-vivid-yellow diamond ring by Gillot & Co. will also be up for auction, as will signed pieces from Bulgari, Cartier, Harry Winston, Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels, Suzanne Belperron and René Boivin.

The auction house will preview the jewels between November 30 and December 4, ahead of the sale.

Image: The 8.08-carat Bulgari blue diamond ring. (Christie’s)

Source: Diamonds.net