Rare Colored Diamonds

RareColoredDiamonds.com featured on Business Television

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 02:32:00 +0000

RareColoredDiamonds.com has been featured on Business Television. Hosted by Taylor Thoen, Business Television airs on BNN, CNN, CBC Newsworld, and America One Television Network. You can view the interview online here:

http://www.b-tv.com/features/watch-now.html?id=326

Look for it on TV this weekend by checking the Business Television Broadcast Schedule.

Levinson Jewelers 25th Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:47:00 +0000

On Wednesday April 9, we celebrated Levinson Jewelers' 25th year in business... Levinson Style.

Harold and Harriet Seigel, Mark and Robin Levinson, and Jason and Katina Taylor.

Dan and Claire Marino with Harold and Harriet Seigel.

Mark and Robin Levinson, Harold Seigel and John D'Amico.

Blue Diamond Fetches $30M at Auction

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:00:00 +0000

London, England - A grey-blue diamond sold for 16.3 million pounds ($30.3 million) at auction Wednesday in London, exceeding initial estimates significantly.

The 35.56-carat diamond, once owned by Spain's King Philip IV, had been expected to earn bids of up to nine million pounds ($16.7 million) at the Christie's auction.

The stone, known as the Wittelsbach diamond, is especially prized for its historic significance. Once passed down from King Philip IV to his daughter Infanta Margarita Teresa in the 17th century, it was later owned by the Wittelsbach family of Bavaria.

Christie's auctioned the diamond in 1931, and it re-emerged in the 1960s.

As posted on:
http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2008/12/10/diamond-auction.html?ref=rss

Exceptional Rarity....

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:13:00 +0000

Rare colored diamonds are the world's rarest diamonds and parallel in rarity with the world's most obscure and nebulous gemstones. Finding a large colored diamond is as easy as the old express "finding a needle in a haystack". With only 1 in every 10,000 diamond carats being colored, finding a large colored diamond is almost unheard of.

Consider the journey a colored diamond takes before it reaches the jeweler and the remarkable conditions under which it forms. Diamonds are formed approximately 150-200km below the earth's surface and are carried to the surface inside kimberlite stones in volcanic eruptions. All natural diamonds are over a billion years old and most of these volcanic eruptions occurred more than million years ago. In order to detract the diamond from the ore, the ore is crushed with care taken not to destroy large diamonds. Only a very small fraction of the diamond ore consists of actual diamonds. Approximately 20 % of colorless diamond carats are gem quality. Of that percentage 1 out of every 10,000 carat is naturally colored.

Colorless diamonds are made of 100% carbon. For a diamond to be naturally colored it must come in contact with another mineral which reacts to the carbon producing a colored hue in the diamond-this process is extremely rare.

Clarity is a large factor contributing to the rarity of a colored diamond. Almost all diamonds contain tiny, inconspicuous marks called inclusions. If the inclusion is not visible to the naked eye the clarity of the diamond improves the rarity and price.

The rarity of a colored diamond is affected by its size. A 1.00 carat colored diamond, although twice the size of a .05 diamond, is worth more than twice its value. This is because a 1.00 carat is statistically more difficult to mine than a diamond half its size. A large diamond (over 5 carats), because of the sensitivity required to ensure it is not damaged in the mining process, is much scarcer than a 1.00 carat. For this reason large colored diamonds are exceeding rare and valuable.

Red diamonds are one of the rarest colored diamonds. Currently it is believe that there are thirty-five flawless red diamonds known and most weigh under a carat. The largest is the Moussaieff Red at 5.11 carats found by a Brazilian farmer. *

The Steinmetz pink is internally flawless and the largest vivid pink diamond known weighing 59.60 carats. Because of its significance, experts from The Steinmetz Group took 20 months to cut it.*

After billions of years of formation which includes a fluke infusion of a foreign mineral, colored diamonds are propelled from under the the earth's surface in a volcanic erosion and then survive the crushing process of being procured from the ore. The percentage of colored diamonds that emerge from the entire process as flawless and weighing more than 1-2 carats is minimal. It is no wonder that these priceless diamonds are highly sought after by investors and Hollywood celebrities looking to invest in the most elite and exquisite diamonds in the world.

* Information taken from the Smithsonian Museum website.

Yellow Diamonds: An Overview

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:08:00 +0000

Yellow diamonds are showing up on the cover of celebrity magazines and the red carpet like splashes of nitrogen sunshine. Of all colored diamonds, yellow diamonds are most commonly encountered. Between 1998 and 2006 the GIA graded more than 100,000 yellow diamonds. Because they are more abundant they are also more affordable that other colored diamonds ranging from $1,500 per carat to $70,000 per carat depending on cut, color and clarity.

Although more common than the rarer fancy diamonds, today's yellow diamonds have an opulent and dazzling ancestry loaded with rich history.

Descriptions of sighting of yellow diamonds date back to 1676 by French traveler and gem-dealer Jean-Baptiste Tavernier while in India, but the first major discovery of yellows diamonds was in South Africa in the late 1860s. The earliest record was of a yellow crystal, which was cut into what is now the Eureka diamond. In 1878 a 287.45 rough piece was discovered in the Kimberly mine and subsequently cut into the world-famous Tiffany diamond.

Today yellow diamonds are found in mines throughout the world, and findings are so widespread that no one mine stands out as particularity plenteous, although the largest pieces of rough still originate in South Africa.

The cut of a diamond is very important and significantly affects the color and this is especially true for yellow diamonds. The cut of a yellow diamond often makes the difference between a colorless D-to-Z scale grading or a Fancy Yellow grading. The cut enhances the color making it appear darker and richer and therefore increasing the grading and value of the diamond. Square or near square shapes such as radiant and cushion yield the best color retention in yellow diamonds. The cut also effects the perceived distribution of color throughout the diamond. The yellow color may appear only in certain areas of the diamond and the GIA grading would describe the color as "uneven".

Yellow diamonds have gained public attention through the notoriety of a few historic diamonds including the 128.54 ct Tiffany, the 101.29ct Allnat or the 407.48 ct Incomparable Diamond.

The Tiffany diamond is perhaps the most famous yellow diamond. Discovered in South America, the 128.54 ct diamond has been in the Tiffany collection since 1879 and is now displayed at Tiffany & Co. in New York as part of the Jean Schlumberger's jewel, "Bird on a Rock". It was graded by the GIA in 1984.

The 101.29 Allnat(t) a Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond, named after one of its previous owners Alfred Ernest Allnatt, origins are unclear, but it is presumed that it was found in what is now De Beers Premier Diamond mine. Allnatt purchased the diamond in the early 1950, commissioned a setting made of platinum and diamonds and sold it at a Christie's auction for $3,043,496 US in 1996.

Found in Mbuji Mayi in the Democratic Republic of Congo by a young girl in 1980, the 407.48 ct Incomparable Diamond is the third largest gem-quality faceted diamond in the world. The diamond passed through many hands and took over four years in the cutting process before it was graded by the GIA in 1988 as Internally Flawless. Strangely, the giant gem was put on eBay in November of 2002 at at starting bid of 15 pounds sterling. The gem was never sold and it is believed to still be owned by Louis Glick, one of the original owners.

The Moon of Baroda is a 24.04 Canary yellow diamond from India. It was part of the Maharajah of Borado lineage and was last displayed in 1944. The diamond was lent to Marilyn Monroe to promote "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". Recently the diamond was part of a 2008 Diamond Divas exhibit.

Yellow diamonds may not command the sky-high prices of the rarer colored diamonds, but their significance in the world of fancy diamonds is marked by some of the most distinguished diamonds in the world.

Rare Diamonds Equal Giant Returns

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:26:00 +0000

In 1987 the "Hancock Red" diamond sold for over $926,000 per carat at Christie's Auction in New York setting a new world record for the highest per-carat price paid for a colored diamond at an auction. The 0.95 carat diamond had been mined in Brazil and was put up for auction by heir of a Montana collector, Warren Hancock. It is believed that he purchased it in 1956 for $13,500. For the last twenty years, the Hancock Red diamond held the title as the world's most expensive colored diamond sold at an auction.

According to some stats, the same diamond could now be worth approximately $7 million. For the last 35 years the value of diamonds has doubled every six to seven years, and as the demand for colored diamonds increases the per-carat price continues to soar. With every 1 out of 10,000 diamonds mined being colored, the demand greatly outweighs the available supply of these rare diamonds.

In the last five years colored diamonds have become popular among newly engaged Hollywood stars. As more and more celebrities flaunt the spectacular colored diamond engagement rings, the trend for these diamonds continues to grow.

Since the sale of the Hancock Red, colored diamonds have fetched exorbitant prices although coming close, none have topped the record-breaking red diamond. In 1999 a 0.90 carat Fancy Vivid green was sold for $736,111 per carat and a 3.95 carat Fancy Deep blue sold for $420,557 per carat in 2001. In June of 2005 a 4.24 carat Fancy Vivid blue was sold for $426,415 per carat.

After twenty years the legendary Hancock Red diamond recently surrendered its title to a stunning six-carat blue diamond that sold for $1.32 million per carat at a Sotheby's auction in Hong Kong late last year breaking the long-standing price-per-carat record for an auctioned diamond. The total value of the diamond was nearly $8 million.

Investing in rare colored diamonds has been one of the best kept secrets in the diamond industry. Based on the history of the continual increase in value, investing in even the smallest diamonds is proving to have giant rates of return. With the demand for top quality diamonds, both Christie's and Sotheby's anticipate the price of colored diamonds to continue to rise in the following year.

Fancy Colored Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:38:00 +0000

The majority of diamonds are colorless stones, but they often have a very faint shading of color-typically yellow or brown-that lowers their quality. When that shading is intense and vibrant, however, the stones become sought after and valuable, and the diamond industry grades them as "fancy" diamonds. Red and pink shades are the most rare, though any vivid color is unusual-less than two percent of diamonds can be classified as colored.

Yellow diamonds are created by trace amounts of nitrogen in the crystal structure. Shades of color vary from a bright canary yellow to a deeper, darker marmalade hue, though the key qualities of diamond color relate to the intensity and evenness of the coloration. Marbled shades or those that appear washed-out are less valuable.

Natural yellow diamonds have been mined in Africa, South America, and Australia. Fancy colored stones tend to be small, and they make elegant accents to colorless diamonds for unique engagement rings and other pieces of jewelry.

Because of the popularity of colored diamonds, treated stones are an alternative to natural gems. High pressure, high temperature treatments can enhance the existing yellow tones of low quality diamonds, creating vivid shades and more desirable, intense colors suitable for yellow diamond engagement rings. Diamonds may also be irradiated to create an artificial coloration. If a diamond has received any such enhancements, the details of the treatment should be disclosed either on the gem's certificate or by the jeweler.

Designs for Yellow Diamond Engagement Rings
There are limitless possibilities to create stunning engagement rings with yellow diamonds. Because of the stone's coloration, however, not every style will be as complimentary, and couples should consider the stone's individual characteristics and precise color when choosing a setting and design.

Stones
To preserve the intense coloration of a brilliant yellow diamond, the stone’s cut and shape must be appropriate. A poor cut can reduce the sparkle and brilliance of the gem, making it appear more opaque than it truly is. Furthermore, because fancy colored diamonds vary widely in hue and intensity, it is best to use only a single colored gem rather than attempting to match shades. This will allow the solitary colored gem to be the focal point of the ring, though it may be accented with smaller gems.

Metals
Depending on the richness of the color, yellow diamond engagement rings are often most attractive when set in yellow gold. This can subtly enhance their unusual color, though take care that the gold's tone does not overpower a light yellow diamond. If the shade is very light, using white gold or platinum may inadvertently diffuse the stone's color and make it appear to be more of a low-quality.

Settings
The best settings for yellow diamond rings are ones that ultimately enhance the stone. Prong or other elevated designs subtly separate the colored gem from integrated accents, drawing the eye toward the unique gem rather than blending it in with other stones. An unusual setting will also help draw the eye toward the yellow diamond.

Famous Yellow Diamond Engagement Rings

In recent years, more and more interest has been paid to celebrity styles, and the scrutiny of engagement rings is no different. Paris Hilton's engagement ring (reported to be a total of 24 carats and costing $5 million) is perhaps one of the most famous using fancy yellow gems, though musician Seal and supermodel Heidi Klum supposedly sealed their intentions with a yellow gem, and yellow diamond engagement rings have been seen in the possession of actor Dennis Quaid, model Veronica Varekova, and producer Rodney Jenkins.

As published on
http://engagementrings.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Yellow_Diamond_Engagement_Rings

Diamonds: The World's Fascination with Fancy Colored Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:39:00 +0000

Carlsbad, Calif. - If you love the sparkle and brilliance of a diamond, and are dazzled by the alluring hues of colored gemstones like rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, then maybe it's time for you to consider a growing trend in the world of jewelry - colored diamonds.

Historically, celebrities, royalty, and other aristocrats have worn these unique gemstones, but times are changing and these rare gifts from nature are rapidly gaining popularity among today's jewelry lovers as well. Deep blues, rich reds, and glorious greens are just a few of the colors that make up the rainbow of what are often called "fancy colored diamonds."

The increased popularity in colored diamonds can be illustrated by the surge of requests for grading of these gemstones at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the world's foremost authority in gemology. GIA has experienced a 102 percent increase in demand for colored diamond services since 1999, according to Tom Yonelunas, chief executive officer of the GIA Gem Trade Laboratory.

"Although colored diamonds have been around for decades," Yonelunas said, "the dramatic increase in their place in the consumer market in the last two to three years is unprecedented."

Celebrity fascination with fancy colors may account for the sudden spiral in popularity. Whoopi Goldberg wore yellow diamonds to the 1999 Academy awards, Heather Locklear wore pink diamonds to the 2000 Golden Globes, and, at last year's Academy Awards, presenter Salma Hayek wore a 6.17-carat, fancy-intense pink diamond ring, while actress Julianne Moore wore a 7.52-carat, fancy-vivid yellow diamond.

In 1953, GIA created the International Diamond Grading System™, which is recognized today worldwide by virtually every professional jeweler in the industry. This system rates diamonds based on the 4Cs - color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. The GIA color scale ranges from D, which is absolutely colorless, all the way to Z, which includes diamonds that are light yellow and brown in color. Yellow and brown Diamonds that fall out of the D through Z color range, as well as diamonds of other colors, such as blue, pink or green, are categorized by GIA as colored diamonds or, as many people in the jewelry trade refer to them, "Fancy Colors."

The grading of colored diamonds is conducted by a team of highly specialized GIA gemologists who examine the diamonds utilizing comparison masters. GIA's nine-tiered rating system for color ranges from Faint to Fancy Vivid. Among the most famous colored diamonds are the Hope, a 45.52-carat blue diamond at the Smithsonian Institution - graded as Fancy Deep gray blue on the GIA scale - and the 41-carat Dresden Green Diamond, both fabled in their cultural history.

Naturally occurring colored diamonds, such as the Hope and Dresden, are very rare and therefore command top prices; diamonds that have been color-altered by laboratory treatment are less rare, and therefore less valuable. The "origin of color" of a colored diamond (that is, whether its color is natural or laboratory-treated) is disclosed on a GIA Grading Report.

As posted on
http://www.gia.edu/newsroom/3720/5720/public_interest_articles_details.cfm

Pretty in Pink Diamonds!

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:31:00 +0000

Celebrities are expressing their love with Pink! This year, rare pink diamonds are making a debut on the fingers of newly-engaged celebrities in Hollywood. The trend started in 2002, when Ben Affleck proposed to Jennifer Lopez with a 6.1 carat pink diamond ring worth a reported $1.2 million. Since then, the pink diamond has been making rare appearances on the red carpet at the Emmies and the Academy Awards and even on the big screen.

In May of this year, Mariah Carey's wedding to Nick Cannon came as a shock to many. But even more shocking than their one- month relationship turned marriage is the ring that hangs off her finger. The emerald-cut fancy light pink 10 carat diamond is surrounded by 58 intense pink diamonds-a total of 17 carats worth $2.5 million. Last month, comedian and talk-show host Ellen Degeneres proposed to long-time lover Portia de Rossi with a fabulous marquis-cut pink diamond that glittered in the spot light at this year's Emmies. It seems rare pink diamonds are garnering as much attention as the celebrities who flaunt them. To celebrate her 30th birthday, David Beckham gave his wife Posh a pink diamond ring.

For celebrities looking for something exceptional and extraordinary pink diamonds are becoming more desirable. In the 2006 feature film The Pink Panther, the heroine, played by Beyonces Knowles, is adorned in pink diamonds. Salma Hayek arrived at the Academy Awards wearing a 15.23 carat fancy intense orangey-pink diamond.

In the world of rare colored diamonds, pink diamonds are the rarest of them all. For every 10, 000 carats mined only one will be colored, and of those colored diamonds a handful will sparkle pink. The majority of the world's pink diamonds are mined in the Argyle mines in Australia.

The Colored Diamond Exchange: A Description Of The Rarest Colored Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 23:02:00 +0000

It is widely recognized that the rarest colored diamonds in the world are red and green. These types of stones rarely become available to the public and when they do they often sell for $500,000 to $1 million per carat.

Natural green diamonds are extremely rare. The most famous green diamond is the Dresden Green in Germany. Although this particular green has a strong color, most green diamonds are pale in color with light tones. The green color in diamonds is caused by natural radiation of the earth, probably by uranium ore. Pure green diamonds are known to occasionally come from parts of Brazil but only a few green diamonds are available on the market every year.

The earliest known red diamond was the 1-carat Halphen Red. The two most famous reds today are the .95 Hancock red and the 5.1-carat Moussaieff Red. Both of these stones are considered to be worth well over a million dollars a carat. Some say there are only 50 red diamonds in the world. Red diamonds are known to come from Australia and at the last four Argyle pink diamond tenders, two red diamonds have been sold, including a one carat red last year. It is not known exactly how red diamonds form in nature but it is thought that a similar procedure to pink intense diamonds requiring nitrogen and pressure creates rare red diamonds.

As published on:
http://www.1888pressrelease.com/the-colored-diamond-
exchange-a-description-of-the-rarest-c-pr-e14z678rn.html

Preface: The Allure of Colored Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:09:00 +0000

While colored diamonds have been known and admired for centuries, the more widespread passion for them is a relatively recent phenomenon. In the not-so-distant past, only large, historic diamonds such as the Hope or the Dresden Green commanded much attention even within the gem and jewelry community. Today, we have come to appreciate the beautiful range of natural-color colored diamonds as well as their rarity: available in relatively small quantities, yet just plentiful enough to sustain an active market. It is an exciting time in which the consumer and the jewelry industry alike are learning that few other gemstones occur in the depths and ranges of color seen in diamonds. It may be the only gem where stones with the least color and those with the most color carry the highest premiums.

Although colored diamonds comprise only a small percentage of total mine production, they are often the center of attention at major auctions or at closely watched media events such as the Academy Awards and the Cannes Film Festival. What has caused this change?

Since the late 1970s, developments in areas such as diamond cutting, mining, marketing, and grading have helped put colored diamonds squarely in the public eye. While much of this activity has been recent, Gems & Gemology has a long history of publishing reports on colored diamonds. This volume of Gems & Gemology in Review presents a selection of the articles and notes on colored diamonds that have appeared in the journal since its inception in 1934. Before the sections of this volume are introduced, let's take a brief look at the developments mentioned above and their impact on our perception of colored diamonds.

Cutting Innovations

Historically, colored diamonds were manufactured in the same shapes, cutting styles, and proportions as their colorless and near-colorless counterparts. That began to change in the 1970s, as a handful of diamond cutters began experimenting with ways to attain better yield from rough and create new face-up appearances. Little did they realize they were laying the foundation for a revolution in the availability of colored diamonds in the marketplace. By the mid-1970s, New York manufacturers such as Stanley Doppelt and Henry Grossbard were devising variations on Basil Watermeyer's 1971 Barion cut, a square mixed cut whose step crown and modified-brilliant pavilion improved brilliance and increased yield over the traditional step cut. Their assumption was that the increased scintillation from the mixed cut would better disguise inclusions, resulting in a more pleasing appearance. But as both Doppelt and Grossbard eventually discovered, their experimental proportions and facet variations also strengthened the face-up color of light yellow and other yellow diamonds.

By the late 1970s and early 1980s, the trade had become aware of the full potential of these new cutting styles. Doppelt, in conjunction with diamantaire Louis Glick, introduced the StarBurst cut, which helped popularize yellows. Grossbard, meanwhile, purchased an off-color 109 ct diamond named the Cross of Asia at Sotheby's Zurich auction in 1976. His decision to refashion this diamond into his new radiant cut resulted in a 79 ct Fancy yellow* Flawless diamond. Despite the loss of 30 carats, the renamed Radiant Cut diamond was considered significantly more valuable than the original Cross of Asia.

With the success of the StarBurst and radiant cuts, more manufacturers began recutting light yellow diamonds into these new styles to achieve face-up color grades of Fancy Light or Fancy. The new cutting styles moved away from maximizing white light return, fire, and strongly contrasting scintillation patterns—the aspects of cut that are sought after in near-colorless diamonds—to improving and intensifying color appearance. Key features of these new cutting variations were half-moon facets on the pavilion, French culets, and a greater number of facets in general. Over time, the new shapes and cutting styles were used not just during recutting but also on diamond rough, a practice that resulted in better color grades and weight retention. As a result, the manufacturing of light yellow rough became more profitable. Even more than increased mining output, this revolution in cutting was responsible for the greater availability of intensely colored yellow diamonds in the marketplace. Over time, these cutting variations were successfully applied to a variety of diamond colors. Today, most colored diamonds are manufactured in the various styles that maximize their face-up color.

Experimentation in diamond cutting continued worldwide, and many of these innovations were applied to colored diamonds. For example, Gabi Tolkowsky's "Flower Cuts" (the Marigold, Dahlia, Zinnia, Sunflower, and Fire Rose) from the late '80s were designed to increase yield and brilliance in shallow rough unsuitable for traditional proportions. They were also found to help lighten dark brown diamonds and intensify the color appearance in lighter ones.

The Argyle Mine and Its Marketing Efforts

The discovery of the Argyle mine in Western Australia during the late 1970s marked another turning point in the availability of colored diamonds. Within a few years of coming on line in 1982, the mine became the largest volume producer of diamonds in the world. A very high percentage of Argyle's production was in brown diamonds, which had never received much recognition in the marketplace. As the mine's production soared, however, Argyle set out to change that.

From the early '90s on, Argyle aimed its advertising at the large customer bases in the United States and Japan, created an alluring image for brown diamonds by connecting them with festive and sophisticated tastes. A key aspect of this campaign was associating the diamonds' broad range of brown colors with "champagne" and "cognac." Jewelry design contests featuring brown Argyle diamonds raised further awareness, and high-profile designers such as Michael Bondanza and Cornelis Hollander began using them in their creations. Prior to this, such extensive marketing efforts were typically limited to diamonds in the near-colorless range. Creating such positive associations for a product long ignored was a significant innovation, and its impact continues to be felt.

Additionally, Argyle acquired a certain cachet as the only mine that consistently produced small quantities of fine pink diamonds. Previously, the production of pinks had been sporadic at best, so these diamonds immediately seized the industry's attention. Like the browns, the Argyle pinks were marketed in innovative ways. Special annual "tenders" of the few top-quality pinks garnered considerable coverage in the trade press. Initially these auctions were held at a luxury hotel in Geneva, but in recent years they have traveled worldwide to accommodate the many potential buyers who want to view these diamonds prior to bidding on them. In addition to the pinks offered at tender, Argyle sold smaller ones directly to jewelry manufacturers and designers, who pave set them for maximum impact. This eventually stimulated a trend toward colored diamond pave work in general.

The Impact of Auction Sales, Exhibitions, and the Media

Yet another watershed event for colored diamonds came with the 1987 auction of the Hancock Red at Christie's New York. This 0.95 ct purplish red diamond sold for over $926,000 per carat, still the record price per carat for any gem ever sold at auction. Virtually overnight, colored diamonds became part of every diamantaire's conversation. Auction houses also began to offer more colored diamonds at the pinnacle of their respective colors. Diamonds in the "end grades" of Fancy Deep, Fancy Intense, or Fancy Vivid became regular highlights. While the record of the Hancock Red has yet to be topped, colored diamonds continue to command the highest per-carat prices of any gems. At two major auctions in 1995, a 7.37 ct Fancy Intense purplish pink diamond sold for $818,863 per carat and a 4.37 ct Fancy Deep blue fetched $569,000 per carat. More recently, a 0.90 ct Fancy Vivid green brought $736,111 per carat in 1999, while a 3.95 ct Fancy Deep blue sold for $420,557 per carat in 2001. These steep prices continued to hold their ground up to the time of this writing. A 3.10 ct Fancy Vivid purplish pink diamond sold for $592,129 per carat in June 2005; four months later, a 4.24 ct Fancy Vivid blue brought $426,415 per carat.

Even with the occasional exhibition of colored diamonds from royal and state collections, historically there were few opportunities for the public to see significant numbers of colored diamonds in a wide range of colors. Fortunately, over the course of the last century, a handful of passionate individuals have managed to bring them to the attention of broader audiences. Atanik Eknayan exhibited his collection of colored diamonds at the St. Louis Exposition in 1904, where it was said that more than 70 different colors were on display. Long-term loans to museums also provided opportunities for viewing colored diamonds, such as Andre Gumuchian's 40-plus-diamond Spectrum Collection, which was on view at the American Museum of Natural History in New York from 1976 to 1986. Between 1981 and 1984, Eddie Elzas' Rainbow Collection of approximately 300 diamonds toured a number of venues, including the American Museum of Natural History and the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. Alan Bronstein and Harry Rodman's Aurora Collection, which now consists of 296 colored diamonds, was exhibited at the American Museum of Natural History from 1989 to 2005. Their Butterfly of Peace Collection, developed over a 12-year period, was on display at the Houston Museum of Science from 1994 to 1996 and the Smithsonian Institution from November 2004 to July 2005.

Other temporary museum exhibitions have brought colored diamonds to a much larger audience. Notable examples were "The Nature of Diamonds," which premiered in New York and traveled to San Diego in 1999, and "Diamants," which opened in Paris in 2001. Blue diamonds were chosen by De Beers to express the feeling of uniqueness in witnessing the start of a new millennium in 2000. Centered on the 27 ct Fancy Vivid blue Heart of Eternity, a group of 11 blue diamonds were featured as part of the De Beers Millennium Collection. This collection was unveiled at the Millennium Dome in London on New Year's Eve 2000. Together with the 203 ct D-color, Flawless De Beers Millennium Star, these blue diamonds sent a strong message to the public about diamonds and their timeless beauty.

The Smithsonian's summer 2003 "Splendor of Diamonds" exhibit reportedly received between 10,000 and 15,000 visitors a day. In addition to the impressive attendance figures, the seven diamonds that made up the "Splendor" exhibit drew much press and television coverage and were regularly discussed as embodying the idea of rarity. Two years later, the Natural History Museum in London premiered "Diamonds" in the summer of 2005. The exhibit highlighted a group of unique diamonds (including some from the "Splendor" exhibit) and featured historic and modern jewelry as well as mining displays.

With this increased exposure has come trade backing for colored diamonds in ways that had not existed before. In 2003, the Natural Color Diamond Association (NCDIA) was established. To date, the association has sponsored fashion shows in conjunction with trade and media events, and has launched a website to help consumers and diamond professionals alike better understand colored diamonds.

Of particular importance to the growth in consumer awareness of colored diamonds is the greater coverage by the mainstream media of colored diamond purchases and adornment by celebrities. For example, in 2002 and 2003 considerable attention surrounded the 6 ct pink diamond in the engagement ring given to singer/actress Jennifer Lopez by her then-fiancé, actor Ben Affleck. Other large colored diamonds have adorned celebrities at media events, such as Halle Berry wearing the 5.54 ct Pumpkin diamond (part of the "Splendor of Diamonds" exhibit) when she accepted her Best Actress Oscar in 2002. She followed this at the 2003 Golden Globe awards by wearing a blue diamond pendant and ring. While the presence of colored diamonds at such events isn't a new phenomenon, the attention that now surrounds these gems is unprecedented.

As published on

http://www.gia.edu/gemsandgemology/33978/colored_diamonds_preface.cfm

Christie's 2007 Jewelry Sales +11% to $395M

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:05:00 +0000

It was no surprise that Christie's jewelry sales increased 11 percent in 2007 to $394.7 million considering how hot the auction markets have been in the past 12 months. But the rate of growth was much lower than the 27 percent increase in sales registered for 2006.

Annual results for jewelry sales hit a record at Christie's nonetheless. "This [past] year saw many milestones in the jewelry auction market," said François Curiel, Christie's chairman of jewelry.

"The magical barrier of $100,000 per carat was regularly broken for top colorless diamonds, while colored diamonds often sold for over $1 million per carat," he said. The booming marketplace for jewelry was fed by collectors in Russia, China, and the Middle East. There was also a major geographical re-alignment, as Hong Kong established itself firmly alongside Geneva and New York as a key international sale centre for exceptional jewels.

Natural pearls, diamonds (both colored and colorless,) Kashmir sapphires and contemporary jewels performed very well in 2007,breaking records on a scale that seasoned collectors could never imagine.

Christie's reported another change in 2007--there was a profound transformation in how auctions are marketed, with the arrival of new players from emerging markets, and the way they are conducted, with the introduction of Christie's LIVEtm.

Christie's has been investing heavily, with exhibitions and auctions in Dubai, China, Russia and the Ukraine, as well as new technology. A parallel development has been the strong increase in private sales. Several major gemstones were negotiated this way, in response to a growing demand for a service that offers access to precious stones unknown to the public, often straight from the mines.

Geographic highlights from the year included a 7.5 percent increase in revenues from Asia ($86.4 million.) With only two sales per year, the Asian results were the strongest on record. The November sale totaled $47.3 million, making it the largest jewelry auction ever staged in Asia. This represents an increase of 14 percent above spring 2007 and 21 percent higher than autumn 2006. The most expensive jewel sold in Asia was a diamond briolette of 31.92cts, D color, Flawless, which went for $3,208,324.

"With sales of $86.4 million and 21 lots fetching over $1 million in just two auctions, Christie's Hong Kong has become the vibrant hub for jewelry in Asia. Jadeite saw a remarkable resurgence, while colorless and rare colored diamonds, as well as precious stones, realized some of the highest prices achieved worldwide throughout the year," said Vickie Sek, director of jewelry and jadeite for Christie's in Asia.

In the Americas, revenue rose 8.8 percent to $120.1 million. The historic Baroda Pearls became the most expensive jewel sold at auction in the United States when they were purchased by an Asian collector for $7,096,000-a world auction record for any pearl jewel. An exceptional 22 carat Kashmir sapphire that fetched $3,064,000 became the most expensive sapphire in the world. The price of $135,000 per carat is a world record for any sapphire, topping the previous benchmark of $49,000 set at Christie's New York in 2001.

"The market continued to show immense confidence in superb diamonds and important gemstones. At the same time, 2007 marked a turning point for jewelry sales at Christie's in the U.S. and at Christie's worldwide where original design, rarity and provenance proved to be just as important as the quality of a gem," said Rahul Kadakia, director of jewelry for Christie's Americas.

Sales rose 14 percent in Europe to $186.8 million with London posting its best year ever at $47.2 million (up 19.2 percent.) In June at King Street, a greyishblue diamond of 7.81 carats fetched $5,110,312, setting at the time a world record for a blue diamond per carat at $655,480/ct.

"The $3 million sale of the collection of Princess Maria Gabriella di Savoia, together with several major diamonds, has confirmed London's position as a pre-eminent center for outstanding jewelry," said Raymond Sancroft-Baker, director of jewelry for Christie"s Europe.

Highlights from Geneva included a fancy purplish-red diamond of 2.26 carats acquired by Laurence Graff for $2,667,567, a world auction record for a red diamond. There were also several major noble private collections and historic Russian jewels that doubled or even tripled their original estimates. "Collectors showed ever-growing interest for signed jewelry and historical pieces, from the Fürstenberg and Donnersmarck collections to a pair of ear-pendants once part of The Imperial Russian Jewels and the pearl ring mounted by Cartier for the Duchess of Windsor," said Eric Valdieu, director of jewelry for Christie's Switzerland.

The year 2007 is being called the birth of Dubai as a new auction center by Christie's. Sales debuted at $28.3 million. Following the success of its inaugural sale of contemporary jewels and watches in January, a second auction was held in November which drew buyers from not only the region, but also southeastern Asia, Russia, Europe and the Americas. "Dubai is all about dynamic sales of high value prestige jewels and watches. Our auctions offer collectors a special focus on top contemporary designers like Lorenz Bäumer, Viran Bhagat and Carnet, as well as classics from the likes of Boucheron, Bulgari, Cartier, JAR, Van Cleef & Arpels and Harry Winston, with unique gemstones and limited edition watches proving very popular. In our first year of sales in this vibrant new market, we are already witnessing an average lot value of over $100,000 with five lots surpassing the $1 million mark," said David Warren, director of jewelry for Christie's Dubai and London.

Christie's presided over the sale of many noteworthy collections:

--Royalty led the London June auctions with the collections of HRH Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia and HRH Princess Maria Gabriella di Savoia, which included a diamond tiara by Faberge that realized $2,071,388-an auction record for a tiara.

--In October in New York, Christie's presented Magnificent Jewels from a Distinguished Private Collection, a separate single-owner catalogue of 40 superlative jewels. The collection was particularly strong in fine examples by the "King of Diamonds" Harry Winston, including a very important rectangular-cut, D color, VVS2 Type IIa diamond ring of 23.14 carats that fetched $2,617,000. The collection was 100 percent sold and totaled $8.8 million.

--Historic jewels took center stage in Geneva in November with two private princely collections: Princess Katharina Henckel von Donnersmarck (1862-1929) and Princess Cecil Amelia von Fürstenberg (1919-2006.) Both were 100 percent sold for more than $4 million each.

--The November Hong Kong auction included one of the most important collections of jewelry to ever be offered in Asia. The centerpiece was a rare three-strand jadeite bead necklace which sold for $2,272,844.

Looking ahead, Christie's sees that diamond prices will continue to rise--both colored and colorless--and will be the "show stoppers" during the year. Due to the great demand for colored diamonds of top quality, each of the rare gems offered at Christie's also drew tremendous interest in 2007, which is a trend the auction house expects to continue.

Christie's expects increased activity from the Middle East, Russia, and China: Alongside strong participation from "traditional" buyers in the United States and Europe.

As published on:
http://www.diamonds.net/News/NewsItem.aspx?ArticleID=20598

Diamonds investment at Sotheby's Auction: Rare Blue Six-Carat Diamond Bidding War Breaks 20-Year-Old Record

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Tue, 13 May 2008 20:20:00 +0000

Sotheby's Hong Kong has broken a 20-year record during its auction of a fancy vivid rare blue 6.04 carat diamond. The diamond earned a sales price of $7.9 million which means the stone delivered $1.3 million per carat. A bidding war drove the price sky high and that amount is the highest price per carat in 20 years. Such a record was held until now by the 0.90 carat Hancock Red diamond which was sold for $880,000 in 1987-the highest price paid per carat in an auction, also for 20 years.

For a cool HK$61.9 million, an ultra-rare 6.04 carat, flawless fancy blue diamond ring was sold at Sotheby's last week, shattering a 20-year-old record for the highest price paid for a gem.

"The bidding was fast and furious and you know it's not as if one could go out and buy another one," said Quek Chin Yeow, head of Jewellery Asia at Sotheby's. "It's as rare as getting a Renoir or a wonderful Rothko. When you look at the stone, it sings," he said. "The cutting is wonderful."

There is increasing demand for colored diamonds among jewelry collectors in Europe, the United States and Asia. Blue diamonds are mostly found at the Premier Mine in South Africa. While not a large stone, the Sotheby's diamond has an esteemed cut and "fancy vivid blue" hue, factors which contributed to its blockbuster price-roughly ten times the per-carat price of regular white diamonds.

The blue hue is a result of trace amounts of boron in the stone's crystal structure. Other colored diamonds with pink and red hues can be mined in multiple locations across the globe including Brazil, India and Australia, but "blues" are mostly found at just one site-the Premier Mine in South Africa.

The Hong Kong sale on Monday raised a total of $40.8m. An emerald owned by the American songwriter and lyricist Irving Berlin sold for $2.64m.

As published on:
http://www.diamondsnews.com/diamonds_investment.htm

Facts About Yellow Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Wed, 07 May 2008 23:43:00 +0000

Yellow diamonds were once thought to be inferior. Paler yellows, such as canary yellow, are more common but are not as desirable as their darker counterparts. Intense fancy yellow diamonds are the most rare and valuable of the yellow diamonds. A tiny .25-carat yellow diamond can be priced as high as 10,000 dollars depending on its clarity and cut. Several larger 6 carat Fancy Vivid Yellow diamonds have just recently been sold for $57.000 per carat.

Yellow diamonds are colored because of the impurities that are trapped inside diamonds when they are created. If a few of the millions of carbon atoms have been replaced by nitrogen atoms, then structure of the diamond will not be significantly altered but the clarity will be changed. The amount of color displayed is dependent on the amount of nitrogen involved.

When we see color it is because the object we are looking at reflected a specific wavelength of the light spectrum. A good example of this is a yellow flower. The flower absorbs all of the light except the yellow light, which is reflected by the yellow flower.

Yellow Diamonds

The increase the popularity of the Yellow diamonds has been caused by several factors. Celebrities are increasingly purchasing the very rare but beautiful Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamonds. Johnny Damon, the Red Sox baseball star, married Michelle Mangan last year, everyone was dazzled by the brilliant yellow diamond engagement ring she was wearing, so the yellow diamond has begun to take over the spotlight.

Many other celebrities jumped on the bandwagon, most notably Dennis Quaid's main squeeze, Kimberly Buffington, supermodel Heidi Klum, cover girl Varonica Varekova, hockey player Petr Nedved, producer Rodney Jenkins, and singer Joy Enriquez. Celebrities may be adopting yellow diamonds as the newest hot diamond trend due to their extreme rarity.
As published on:

http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/facts-about-yellow-diamonds-439232.html

Are Fancy Yellow Diamonds the New Pink Sapphires?

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Tue, 06 May 2008 23:46:00 +0000

When Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were engaged, pink sapphires were all the rage. Now it seems like there's a new trend emerging in Hollywood: fancy yellow diamonds. On New Year's Eve, Red Sox baseball star Johnny Damon wed Michelle Mangan, but the real star of the show was her 8-carat, canary-yellow diamond engagement ring. This past weekend, musician Seal and supermodel Heidi Klum were engaged and the engagement ring is reportedly a "honking yellow rock".

Other recent stars on the yellow diamond trend: Actor Dennis Quaid and real estate agent Kimberly Buffington, Sports Illustrated cover model Veronica Varekova and hockey player Petr Nedved, Producer Rodney Jenkins and singer Joy Enriquez.

As published on:
http://weddings.about.com/b/2005/01/05/are-fancy-yellow-diamonds-the-new-pink-sapphires.htm

Colored Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Fri, 02 May 2008 22:00:00 +0000

Colored diamond...a girl's NEW best friend???

Think colored diamonds are only for Royalty? Think again!

While colored diamonds have been around for decades, they seem to be experiencing a gain in momentum and a spike in popularity in recent years. According to the Gemological Institute of America, there has been a 102% increase in demand for colored diamonds since 1999. Pinks, yellows, blues, greens, oranges - there is a veritable rainbow of colored diamonds available!

The Hope diamond may be the world's most famous colored diamond - a 32.24 carat pink diamond. And who can forget the attention Jennifer Lopez's 6.1 carat pink radiant cut diamond engagement ring received, while she was engaged to actor Ben Affleck? In fact, colored diamond engagement rings seem to be THE new choice amongst celebrities and Hollywood elite. Both supermodels Heidi Klum and Rebecca Romijn are now sporting canary yellow sparklers!

Colored diamonds can add new depth and charisma to almost any piece of jewelry. Bracelets, earrings, necklaces and rings are all guaranteed to garner more attention, by adding a touch of color! The look is less tradition, and more fun! These days people are more open minded to the originality a colored diamond may provide. They are a sign of creativity and uniqueness. Even if you are a die-hard traditionalist, you will love the versatility and dimension that a colored diamond can add.

If you are looking for something different to add to your collection, meet your new best friend!

As published on

http://www.lussori.com/yellow-pink-colored-diamond-jewelry.html

Check out Carmen Electra's Engagement Ring

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:42:00 +0000

By Kristin Boehm and Kelly Rondeau

Photo by: Jack Plunkett / APCheck out Carmen

Third time should be the charm for Carmen Electra – as evidenced by the rockstar-sized ring she was sporting Thursday night.

"It's a black diamond, perfect for us," Electra tells PEOPLE. "Different-it's our style."

Celebrating in Austin with her fiance, guitarist Rob Patterson, 37, while hosting the Dos Equis party to find a new assistant for the Most Interesting Man in the World, Electra was beaming.

"We are so happy," the model-actress told PEOPLE. "This is a really happy time for both of us."

The couple have been dating less than a year. It will be Electra's third marriage.

"This relationship is different than the others," she says. ""It's so special. We both feel it's an important thing right now, and we want to keep everything special, so we're keeping everything secret for now."

Patterson popped the question over the weekend. "It was my birthday, and we were celebrating in Las Vegas together, so [The engagement] was my birthday present," she said.

"It was just the two of us and it was really romantic, he asked me while we were alone in our hotel room." Did he get down on one knee? "I'm not saying, but it was really romantic," she said.

As published on:
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20195382,00.html

Price for Diamonds Going Sky High

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:30:00 +0000

As posted on Rapaport, by The Toronto Star.

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Price for Diamonds Will Hit 'Unprecedented Levels' Due to Emerging Markets

RAPAPORT (Toronto Star): Putting off popping the big question until you find the right price for a diamond ring? You might want to get moving.

Diamond prices may soon be their highest ever, industry experts say, thanks to growing demand from new markets, boosting the cost of that engagement ring as much as 10 percent.

"If you are actively involved in the production and sales of diamonds, the future looks extremely bright," James Allan, a diamond analyst for South Africa finance group Allan Hochreiter, told a diamond mining conference in Sydney, Australia, yesterday.

At another meeting in Antwerp, Belgium, the president of Russia's ALROSA said diamond prices will rise to "unprecedented levels" as demand outpaces production.

"For the first time, the market faces a growing deficit of rough" diamonds, ALROSA's president Sergey Vybornov told a conference organized by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre. "This will shake the very foundations of the full diamond market."

ALROSA is the world's second-largest miner of gems.

"There is not enough supply coming up within the next five to 10 years to meet the demand just based on GDP growth," said Chris Ryder, marketing director for miner BHP Billiton. "We are optimistic about the diamond market."

Demand for rough diamonds, or gems that haven't been cut or polished, will rise to almost $20 billion by 2012, Vybornov said, citing industry estimates. Mine construction isn't keeping pace with demand fuelled by a growing world economy.

Consumers worldwide spent $65 billion on diamonds in 2006, and this year will splurge even more, Allan said in Sydney.

That would equate to a rise of about $9, to $99 per carat, he said.

The United States accounts for about 43 percent of all diamond sales, while China's growing affluent class is luring more people into jewelry stores.

"In China, about 40 percent of women are now getting married with diamond rings," Allan said, noting the trend is expected to increase significantly.

Consumers in India, too, are adorning themselves with more diamonds than ever before, displaying a growth rate of 26 percent in 2006. "So as demand increases and supply decreases, the market will balance itself by sharp increases in the price of diamonds from next year through to 2015," he said.

Article source:
http://www.diamonds.net/news/NewsItem.aspx?ArticleID=19314

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If you would like information on rare colored diamonds, please contact us for availability.

The Exciting World Of Colored Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:00:00 +0000

The history of diamonds is quite intriguing. Diamonds are thought to have been first recognized and mined in India and are believed to be discovered over 3000 years ago. Diamonds are the rarest and most precious types of stone. The most familiar usage of diamonds today is for adornment, which dates back into antiquity. The dispersion of white light into spectral colors is the primary gemological characteristic of gem diamonds. In the twentieth century, experts in the field of gemology have developed methods of grading diamonds and other gemstones based on the characteristics most important to their value as a gem. Known informally as the four Cs, they are the basic descriptors of diamonds: carat, cut, color, and clarity.

Diamonds of all colors can be found in nature. From pink to black, spanning all the colors of the rainbow including blue, red, yellow, green, gray and brown. Over 300 colors have been identified so far, however these come in an infinite number of shades and hues. Some colors are more attractive than others, and in particular the colors whose names evoke a strong image - red, pink, blue, green, orange. In such cases, the price depends not only on the rarity of the color, but also on the demand for it: the greater the demand, the higher the price. Conversely, beautiful gray diamonds are rarer than many other colors, but cost a lot less as the demand for them is much weaker. Similarly, colors that laboratories have defined with composite names (orange brown, gray or grayish-blue, yellow orange, orange pink…) are less sought and relatively less expensive, in spite of their rarity.

One of the most famous diamonds, The Hope, a deep blue sapphire colored diamond, is currently held at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Several hypotheses have been put forward concerning its origin. History tells us that Louis XIV had the Hope stone cut and set in the crown jewels, which subsequently became the richest gem collection in Europe, possibly in the world. The diamond stayed in the hands of the Kings of France until the unfortunate reign of Louis XVI, who was decapitated in 1793 during the French revolution. The Hope had been stolen several months earlier, while it was being kept in the Garde-Meuble in Paris.

Very little is known of its whereabouts between the time it was stolen and the time it was bought by the English banker Henry Philip Hope (hence its name) not long before 1825. After this, the diamond changed hands together with its owners' changes of fortune, until 1949 when it was finally purchased by the famous American jeweler Harry Winston. He offered it to the Smithsonian Institute with the intent of starting a new collection that would, he hoped, rival with that kept in the Tower of London.

Today colored diamonds remain a symbol of beauty and tradition, sought after for all of their magnificent and unique qualities that we have cherished for centuries past and will cherish for centuries to come.

As published on:
https://www.bluelakejewelry.com/index.asp?ID=38&PageAction=Custom

Rare Pink Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:44:00 +0000

Located in the far northeast corner of western Australia is the Argyle Diamond Mine. Considered the largest diamond producing mine in the world, the site has produced over 600 million carats of diamonds since the mines opening in 1985.

While Argyle may hold claim to being the largest producer of diamonds, it is not the leader by value of diamonds. Only 5% of the diamonds produced at Argyle are considered gem quality. However, this diamond mine in Australia is by far and away the world leader in producing Pink Diamonds, supplying 90-95% of Pink Diamonds for the world.

Pink Diamonds are nature's art. They are diamonds in rare form, and are such a thing of beauty people claim to be put under the "pink diamond spell". There is much mystery around pink diamonds. These elusive stones are so rare that only a handful of people will ever see one up close. Even the Argyle mineworkers, who would appear to have a chance to see a pink diamond, do not even see the fruits of their labor.

Argyle miners dig through up the earth 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and sort through 60 million tones of earth a year, only to get about 10 million tones of ore. Ore is where the diamonds are found. Of those 10 million tones of ore, Argyle will on average find 5 million tones of diamonds. Of that only 5% are considered gem qualities, and of that, less than 1% will be pink diamonds.

If you would like information on purchasing a pink diamond, please contact us for availability.

Rare Fancy Colored Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:12:00 +0000

A Girl's and Investor's Best Friend

As featured in CitySmart Magazine Vol VI - Issue II
By: Robin Jay

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"Diamonds are a girl's best friend" was a phrase coined in the movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. In today's economy, it's rare, natural, fancy-colored diamonds that are all the rage for investors, celebrities and, increasingly, the public. Just ask Jennifer Lopez, who received a rare fancy pink diamond from then boyfriend Ben Affleck, or Adriana Barraza who wore a 120-carat yellow diamond at the Oscar Awards.

Natural, fancy-colored diamonds are the most valuable gemstones. Auction house Sotheby's recently reported a rare, flawless 6-carat fancy vivid blue diamond sold for $7.98 million - that's $1.32 million per carat - a sale that shattered a 20-year auction record.

Extremely rare colored diamonds are here in South Florida, too. A very rare red diamond - the most difficult-to-find color - was sold last June for $1.5 million by diamond dealer Harold Seigel of www.rarecoloreddiamonds.com headquartered in Sunrise.

"Exceptionally rare colored diamonds have no fixed price. Like a Picasso or Rembrandt painting - their true value is determined at auction. Rare colored diamonds run about 20 times the cost of white diamonds." Seigel explains. "It's a matter of supply and demand. Mines are drying up and no new mines in the past decade have produced colored diamonds. The Argyle Mine in Australia, for example, produces the rarest fancy pink diamonds - and when that closes, there will essentially be no more new pink diamonds produced and demand will continue to skyrocket. With the cost of oil and gold way up and with the Middle East problems, rare colored diamonds - if you can find them - are an investment that earns positive growth in a negative market. A rare colored diamond bought today could increase in value five to 10 times by next decade."

Diamond Value: An Historical Truth

History provides proof of this sound investment. Case in point: An intense, flawless pink one-carat diamond would have sold for $70,000 20 years ago. Today it would sell for $500,000. Seigel's collection includes a three carat dramatic purplish pink heart-shaped diamond from Australia's Argyle Mine that's worth $1.5 million and a radiant cut five carat, fancy pink, internally flawless diamond worth $2 million.

A treasured South Florida diamond jeweler celebrates 25 years of business.

With a rare colored diamond costing millions, Seigel says it's important to select a highly reputable jeweler to mount the stones. He deals exclusively with Levinson Jewelers. This year, Robin and Mark Levinson celebrate their 25-year anniversary in the business.

"We are often the first to view these rare diamonds on an invitation-only basis," said Mark, who plans to travel to Geneva, Switzerland in April for another diamond unveiling. "We've seen tremendous growth in diamond demand because investors are discouraged by stock market and real estate uncertainty. They're including rare colored diamonds in their portfolios because history has proven the value will increase."

When asked how much a new investor would need to get started in the rare colored diamond market, Levinson said it's difficult to say because the same-size stone can sell for $25,000 or $100,000 depending on shape and depth of color. "In coming years, as the economy continues to correct itself and as mines dry up, the demand for nature's rare colored diamonds will soar. Think about it. If it were announced that all sources of water were gone, how much would you pay for water? Anything you could. The same is true for diamond collectors."

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If you would like information on rare colored diamonds, please contact us for availability.

Diamonds dazzle in Christie's 2007 results

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:50:00 +0000

New York-Driven by diamonds, and fueled by several world-record prices reached at auction, jewelry sales at Christie's totaled nearly $400 million in 2007, an increase of 11 percent over 2006, which yielded $355 million in sales.

Natural pearls, sapphires from the storied mines of Kashmir and diamonds-both colored and colorless-were the star players of the year, the auction house said.

"The magical barrier of $100,000 per carat was regularly broken for top colorless diamonds, while colored diamonds often sold for over $1 million per carat," Christie's Chairman of Jewelry Francois Curiel said in a press release issued on Friday. "These figures were unheard of as little as five years ago."

Curiel attributed what he called a "mini revolution" in the booming auction market to participation by new collectors from Russia, China and the Middle East as well as first-time bidders who got in on the auction action by going online.

The results, touted by Christie's as the highest ever achieved by any auction house, give it a 54 percent share of the market, with all major international auctioneers taken into account, the release says.

In the Americas, sales were up 8.8 percent to $120.1 million in 2007, achieving a record for the second year in a row. Those results were helped along by the sale of the historic Baroda Pearls, which were sold for nearly $7.1 million, achieving an auction record for natural-pearl jewelry. Also in New York, an exceptional 22-carat Kashmir sapphire fetched nearly $3.1 million in 2007, making it the most expensive sapphire in the world, the release said.

Eight of the top 10 jewels sold at Christie's in 2007 were diamonds, with a stone called "Dubai Magnificence," a pear-shaped, D-color, IF-clarity gem that weighed 53.71 carats, leading the pack after it sold for $5.75 million at a December auction in New York.

As published on:
http://www.nationaljewelernetwork.com/njn/content_display/fashion/
e3ia26aeb713fb4068b8ead998734ccc38c?inp=true

Tickle Your Fancy with Fancy Color Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:36:00 +0000

By Arthur & Judi Anderson

In 1817, R.J. Hauy, an eminent French mineralogist, wrote "Gems are the flowers of the mineral kingdom .... fancy color diamonds are the orchids." Fancy color diamonds, like orchids, are truly exotic and rare beauties of nature.

Yellows, reds, pinks, purples, blues and greens are not what you expect from diamonds. Anyone who has studied the 4 Cs can tell you, "When it comes to diamonds, the less color .... the better." While this is true, it is only true up to a point. Slight traces of color can be annoying and detract from a diamond's beauty and value. But when a diamond sparkles with brilliant, intense color, it is a gem of great rarity and beauty. These extraordinary gems are known as "fancy color diamonds."
Fancy color yellow diamonds in hand-crafted platinum ring.

The rarest and most valuable colored diamonds are vibrant reds. In fact, one of the highest per-carat prices ever paid for a diamond was for a purplish red stone weighing just over 0.95 carats. Sold at auction in 1987, this fiery beauty brought an astounding $926,000 per carat. More recently, a 5.11 carat red diamond is rumoured to have sold privately for $8 million. However, not all fancy color diamonds sell for such colorful prices (please excuse the pun).

Fancy color diamonds attain high values because of their great rarity and the attraction they have for gemstone collectors and connoisseurs. It has been estimated that only one out every 10,000 natural diamonds is a fancy color. Among natural colored diamonds the rarest shades are red, pink and green. More common are various shades of yellow and brown.

If a natural red diamond does not fit your budget or your color scheme, you may want to consider one of the more affordable, but equally striking alternatives. Pink diamonds from the Argyle mines in Australia are stunning when set in platinum. Yellow diamonds make striking center stones, especially when set between two smaller colorless diamonds. And purple and blue diamonds will capture you with a unique mystique all their own. While these shades are not as rare as red diamonds, they are just as beautiful and desirable....

As posted on:
http://www.jewelryexpert.com/ARTICLES/Fancy-Color-Diamonds.htm

Colored Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:07:00 +0000

Below is an article about some of the world's most famous colored diamonds.

Diamonds are found in nature in a variety of hues. The colorless or white diamond are the most common, while some tinted stones, colored diamonds, are extremely rare and valuable. The shades of colored diamonds include yellow, blue, pink, red, green and brown.

Definition of Diamond Color - Difference between Colorless & Colored Diamonds
What is the Definition of Diamond Color and what is the difference between Colorless & Colored Diamonds? Colored diamonds contain impurities or structural defects that cause the coloration, while pure or nearly pure diamonds are transparent and colorless. Most diamond impurities replace a carbon atom in the crystal lattice. The most common impurity, nitrogen, causes a slight to intense yellow coloration depending upon the type and concentration of nitrogen present. Diamonds with a detectable hue other than yellow or brown are known as colored diamonds.
Famous Colored Diamonds
Famous Colored Diamonds are found in colors such as pink, green, red, orange, black and blue. Some of the world's most famous diamonds are the colored ones, the heavy Dresden Green, for instance, and the infamous Hope Diamond. The Hope Diamond, which is blue in color, is thought to hold certain negative energy, and many unexplained deaths have been associated with its owners. The most famous diamonds in the world are almost always substantial in weight. There are, however, a significant number of famous diamonds that are not only large but are also colored. Many of the different colored diamonds are detailed below and the facts and information about each of the colored diamonds include an example of a famous diamond of each specific color.
The article goes on to talk about the nature of colored diamonds.

Blue Colored Diamonds
Natural blue diamonds contain the element boron (B) which changes the conductivity of the diamonds. The most famous blue diamond is the infamous Hope Diamond. The French Blue Diamond, which later became the Hope Diamond, was stolen in 1762 from the French Crown Jewels during the French Revolution.

Red Colored Diamonds
Crystal lattice defects during the formation of diamond causes the red color. Only a very few red diamonds have ever been found. Red colored diamonds are therefore extremely rare and valuable. One of the most famous red colored diamonds is the Halphen Red ( or Hancock Red). Its deep ruby color is unmatched. It was purchased in Paris by a diamond dealer called Edwin Streeter in the 19th century and famously sold at Christie's in 1987 setting a new world per carat price for any gem.

Yellow Colored Diamonds
Natural yellow diamonds contain the element nitrogen (N). One of the most famous yellow colored diamonds is the Allnatt Diamond which is a vivid yellow color. The Allnatt Fancy Vivid Yellow 101.29 carat Diamond was found in 1950 at the Premier Diamond Mine in South Africa. It was named after its original owner, Alfred Ernest Allnatt.

Pink Colored Diamonds
Crystal lattice defects during the formation of diamond cause the pink color. One of the most famous pink colored diamonds is the Pink Agra Diamond which was acquired by the first Mogul emperor, Babur (1483-1530) in 1526.

Green Colored Diamonds
Exposure to the natural radiation in the earth such as uranium ore cause the green color. One of the most famous green colored diamonds is the Dresden Green diamond which was initially was sold to King Frederic August I in 1726 by Marcus Moses who acquired the stone in India. It has a fancy green color, weighs almost 41 carats, has 58 facets and has a pear shaped cut.

What Causes the Colors in Diamond
Every diamond has a crystal structure which is a unique arrangement of atoms in a crystal. Any defects or irregularities in the ideal atom arrangements produce an unusual crystal. The range of different colors in diamonds are due to crystal defects, the conditions that apply (such as heat and pressure) and the elements that are present when the diamond crystal is formed.
The Blue Colored Diamond is caused by the presence of the element Boron (B) which changes the conductivity of the diamonds. Red, Pink & Brown Colored Diamonds are caused by crystal lattice defects during the formation of the diamond. The Yellow Colored Diamond is caused by the presence of the element Nitrogen (N) which changes the conductivity of the diamonds. The Green Colored Diamond is caused by exposure to the natural radiation in the earth such as uranium ore.
As published on:
http://www.diamonds-are-forever.org.uk/colored-diamonds.htm

Colored Diamonds and the Sparkle of Celebrities

noreply@blogger.com (Rare Colored Diamonds) — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 21:45:00 +0000

People always perceive diamonds as perpetual white. They only attain other colors when light shines upon them. What we all don't know, however, is that there are actually different colored diamonds available in the market. As to what have caused them to turn pink, yellow, or blue is left to the judgment of chemistry. The only sure thing is that these fancy-colored diamonds are gaining worldwide popularity, especially when they're worn by celebrities.

Sales for pink diamonds definitely increased when Jennifer Lopez, the original bling-bling girl, started to sport a huge pink diamond engagement ring from Harry Winston. Her wedding may not have ended in the altar, but it has begun people's shift of attention to other colored diamonds.

Then came Beyonce, whose sense of fashion always borders between flamboyance, sensuality, and elegance. At the Golden Globe Awards, she didn't only dazzle all of the guests with her presence and voice but also with her fancy-colored diamonds, with gold settings.

Paris Hilton-an heiress, socialite, and A-list celebrity-not only made headlines for her DUIs, arrest, and endless club hopping but also for her fashion sense. She got more famous when she started wearing a 24-carat fancy yellow diamond as an engagement ring. On the other hand, the supermodel and certified Victoria's Secret model Heidi Klum sealed her marriage with crooner Seal with a yellow diamond ring too. Other celebrities who own yellow-colored diamonds include Dennis Quaid; Rodney Jenkins, a famous producer; and Veronica Varekova, one of the world's supermodels.

As published on albazia.com
http://www.abazias.com/diamondblog/celebrity-news/colored-diamonds-and-the-sparkle-of-celebrities