Latest news with #FancyVividBlue
Forbes
23-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Six Tips For Buying Diamonds From Expert Diamond Dealers
The Mediterranean Blue Diamond, sold for $21.2 million at Sotheby's Geneva May 2025. The Mediterranean Blue diamond became the highest-value diamond to sell at auction this year, when it went for $21.2 million at Sotheby's Geneva last week. Unearthed at the Cullinan mines in South Africa in 2024, the 10-carat Fancy Vivid Blue diamond eventually sold to an American collector after a three-minute bidding battle. If you're thinking of adding to your own collection — albeit at a different price point — the diamond dealers of GemGenève gem and jewelry show have the insider knowledge you need. A Fancy Greenish-Yellow diamond was also on sale at Sotheby's Geneva earlier this month. Examine potential diamond purchases in good lighting with a loupe, noting shape, brilliance, color and any chips or damage. 'Before looking at any certification, you need to trust your eye. Do you like it? What does your gut feeling say?' asks Constantin Torroni, of Nicolas Torroni, an art, gemstones and jewelry dealer based in Geneva, Switzerland. A diamond's natural colors will show up well in daylight, whereas artificial light will affect how different highlights may appear. Reputable diamond dealers will be able to provide a diamond analysis report from an independent lab — look for expert organizations like the GIA, Gübelin, the BGI and the Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF. 'A diamond grading report offers reassurance by guaranteeing the natural nature of a gemstone and providing details of its properties,' says Claudia Hamann, of Claudia Hamann Edelstein Double Rose gemstones. A old-cut diamond dated back to the Renaissance, approx. 3 carats, thought to have been cut by the ... More famous Venetian lapidiarist Vincenzo Peruzzi. White diamonds graded D, E or F may command the highest prices as 'investment diamonds', but according to Torroni, 'charming gemstones' with colored highlights, inclusions, and even minor damage might offer better value for money. In addition to having more perceived charm and character, their value will also hold up better in times of crisis, as they are less vulnerable to speculation, says Torroni. Original and new cuts mean fresh inspiration for jewelry designers and interesting acquisitions for collectors. Look beyond the traditional princess-cut stones, to geometric cuts (Asscher, emerald); fancy cuts (pear, marquise), or rarer cuts like Ashoka, a modified cushion cut. Hamann, a member of the International Colored Gemstones Association (ICGA), created the asymmetrical Double Rose cut a few years ago. Rose quartz, Malayan garnets, brilliant and Double Rose cut pink sapphires, by Claudia Hama ... More Edelstein. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Antique gems and diamonds, also known as 'old cuts', were hand-cut without modern machinery anything from one to four hundred years ago. With softer shapes and unique luminosity, these stones come into their own in gentle candlelight. 'Hand-cut diamonds are true works of artistry, redolent of history and expertise in a way that makes them truly unique,' say Alain Weinberger, Dean Köning and Julien Lorincz of Fima Diamonds. Experts can date these diamonds based on the quality of faceting, which tells us about the tools used. Precision-cut modern stones will all look very similar, while many collectors believe that old cuts possess their own special character because they were made by a craftsman using hand-tools. 'This artisanal dimension provides a blend of excellence and imperfection and is exceptional in every sense of the word,' say Weinberger, Köning and Lorincz, comparing the stones to standardized modern cuts. Diamonds from the Golconda mines are highly prized, as are Mazarin and Peruzzi antique cuts, both popular in the 17th century.
Arabian Business
09-04-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Sotheby's unveils $100mn diamond collection in historic Abu Dhabi exhibition
Sotheby's has unveiled a $100 million diamond exhibition in Abu Dhabi, marking its first public showcase in the emirate in over 15 years. The exhibition, hosted in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation on Saadiyat Island, features several rare diamonds, including the 'Mediterranean Blue' – a 10.03-carat Fancy Vivid Blue diamond expected to fetch $20 million at an auction in Geneva next month. Sotheby's diamond showcase 'This is one of the best and most incredible exhibitions dedicated to diamonds of this caliber ever done in the world,' said Katia Nounou Boueiz, Sotheby's Deputy Chairman for the Middle East, during the launch event. Quig Bruning, Senior Vice President and Head of Jewelry for the Americas, Europe, and Middle East, emphasised the rarity of the collection: 'If you took all of the blue diamonds over 10 carats in the world, you could probably put them in your pocket.' The ' Mediterranean Blue ' is particularly significant as 'there was not a single vivid blue diamond over 10 carats that came on the market at all last year,' according to Bruning. Other pieces include: 'The Red Diamond': A 5.05-carat Fancy Brown-Red Diamond – the second largest red diamond known to exist 'The Desert Rose': The world's largest vivid orangey pink diamond (31.68 carats) 'The Golden Canary Necklace': The largest internally flawless diamond (303.10 carats) 'The Ultimate Emerald Cut': A flawless 100.20-carat diamond ring The decision to launch in Abu Dhabi reflects the region's growing influence in luxury markets. 'We've chosen the Gulf as the location of this global unveiling due to the extensive and deep-rooted relationship we have with clients, collectors, and consigners in the region. This confirms that the region has truly become one of the most dynamic drivers of the luxury industry globally,' Bruning said. The exhibition is open to the public until April 10, running daily from 10 AM to 8 PM with free admission.
Al Etihad
20-03-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
A rare blue diamond valued at $20 million to go on display in Abu Dhabi
20 Mar 2025 15:13 REDDY (ABU DHABI)A rare 10.03-carat blue diamond, valued at $20 million, will go on display in Abu Dhabi on April 8 ahead of its sale in Geneva on May cushion-shaped gem, named The Mediterranean Blue, will be unveiled at a special exhibition hosted at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation on Saadiyat Island, Sotheby's, the organisers, media unveiling will take place on April 8, followed by an exhibition open to the public on April 8 and 9. It is free for anyone to attend, with no registration required, the organisers told Aletihad. Quig Bruning, Sotheby's Head of Jewellery for the Americas & EMEA, described the diamond as one of nature's rarest finds, stating: 'The Mediterranean Blue represents one of nature's rarest gems. Any vivid blue diamond is a discovery worth celebrating, but one as entrancing as this, particularly being over 10-carats, is a newsworthy event. We are likewise thrilled to be announcing this sale in the extraordinary confines of the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, the architectural beauty of which is a perfect match for such a rare gemstone.'Following its debut in Abu Dhabi, 'The Mediterranean Blue' will embark on an exhibition tour covering Taipei, Hong Kong, and New York before its auction in diamond was cut from a 31.94-carat rough stone unearthed from South Africa's famed Cullinan mine in 2023. Sotheby's said: 'After a meticulous planning and cutting process lasting six months, 'The Mediterranean Blue' was shaped into a cushion modified brilliant, honouring the gem's status as both a timeless relic and a contemporary masterpiece.'The Cullinan mine has produced some of the world's most remarkable diamonds, including the 530-carat 'Great Star of Africa', the largest faceted colourless diamond ever discovered. Other extraordinary blue diamonds from the mine include 'The Blue Moon of Josephine', a 12.03-carat cushion-shaped Internally Flawless Fancy Vivid Blue diamond, which fetched $48.5 million at Sotheby's Geneva in 2015. More recently, 'The De Beers Blue', a 15.10-carat step-cut Fancy Vivid Blue diamond, was sold for $57.5 million at Sotheby's Hong Kong in 2022.
Gulf Insider
20-03-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
World's Rare $20 Million Blue Diamond in Abu Dhabi
A rare 10.03-carat blue diamond, known as The Mediterranean Blue , will be on display in Abu Dhabi on April 8, marking its global unveiling before heading to auction in Geneva. Estimated at approximately $20 million, the diamond is one of the rarest in the world, classified as Type IIb—a category representing less than 0.5% of all diamonds. Sotheby's, which will auction The Mediterranean Blue on May 13 in Geneva, has chosen the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation on Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Island Cultural District as the site for its first public viewing. Following its debut in the UAE, the diamond will travel to Taipei, Hong Kong, and New York before its final exhibition and sale in Switzerland. According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), The Mediterranean Blue exhibits the highest possible color grading for a blue diamond. Its cushion-shaped cut enhances its saturation and brilliance, placing it among the most coveted diamonds ever to reach the market. 'Any vivid blue diamond is a discovery worth celebrating, but one of this size and depth of color is a rare event,' said Quig Bruning, Sotheby's Head of Jewelry for the Americas & EMEA. 'Its remarkable size, exquisite cushion-cut, and mesmerizing ocean-blue hue position it among the most important blue diamonds to appear in recent years.' Fashioned from a 31.94-carat rough diamond discovered at South Africa's famed Cullinan mine in 2023, the gem underwent a meticulous year-long planning and six-month cutting process to achieve its final form. Cullinan has previously yielded some of the world's most renowned diamonds, including The Blue Moon of Josephine , a 12.03-carat Fancy Vivid Blue diamond that fetched $48.5 million at Sotheby's Geneva in 2015, and The De Beers Blue , a 15.10-carat step-cut Fancy Vivid Blue diamond that sold for $57.5 million in 2022. Following its showcase in Abu Dhabi, The Mediterranean Blue will embark on a world tour before taking center stage at Sotheby's High Jewelry Sale in Geneva on May 13. Given the rarity of Fancy Vivid Blue diamonds—particularly those surpassing 10 carats—this upcoming auction is expected to generate significant global interest. Also read: Etihad Announces New Abu Dhabi to Moscow Flights
