Latest news with #MediterraneanBlueDiamond
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.
Business Recorder
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Rare blue diamond fetches $21.5mn at auction in Geneva
GENEVA: An exceptionally-rare blue diamond went under the hammer in Geneva late Tuesday, selling for $21.5 million, Sotheby's auction house said. 'The Mediterranean Blue', a fancy vivid blue diamond weighing 10.3 carats with an estimated value of $20 million, attracted an intense bidding battle. Bidding began at nine million Swiss francs ($10.8 million), with a fierce back and forth before the diamond was ultimately sold to a private US collector, whose name was not given, for 17.9 million francs ($21.5 million), Sotheby's said. 'Mediterranean Blue Diamond' could fetch $20 million at auction The Mediterranean Blue, which is a brand-new blue diamond recently mined from the legendary Cullinan mines of South Africa, generated huge excitement within the diamond industry ever since it was first announced in March, the auction house said. Ahead of its final showing in Geneva on Tuesday, it was unveiled as part of a Sotheby's debut exhibition in Abu Dhabi last month, where it was showcased alongside seven other 'extraordinary' diamonds and gemstones collectively worth over $100 million. 'At the top of the rarity pyramid are blue diamonds,' Quig Bruning, head of jewels for Sotheby's in North America, Europe and the Middle East, said at the Abu Dhabi show. After serving as auctioneer at Tuesday's event, he hailed the gem as 'undoubtedly the defining stone of the season', saying in a statement that it 'ranks among the top blue diamonds we have sold'. Tobias Kormind, head of Europe's largest online diamond jeweller 77 Diamonds, was less upbeat, describing the sale as 'less dazzling than anticipated'. 'The diamond did exceed its $20 million estimate, suggesting there was meaningful interest,' he acknowledged. 'But broader uncertainty, including the ongoing US-China trade tensions, may have dampened bidder confidence and muted what could have been a more frenzied atmosphere.'
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
$20 million ‘Mediterranean Blue Diamond' ready to wow at Sotheby's Geneva auction on May 13
Source: Reuters Sotheby's auction house in Geneva on May 8, 2025, unveiled the breathtaking 10-carat " Mediterranean Blue Diamond ," which is expected to set a record $20 million price at auction later this month. The diamond has made a name for itself because of its incredible size and extraordinary color, fascinating collectors, investors, and gem enthusiasts globally. With anticipation building leading up to the sale, the diamond remains top international news, further increasing its mystique. Its arrival has created strong interest, highlighting the increasing demand for rare and valuable gemstones in the luxury market. Rare blue diamond set to command $20 million as global interest peaks The Mediterranean Blue Diamond is a 10-carat cushion-cut blue diamond that resides in South Africa, a nation that is reputed to produce some of the world's most beautiful diamonds. The diamond is a "fancy vivid blue" diamond, so much so that it is noted as having a dark, rich, and very highly prized color. Blue diamonds, particularly "fancy vivid" blue diamonds, are internationally famous as being extremely scarce and wonderfully different. The Mediterranean Blue Diamond is rare not only due to size but also because of the integrity of the color, which happens to be among the bluest in the entire world. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo The hue of these diamonds comes as a result of the presence of the trace element boron, which colors the crystal lattice its vivid blue hue. This unusual property renders this diamond highly in demand among top-tier jewelry investors and collectors within the market. The international market for fancy-color diamonds has expanded exponentially in recent years, and blue diamonds, as rare and precious as they are, are one of the most desirable categories. Sotheby's Jessica Wyndham reported the reversal of market trend: "The coloured diamond market is going from strength to strength." Strong demand is being driven by a wide range of reasons that vary from increasingly affluent collectors seeking diversification to increasing demand for exotic and unusual gemstones. Wyndham also demonstrated her belief in the value of the Mediterranean Blue Diamond, which will command around $20 million, a sum both establishing the singular quality of the stone as well as the state of the prevailing market. The diamond will most probably be best selling to further solidify the blue diamond as a high-profit-making and strongly desired investment option for luxury consumers. Mediterranean blue diamond joins the ranks of record-breaking colored gems Blue Diamond Mediterranean is not the first of its kind to be made to sell at auction. The highest price paid for a deep blue diamond was achieved in 2016 when a very fine blue diamond sold for 56.8 million Swiss francs ($68.7 million) in a Christie's sale in Geneva. The sale was a landmark for the market in coloured diamonds, being the growing value of the category. With comparison to its erstwhile counterpart, which had once been sold for a higher amount, the Mediterranean Blue Diamond truly deserves every amount for the value that it can deliver. With the ever-climbing tendency of colored diamond values, such an assurance provides that demand surpasses supply and thus future bidding interest remains heightened even more. Mediterranean blue diamond headlines Sotheby's exclusive Geneva auction Mediterranean Blue Diamond is at the helm of Sotheby's high-jewelry auction that is to take place live in Geneva on May 13. Mandarin Oriental Hotel sale will present an interesting array of rare and valuable gemstones like diamonds, coloured stones, and other high jewellery items. The sale is evidence of rising interest in coloured gemstones with lots like the Mediterranean Blue Diamond turning out to be the sale's crown jewel. Before it happened, the auction, that is, Sotheby's revealed the collection to the collectors and the press first and more intensely researched the gems going to auction. This time around, only a selective number of buyers, ranging from individual collectors to investors wanting to scoop up a unique and valuable piece or two, will populate the auction hall. Also Read | 'Maa to maa hoti hai!' Photographer's two-hour wait captures heartwarming moment of mother bird feeding her chicks | Watch
Observer
11-05-2025
- Business
- Observer
'Mediterranean Blue Diamond' could fetch $20 million at auction
A 10-carat blue diamond which could fetch $20 million when it goes under the hammer later this month was presented by auction house Sotheby's in Geneva on Thursday. The cushion-shaped piece, known as the "Mediterranean Blue Diamond," was mined in South Africa and displayed a rare colour that qualified as fancy vivid blue, Sotheby's said. "The market for coloured diamonds continues to go from strength to strength," said Jessica Wyndham of Sotheby's, added that she expected a price in the region of $20 million. In 2016, another vivid blue diamond sold for 56.8 million Swiss francs ($68.7 million) at a Christie's auction in Geneva. Sotheby's high jewellery collection, which includes other coloured gemstones, was presented to journalists in Geneva ahead of a live auction scheduled for May 13 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The Mediterranean Blue Diamond's allure stems from its stunning, vibrant blue color and rarity. Known for its captivating hue, the diamond is among the rarest fancy colored diamonds, making it highly sought after by collectors and investors alike. Its large size, high clarity, and exceptional cut further elevate its status in the luxury jewelry market. Blue diamonds have long symbolized prestige and exclusivity, and the Mediterranean Blue variant is no exception. With limited availability and unparalleled beauty, this gemstone continues to command premium prices and remains a coveted treasure in the world of fine jewelry. —Reuters
Business Recorder
09-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
‘Mediterranean Blue Diamond' could fetch $20 million at auction
GENEVA: A 10-carat blue diamond which could fetch $20 million when it goes under the hammer later this month was presented by auction house Sotheby's in Geneva on Thursday. The cushion-shaped piece, known as the 'Mediterranean Blue Diamond,' was mined in South Africa and displayed a rare colour that qualified as fancy vivid blue, Sotheby's said. 'The market for coloured diamonds continues to go from strength to strength,' said Jessica Wyndham of Sotheby's, added that she expected a price in the region of $20 million. In 2016, another vivid blue diamond sold for 56.8 million Swiss francs ($68.7 million) at a Christie's auction in Geneva. Sotheby's high jewellery collection, which includes other coloured gemstones, was presented to journalists in Geneva ahead of a live auction scheduled for May 13 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
