A 118.28-carat D-flawless diamond fetched $30.06 million at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels sale Monday. It is a world record price for any white diamond at auction. The unmounted, oval-shaped diamond is the largest white diamond ever sold at auction and the largest oval D-flawless diamond in the world as graded by the Gemological Institute of America. GIA graded the diamond, reportedly about the size of an egg, as D color, flawless clarity, with excellent polish and symmetry. The diamond was also graded as a Type IIa, making it among the most chemically pure type of diamond with exceptional optical transparency. The diamond was cut from a 299 carat rough diamond discovered in 2011 from a mine in Southern Africa.
However, there was a disappointment for the evening as a 7.59-carat round fancy vivid blue diamond failed to sell. Known as the Premier Blue, this brilliant-cut internally flawless gem is the largest round fancy vivid blue diamond ever graded by the GIA. Sotheby’s said the round brilliant cut is rarely used in colored diamonds due to the high waste involved in the cutting process. The diamond is mounted on a platinum ring and surrounded by brilliant-cut pink diamonds together weighing approximately 1.70 carats. The auction held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre took in nearly $95.5 million, making it the highest total for a sale of jewelry in Asia. In addition to diamonds, jadeite was very popular during the sale. The top item in this category was a double-strand jadeite bead necklace that sold for more than $5.4 million. Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Web site.
Famed diamond jeweler, Laurence Graff, recreated a legacy statement Tuesday that helped to propel his brand to the forefront of the luxury world. Known as “Hair & Jewel,” Graff in 1970 unveiled a photo of a model wearing an ornate coiffure decorated with $1 million dollars of diamonds and precious gems. The photo received international attention and became a landmark promotion for Graff Diamonds, founded only 10 years earlier. “Until this time, images showing fine jewelry were typically modeled in a more conservative style,” Graff said in a statement. “This image broke the mould by using a younger model and created the idea of diamonds being aspirational to younger women.”
The Graff name is now known throughout the world and to celebrate the man behind the brand’s 60th year in the jewelry industry he recreated Hair & Jewel, only this time using $500 million worth of precious jewels. It’s a clear statement by Graff using a memorable promotion to show the world how far he has come. "It is more than 40 years since the original image of Hair & Jewel was captured," Graff said. "The recreation marks an important milestone in Graff Diamonds’ history and coincides with the opening of its 40th store globally."
The hair of model Dalia Gunther was crafted by Eamonn Hughes using 22 rare jewels created at Graff’s headquarters in London. The image was photographed by David Slijper. The jewels used for the recreation include the following: * Graff “Sweethearts” earrings featuring 51.53-carat and 50.76-carat D color Flawless type IIA heart shape diamonds; * A selection of jewelry crafted from the 550ct Letšeng Star, the 14th largest white rough diamond ever discovered; * A 10.47-carat fancy vivid blue internally flawless briolette diamond pendant; * A 52.73-carat fancy vivid yellow emerald cut diamond ring; and * A 6.51-carat fancy intense pink internally flawless oval cut diamond ring. Below is a promotional video from Graff Diamonds showing the Hair & Jewel recreation.
Model and actress Marine Vacth is ridiculously gorgeous and an endless inspiration for effortless French chic hair, beauty and style. I can never seem to master that perfect no-fuss top knot.