A new deep blue diamond unveiled!

April 17, 2019

A a super rare "Fancy Deep Blue" diamond weighing more than 20 carats was unveiled Wednesday from Botswana — the largest natural blue diamond discovery that has ever been made in the country. The marvelous diamond exceeds the clarity and purity its world-famous predecessor, the Hope Diamond. 

The oval-shaped diamond was discovered as a 41.11 carat rough stone. It was then cut and polished, retaining 20.46 carats.

Blue diamonds of such size are very uncommon and through out history have only sporadically been found.

Botswana unveiled the 'Okavango Blue,' a rare blue diamond weighing more than 20 carats and the largest blue diamond discovery ever made in the country. (Photo Credit: Okavango Diamond Company)

The Pink Legacy Diamond breaks records at auction

The Pink Legacy - Image courtesy of Getty

The Pink Legacy a 18.96 carat rare fancy vivid pink emerald cut vs1 diamond type IIa, sold at Christie's Magnificent Jewels auction on November 13th, 2018, the marvelous rare pink diamonds was purchased by Harry Winston. The New York based retailer claimed by the Swatch Group set a world record cost for the 18.96-carat extravagant clear pink jewel, buying it for 50,375,000 Swiss Francs, about the comparable to $50-million. Instantly after the deal, Harry Winston's CEO Nayla Hayek, girl of the late Swatch author Nicolas Hayek, renamed the stone The Winston Pink Legacy.

The phenomenal diamond once claimed by the Oppenheimers, the family behind the DeBeers precious stone organization.

Article information courtesy of Christie’s

3.47 Carat Blue Diamond Breaks World Record

3.47 Carat Intense Blue Diamond - image courtesy of Sotheby’s

A cut-cornered rectangular step-cut fancy intense blue diamond weighing 3.47 carats set a price-per-carat world record for a blue diamond after it sold for $1.9-M/carat to reach almost $6.7-M at Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels Auction.

The gem’s final price nearly 3X’d Sotheby’s (NYSE:BID) pre-sale estimate of between $2 and 2.5-M and pushed up the auction final results to $26.2-M. The blue stone was previously owned by an anonymous Midwestern family.

In total, the fine jewelry broker garnered $34-M across its New York Spring auctions Sotheby’s said in an e-Mail.

According to Sotheby’s, buyers from all over the world flooded New York emptied their wallets by acquiring a 72.96-carat diamond bracelet for $1.4-M and a 13.70-carat Tiffany & Co. (NYSE:TIF) diamond ring for $1.2-M.

L.J. West Diamonds launches the Australian tour of the Scott West jewellery collection in collaboration with Linney’s and Calleija with in-store debuts of the Argyle Violet and Argyle Thea.

The Argyle Violet, a 2.83 carat Fancy Deep Greyish Bluish Violet diamond

Thursday, October 12, 2017: New York. – Scott West by L.J. West Diamonds announces the Australian Pink Diamond Tour for the month of October to debut the largest collection of exquisite fancy coloured diamonds and diamond jewellery ever publicly exhibited in the Southern Hemisphere and will make its international debut at luxury jewellers Linneys Perth & Calleija Marina Mirage, Main Beach, Gold Coast, Australia. The first stop will be in Western Australia at Linneys Crown Metropol showroom, the collection will be unveiled for the very first time from 13 – 15 October, before traveling to Sydney for private viewings and to Calleija’s Gold Coast location.

Featuring the finest coloured diamonds from the Argyle diamond mine and across the globe, this exclusive showcase represents rarity never before seen. Its presence in Perth, Sydney and Gold coast places Australia firmly on the map of fine jewellery destinations.

The collection includes more than 60 fine jewellery pieces and important fancy coloured diamonds. The Argyle Violet™, an incredible gem, which was the Hero stone of the 2016 Argyle Tender, is the highlight of the collection. The Argyle Violet, a 2.83 carat Fancy Deep Greyish Bluish Violet diamond recovered from Rio Tinto’s Argyle mine in the east Kimberley region of Western Australia, is now in a stunning piece of jewellery surrounded by vivid pink diamonds fresh off it’s exhibition at the Museum of Natural History in Los Angeles.

The collection also features the Argyle Thea™, a 2.24ct Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink diamond which was a signature diamond from the 2016 Tender now set in a classical platinum ring designed by Scott West.

Linneys Director David Fardon commented “We are delighted to present such a significant collection of coloured diamond jewellery to our clients and this is the first time in Australia we have seen a jewellery collection valued in excess of $100 million.” The rare pink diamonds from Argyle are highly collectable and have continued to appreciate as the mine moves closer to the end of its mine life.

Scott West, Vice President of L.J. West Diamonds comments “After nearly 30 years of collecting rare and exotic colour diamonds, we are deeply honoured to bring home the largest collection of Argyle pink diamonds from North America to Australia in a grand showcase along with some of the most prestigious colours in all of colour diamonds.”

For further information contact:

Gino Di Geso
Director of Marketing
gino@ljwestdiamonds.com
O. 212-997-0940
LJ West Diamonds, Inc

Argyle Thea™, a 2.24ct Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink diamond

Argyle unveils the 2017 Signature Tender

Rio Tinto has unveiled the largest Fancy Red diamond in the history of its Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender, during a world exclusive preview in New York.

The 2.11 carat polished radiant cut diamond, known as The Argyle Everglow™, is the dazzling centrepiece of the 2017 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender – an annual showcase of the rarest diamonds from Rio Tinto’s Argyle mine.

Rio Tinto Copper & Diamonds chief executive Arnaud Soirat said “We are delighted to announce this historic diamond at our Tender preview, a testament to the unique Argyle ore-body that continues to produce the world’s rarest gems.”

Unprecedented in size, colour and clarity, The Argyle Everglow™ has been assessed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) as a notable diamond with a grade of Fancy Red VS2.

In the 33-year history of the Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender there have been less than 20 carats of Fancy Red certified diamonds sold.

Argyle Pink Diamonds manager Josephine Johnson said “The Argyle Everglow™ represents rarity within rarity and will drive global demand from collectors and connoisseurs in search of the incomparable.”

The hero cast of the 2017 Argyle Tender! - Image courtesy of Argyle Pink Diamonds

The 2017 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender is named ‘Custodians of Rare Beauty’ in honour of its rich provenance and honourable pedigree. The 58 diamonds in the Tender weigh a total of 49.39 carats – including four Fancy Red diamonds, four Purplish Red diamonds, two Violet diamonds, and one Blue diamond.

The collection comprises five “hero” diamonds selected for their unique beauty and named to ensure there is a permanent record of their contribution to the history of the world’s most important diamonds:

• Lot 1: Argyle Everglow™, 2.11 carat radiant shaped Fancy Red diamond
• Lot 2: Argyle Isla™, 1.14 carat radiant shaped Fancy Red diamond
• Lot 3: Argyle Avaline™, 2.42 carat cushion shaped Fancy Purple-Pink diamond
• Lot 4: Argyle Kalina™, 1.50 carat oval shaped Fancy Deep Pink diamond
• Lot 5: Argyle Liberté™, 0.91 carat radiant shaped Fancy Deep Gray-Violet diamond

The 2017 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender will be showcased in New York, Hong Kong and Perth with bids closing on 11 October 2017.

Historical color diamonds sold at auction - Christies

Historical color diamonds sold at auction

14.62 carats, the breathtaking Oppenheimer Blue vivid diamond. Image courtesy of Christie’s

The Oppenheimer Blue became the most expensive gemstone ever sold at auction in 2016.

At 14.62 carats, the breathtaking Oppenheimer Blue — named after Sir Philip Oppenheimer of De Beers fame — is the largest Fancy Vivid Blue ever to come to auction. It is the latest in a line of historic blue diamonds to have been auctioned at Christie’s which includes the Tereshchenko in 1984 and the Wittelsbach Blue in 2008.

François Curiel, Chairman of Christie's Asia Pacific and China, observes: ‘Blue diamonds have gained a wider following, not only because they are stunning, but because there are so few of them available in the world. The Oppenheimer Blue is one of the rarest gems in the world. It is the gem of gems.’

The Perfect Pink - Image courtesy of Christie’s

The Perfect Pink. A superb coloured diamond and diamond ring. Set with a rectangular-shaped fancy intense pink diamond weighing 14.23 carats, flanked on either side by a rectangular-shaped diamond weighing 1.73 and 1.67 carats, mounted in 18k rose and white gold. Sold for: HK$179,860,000 ($23,274,064) on 29 November 2010 at Christie’s in Hong Kong

Since they were first discovered in India, pink diamonds have been considered among the most beautiful of gemstones. At 14.23 carats, The Perfect Pink is particularly rare, with polished pink diamonds of its size and colour virtually unheard of — fewer than 10 per cent of all pink diamonds weigh more than 0.20 carats.

While most pink diamonds show some elements of purple, orange or grey, The Perfect Pink is just that, showing absolutely no trace of secondary colour. Completely devoid of inclusions, the diamond was sold in Hong Kong in 2010 for $23,274,064.

Image courtesy of Christie’s

This exceptional gem possesses a soft cushion-shaped silhouette with modified cutting style, and is a sensational example of a Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond. Simply set as a ring within a streamlined yellow gold setting, the Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond requires no further ornamentation. To find a stone of approximately 75.56 carats graded a Fancy Vivid Yellow by the GIA is a rare occurrence in today’s marketplace.

Image courtesy of Christie’s

When it was auctioned in 2013, The Orange was the largest Fancy Vivid Orange diamond ever to have been discovered, weighing approximately 14.82 carats. The GIA commented: ‘In the laboratory’s experience, strongly coloured diamonds in the orange hue range rarely exceed three of four carats in size when polished. This diamond is almost four times larger.’

Termed ‘fire diamonds’ by famous gemologist Edwin Streeter, pure orange diamonds remain incredibly rare, with so few having been graded that the exact cause of their colour remains a mystery. The diamond’s unique nature was reflected in its price, selling for $35,543,804 — more than $15 million above its high estimate.

Image courtesy of Christie’s

Sold in Geneva on 10 November 2015, this cushion-shaped Fancy Vivid Pink diamond is the largest of its kind ever to come to auction, weighing in at 16.08 carats. The stone is set in a ring, and is surrounded by a double row of pavé white diamonds, a third row of small pink diamonds nestled underneath.

‘As large and rare coloured diamonds of this calibre become increasingly hard to locate, this 16.08 carat Fancy Vivid Pink diamond comes to market at a time when great gems are mirroring prices achieved for masterpieces in the world of fine art,’ comments Kadakia. Awarded to just one in 100,000 diamonds, the ‘Fancy Vivid’ status is exceptionally rare, reflecting the depth of the diamond’s straight pink hue.

Image courtesy of Christie’s

Weighing in at 13.22 carats, The Blue was sold as the largest Flawless Fancy Vivid Blue diamond in the world. Set in a ring, the pear-shaped stone came flanked by two pear-shaped white diamonds, weighing approximately 1.00 and 0.96 carats. It was purchased by Harry Winston in Geneva in 2014 for a sum equating to just over $24 million.

Credit - Christies

Sotheby's sells pink, blue diamond earrings for about $51M

ABC News - Sotheby's sold a pair of pear-shaped diamond earrings at a hammer price of about $51 million Tuesday, though the 14.54-carat flawless Fancy Vivid Blue diamond that was the auction's highlight fell short of the expected range.

Sold as separate lots, the "Apollo Blue" and "Artemis Pink" diamonds together cracked the low end of the expected range of $50 million to $70 million, but were a record for earrings sold at auction, Sotheby's said.

The earrings were the standout offerings at a Geneva auction of nearly 400 pieces of jewelry that reaped more than $150 million altogether.

At the hammer price, excluding fees, the Apollo Blue — the largest internally flawless Fancy Vivid Blue ever sold at auction — went for 37 million Swiss francs ($37.5 million), Sotheby's said. The total cost was $42.1 million, including the "buyer's premium."

Auctioneer David Bennett, chairman of Sotheby's international jewelry division, called that a "very healthy price."

The matching, 16-carat pink diamond went for a hammer price of about $13.5 million. Overall, the pair went for a total, including fees, of more than $57 million.

Bennett declined to identify the buyer who snapped up both lots, but the auction house did say the buyer was renaming the gems as "The Memory of Autumn Leaves" for the blue diamond earring and "The Dream of Autumn Leaves" for its pink sister.

A Sotheby's employee displays the Apollo blue diamond and the Artemis pink diamond earrings during a preview at the Sotheby's, in Geneva, Switzerland. Sotheby's sold a pair of pear-shaped diamond earrings at a hammer price of about $51 million Tuesday, May 16, 2017, though the 14.54-carat flawless Fancy Vivid Blue diamond that was the auction's highlight fell short of the expected range.

Image courtesy of Sotheby’s

'Pink Star' diamond sells for record $71.2 million at auction

The "Pink Star" weighs 59.60-carats, and is the most valuable polished diamond ever offered at auction. Image courtesy of CNN, Sotheby’s

Courtesy of CNN

It took nearly two years to cut the Pink Star from a rough diamond. It first appeared in public in 2003 and later became part of an exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, home of the famous 45.52 carat blue Hope Diamond. It was also displayed at the Natural History Museum in London.

Tuesday's winning bid surpassed the previous world auction record for a pink diamond -- $46.16 million for the 24.78 carat Graff Pink, sold at Sotheby's in Geneva in 2010.

Chow Tai Fook has renamed its new possession the CTF Pink Star in memory of the company's founder and to commemorate the brand's 88th anniversary.

A diamond as rare as you.

For centuries, natural color diamonds have been regarded as the world’s most sought-after gems, from collectors to royalty. Diamonds so rare that they are only discovered in a few locations on earth, they are likened to works of art, hidden treasures and rare books.

One of the exciting factors involved in natural color diamonds is the origin of how they get their unique colors, where they are found and why they are so unique.

Rare Multi-Color Diamonds part of the L.J. West Diamonds collection.

• Tiny amounts of nitrogen created yellow and orange shades.
• The element boron created blues.
• Hydrogen causes the color violet to appear.
• Tremendous pressure occasionally would realign or spiral the diamond’s crystal structure, creating red, pink, purple and brown diamonds.
• Millions of years of natural radiation produced green diamonds.

Color diamonds have been around since the beginning of diamonds discovered approximately 3000 years ago in India; it is only the last decade where the desire and appeal for them have entered the consumer market. The growing awareness of rarity and value have created increased demand for natures most special diamonds At auction natural color diamonds are exceeding record prices with the 14.62 carats Oppenheimer blue diamond selling for an impressive $57,541,779 USD at Christie's in May of 2016. This blue diamond was the largest vivid blue diamond ever to sell at auction and holds the current record for highest price paid for any jewel at auction.

In 2014, the 12.03 fancy vivid blue “Blue Moon of Josephine” diamond sold for $48.4 million and still holds the current price per carat record for any public sale at auction at $4 million per carat. In 2015, a collector paid US$28,523,925.00 for a 16.08 Fancy Vivid Pink Diamond, setting a new world record for the highest price paid and highest price paid per carat at $1.773,875.00 for a Fancy Vivid Pink diamond.

These values highlight the exceptionally rare stones but are proven examples of the desirability for them.

The 14.62 carats Oppenheimer Blue Diamond (right) $57,541,779 USD at Christie's in May of 2016, Scott West Patriot Earrings (bottom) featuring rare Argyle Pink and Blue diamonds.

Any buyer or collector has a spectrum of color to select from in natural colored diamonds, and there is no right or wrong in choosing what diamond can appeal to your taste. Prices for natural color diamonds can start from $100 up to $1 million per carat plus, the characteristics in determining a stones value can vary with the exceptionally rare stones being valued by rarity, size and color. However, the main reason to own any is all the same – beauty, is the ultimate reason to own a natural color diamond!

A natural color diamond is as rare as you, no color is the same and no diamond is alike. The diamonds can be compared to the endless variety of flowers on our earth, a colorful rainbow in the sky and the unique personalities found all around the world.

Consider finding a color diamond that is as distinctive and alluring as you are. You will not be disappointed in your quest to do this.

Why 2016 was the year of the colored diamond

By Nick Glass, CNN

Updated 5:27 AM ET, Tue December 20, 2016

(CNN) Relatively small, but slowly and perfectly formed over billions of years, the Argyle Violet diamond is so rare in color that it has its own unique diamond classification: "Fancy Deep Grayish Blueish Violet."

It was "a once in a lifetime discovery. I fell in love with it. We had to have it," says Scott West of L.J. West Diamonds Inc. of New York.

Like his father, Larry, and his grandfather Max before him, West is a diamond hunter, searching for the rarest and most unusually colored stones.

His most recent acquisition, the 2.83-carat oval Argyle Violet is being displayed as part of "Diamonds: Rare Brilliance" at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

The Juliet Pink Diamond Necklace

The Argyle Violet Ring

The Rainbow Necklace

The Victorian Orchid

An exclusive offer

Scott West spends three months every year traveling the world looking for special stones.

The Argyle Violet came from the remote Argyle Mine in North West Australia. Every year for the last 30 years, the mine's owner, Rio Tinto, has invited a select group of buyers to tender for newly discovered stones by sealed bid. It's said to be the most exclusive diamond sale in the world.

This year, there were 63 diamonds on offer, all pink, red or violet.

West says he and his father, Larry, first saw the Argyle Violet in a secure room in Hong Kong in September, and made "multi visits in differing light" before placing their bid in November.

He declined to comment on a Financial Times report that L.J.West's winning bid was more than $10 million for the Argyle Violet and 15 other colored stones, although he did agree that it was "tough" having to make a sealed bid.

The allure of the sparkle

L.J. West claims to have the largest inventory of large colored diamonds in the world with some 2000 stones of all colors, many of them pink.

But, naturally, West remains discreet about money and collectors. Though the company did admit that Halle Berry wore one of their diamond rings (the Pumpkin Diamond, Fancy Vivid Orange, 5.54 carats) when she won her Oscar in 2002.

"The Middle East is a strong market. China continues to grow. The United States is still the strongest market of all," he says.

Article courtesy of CNN

Chong Hing jewelry display 14 million yuan pink diamond

From the New York Choi Wan West family to provide the balance of more than 40 diamond jewelry at the weekend in San Gabriel Changxing jewelry watches and clocks gold line display. From left to right: jewelry family Gino Di Geso, Scott West, Changxing Jewelry Executive Director Valerie Lee, founder Lee Yu Miao Ling, Paul Sterman, diamond expert Aaron Celestian. (Reporter Yang Qing / photography)

Reporter Yang Qing / San Gabriel City reported

December 17, 2016, 8:32 pm

More than 40 pieces of priceless diamond jewelry in the weekend in San Gabriel Changxing jewelry watches and clocks gold line display, so that the Southern California Chinese community Christmas and New Year shine. One of the top Zhenhan pink diamond ring up to 14 million yuan, a rare.

"The reason why the Southern California Chinese community chose to display these top treasures, because the Chinese people know a lot of goods," from New York's third generation descendant of the jewelry family Scott West, 50 years ago, we know the diamond is usually pink And blue, and now hope to all the world's top diamond, are introduced to the Chinese community.

The 3000 family of diamond jewelry offered by the West family will be on display at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History from this weekend until March 2017. Aaron Celestian, deputy curator of the museum, said the Natural History Museum held very few diamond exhibition, this is the largest diamond exhibition in recent years. The last diamond exhibition in 2014, "was only a diamond jewelry display."

Celestian, who works on diamonds and jewels, says that 99% of the museum's diamonds are white, because white is the most traditional and likable. "But it's not the color diamonds that are not popular, It is too rare and rare, very difficult to find.

Yellow, pink, blue, green, red, purple, orange and other colors, including yellow diamonds are often experts called "very rare"; powder , Blue and green diamond as "extremely rare"; red, purple and orange drill for the "top Jane Han."

Celestian said that the color of diamonds is usually divided into light color, color, rich color and brilliant color four levels, the heavier the color, the more valuable. "Celestian said," color diamond jewelry color, two look at the size of three to see cut. He explained that the natural color diamond is precious, because very rare, the production environment at least a few miles below the surface, but also requires very special temperature and light conditions.

Changxing Jewelry gold line, said that although this rare diamond display only two days, but Changxing CEO Valerie Lee as a license gem identification division, ready to provide gemstone identification for the public. At the same time, Changxing also have these top diamonds of the drawings and description, ready to help interested people back to the real parts, so that buyers see.

Article courtesy of World Journal

Spectacular Colored Diamonds On Exhibit At Los Angeles County Natural History Museum

Dec 15, 2016 @ 12:37 PM

By Anthony Demarco - Forbes

The Juliet Pink on display at Diamonds: Rare Brilliance at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is bringing together rare colored gems never before seen in the United States inside the museum’s Gem and Mineral Hall in an exhibition titled “Diamonds: Rare Brilliance.”

At the exhibition’s center is the “Juliet Pink Diamond,” an extremely rare pink diamond of more than 30 carats, and a Fancy Deep Grayish Bluish Violet named the “Argyle Violet Diamond,” after the Argyle mine in Western Australia where it was discovered in 2015. Through examples, such as the fluorescent lighting of a “Rainbow” diamond necklace and a very rare Victorian Orchid Diamond, the exhibition will attempt to bring to light the rare properties of colored gemstones, the science behind natural colored diamonds, and how the interplay of light and chemistry gives diamonds color.

The Argyle Violet Diamond set in a beautiful platinum diamond setting surrounded by 12 rare vivid pink diamonds. On display at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles

The Diamonds: Rare Brilliance exhibition will open Friday and run through March 19, 2017. The colored gems and jewels in the exhibition are owned by L.J. West Diamonds, which specializes in the sourcing, manufacturing and distribution of colored diamonds. 

The exhibition coincides with the reopening of NHMLA’s Gem and Mineral Store.

Article courtesy of Forbes