- Title: “Sky Blue” diamond expected to fetch $25 million at Geneva auction
- Date: 9th November 2016
- Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (NOVEMBER 9, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** ENTRANCE OF SOTHEBY'S AUCTION HOUSE AT HOTEL BEAU RIVAGE IN GENEVA SOTHEBY'S AND BEAU RIVAGE SIGNS WITH "SKY BLUE DIAMOND POSTER" MODEL HOLDING "SKY BLUE DIAMOND" RING IN FRONT OF HER FACE PHOTOGRAPHER TAKING PICTURES OF MODEL WITH DIAMOND VARIOUS OF MODEL WEARING DIAMOND RING ON HER HAND AND POSING FOR CAMERAS (SOUNDBITE) (English) WORLDWIDE CHAIRMAN OF SOTHEBY'S INTERNATIONAL JEWELLERY DIVISION, DAVID BENNETT SAYING: "Of the blue diamonds submitted to the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), it seems only less than 1 per cent are graded vivid blue, so it shows you how extremely rare these stones are. This diamond ring by Cartier set with this 8 carat vivid blue, we've estimated between 15 and 25 million dollars." VARIOUS OF MODEL WEARING DIAMOND RING ON HER HAND AND POSING FOR CAMERAS (SOUNDBITE) (English) WORLDWIDE CHAIRMAN OF SOTHEBY'S INTERNATIONAL JEWELLERY DIVISION, DAVID BENNETT SAYING: "We're very optimistic, I mean the reason that several have been coming on the market recently is of course because of the, the price going up, it has attracted owners to sell. But that doesn't make them any more or any less rare." VARIOUS OF MODEL HOLDING DIAMOND RING VARIOUS OF DIAMOND RING ON SOCLE VARIOUS OF DIAMOND NECKLACE OF IMPERIAL RUSSIAN HERITAGE BOOK TITLE IN FRENCH SAYING "THE JEWELS OF RUSSIAN TREASURE" VARIOUS OF DAVID BENNETT TURNING BOOK PAGES AND PLACING DIAMOND NECKLACE NEXT TO AN IMAGE ON THE BOOK (SOUNDBITE) (English) WORLDWIDE CHAIRMAN OF SOTHEBY'S INTERNATIONAL JEWELLERY DIVISION, DAVID BENNETT SAYING: "The two things that stand out for me are two necklaces related to the greatest period of Russian history in the 18th century. One of them is associated with Peter the 1st, Peter the Great. And the other is an amazing diamond necklace that was originally in the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, part of the Russian crown jewels, the imperial jewels." VARIOUS OF MODEL WEARING DIAMOND NECKLACE VARIOUS OF MONT BLANC BRIDGE IN GENEVA WITH SWISS AND GENEVA CANTON FLAGS
- Embargoed: 24th November 2016 12:39
- Keywords: diamond auction Sotheby's Sky Blue gems luxury
- Location: No-Data-Available
- City: No-Data-Available
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA00157Q6061
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A rare "fancy vivid blue" diamond ring was on display in Geneva on Wednesday (November 8), ahead of next week's auction where it is expected to fetch up to $25 million.
The gem, named "The Sky Blue Diamond", weighs 8.01 carats and was mounted on a ring by jeweller Cartier. It will be sold on November 16 at Sotheby's "Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels" auction in Geneva, with a pre-sale estimate of $15 million-$25 million.
"Of the blue diamonds submitted to the GIA, it seems only less than 1 per cent are graded vivid blue, so it shows you how extremely rare these stones are," David Bennett, worldwide chairman of Sotheby's International jewellery division, told Reuters.
In the past two years, Sotheby's has twice set a new world record auction price for a blue diamond, most recently with the Blue Moon of Josephine, sold for $48.5 million (more than $4 million per carat) in November 2015.
"We're very optimistic, I mean the reason that several have been coming on the market recently is of course because of the, the price going up, it has attracted owners to sell. But that doesn't make them anymore or any less rare", he added.
Among other items to be auctioned by Sotheby's is a diamond necklace of Russian royal provenance. Catherine the Great, who ascended to the Russian throne in 1762, is said to have commissioned this necklace.
"The two things that stand out for me are two necklaces related to the greatest period of Russian history in the 18th century. One of them is associated with Peter the 1st, Peter the Great and the other is an amazing diamond necklace that was originally in the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, part of the Russian crown jewels, the imperial jewels," Bennett said.
In the 1920s, the Soviet Union decided to dispose of some Russian crown jewels, and the necklace was sold in London in 1927, Bennett had said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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