182-Carat Paraíba-Type Tourmaline Heading to Auction in Hong Kong
Bonhams will offer the “Kat Florence Lumina” at its May 22 jewelry auction.

The 181.61-carat unheated “Kat Florence Lumina” will go up for auction on May 22 as part of the auction house’s “Hong Kong Jewels and Jadeite” sale.
Bonhams said the gemstone is estimated to sell for HK$3 million to HK$5 million (approximately $386,100 to $643,500, or about $2,126 to $3,543 per carat).
The gemstone was named after jewelry designer Kat Florence, who runs her eponymous jewelry brand.
Florence’s husband, gem hunter Don Kogen, found the gemstone and later cut it to fit her vision, according to a news release circulated by the brand last week.
When it was unearthed in the Mavuco district of Mozambique’s Nampula province in 2003, the rough crystal weighed 830 carats.
Kogen estimated that it could be cut into a clean gem weighing more than 300 carats, the release states, but the stone sat untouched for many years.
This year, Florence began encouraging Kogen to revisit the crystal, and the initial result was a 315-carat gemstone.
While remarkable in size, the brilliance of the giant Paraíba-type tourmaline was compromised.
Like many Paraíba, or Paraíba-type tourmalines, weighing more than 100 carats, it displayed “windowing,” a “flatness that dulls fire and life at the center of the gem,” the release states.
After deliberation and precision work by the brand’s cutting team, the stone was recut to its current weight, 181.61 carats.
According to the release, the gemstone is the largest known Paraíba-type tourmaline of its kind, “unheated, vividly saturated, and masterfully cut.”
“The Kat Florence Lumina holds global recognition for its rarity, uniting size, color, clarity, and cut in a way never before seen in the world of Paraíba tourmalines,” the release states.
It has reports from Bellerophon Gemlab, American Gemological Laboratories, and Gübelin Gem Lab.
The stone will be exhibited in Taipei, Taiwan, on Apr. 11-13, Singapore on May 10-11, and Hong Kong on May 17-21, prior to being auctioned on May 22.
More details on the other lots in the Bonhams jewelry and jade auction will be available shortly.
The Latest

Sponsored by the Gemological Institute of America

The 2025 Australian Open champion is the jewelry brand’s first athlete ambassador.

The West Village jewelry boutique’s new shop-in-shop is the cornerstone of Nordstrom’s revamped jewelry hall.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

This past year, the manufacturer said it recorded below-zero emissions per carat of natural diamond.


The brand’s “Golden Strada” statement necklace features round, marquise, and pear diamonds that sparkle like Fourth of July fireworks.

JSA’s Scott Guginsky provided a list of nine security measures jewelers should observe while locking up for the long weekend.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

Located on Rodeo Drive, the store’s design was inspired by Hollywood and Los Angeles culture.

The new location continues the brand’s celebration of its 25th anniversary.

The online watch marketplace’s “Time Is Our Thing” campaign highlights the importance of time.

She will oversee strategic planning, fundraising, industry partnerships, and the launch of the Gem Legacy Campus in Tanzania.

Working with Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit and law enforcement, Pandora helped to shut down a large-scale counterfeit network in China.

The jewelry company has closed its three California brick-and-mortar stores, as well as its online shop, for now.

The company is providing the opportunity for an FIT student to work alongside master diamond cutter Willie Lopez in its workshop.

He is remembered for his successful entrepreneurship, generosity, and dedication to his family.

The jewelry store chain has reportedly been struggling with costs related to tariffs as well as tough retail competition.

Welcome warm summer days with red hot rubies perfectly chosen as July’s birthstone.

Co-founders Afzal Imram and Lin Ruiyin brought their son’s story of a cosmic egg, toadstool, and railroad to life in their new collection.

The best time to prepare for the holiday season is right now, according to columnist Emmanuel Raheb.

This year’s winner is Morgan Keefe, who is currently studying at GIA to be a gemologist.

“The Jewelry Book” comes out this September.

The company is focused on modernizing the custom jewelry buying experience with e-commerce tools like product visualization and 3D styling.

Following its recent acquisition, the storied brand has updated its leadership team and regional managers.

AGS also named the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.

The 20-karat yellow gold and diamond wrap ring is modeled after the Monstera plants in the garden of the brand’s Miami villa.

Rocksbox President Allison Vigil shared the retailer’s expansion plans, and her thoughts on opening stores in malls.