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

The Type IIa stone, recovered from Botswana’s Karowe diamond mine last month, features unique coloration.

From sunrise yoga to tariffs talks, these are some events to check out at the upcoming inaugural event.

Jewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.

Breitling is now the NFL’s official timepiece partner, a move that puts the brand in front of the millions of Americans who watch football.


NYCJAOS is set for Nov. 21-23 in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood.

U.S.-based investment company SMG Capital LLC is the new owner of the luxury brand.

As a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.

A new court filing details the locations of the stores that will close, as well as the 830 that will remain open.

The new catalogs are “Tools, Equipment, & Metals” and “Findings & Metals.”

Sapphire’s variety of colors make it the perfect birthstone for September.

The retailer has raised its guidance after seeing total sales increase 3 percent in the second quarter, beating expectations.

Niccolò Rossi di Montelera, executive chairman of the board, was appointed as interim CEO.

The three-floor space also features the jeweler’s largest VIP salon in Japan and offers an exclusive diamond pendant.

The collection is a collaboration between Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry and Oak and Luna, focusing on understated essentials.

CEO Efraim Grinberg noted a resurgence in the fashion watch market.

The “Bullseye” necklace, with vintage bakelite and peridot, August’s birthstone, is the perfect transitional piece as summer turns to fall.

Sponsored by Clientbook

It will classify lab-grown stones into one of two categories, “premium” or “standard,” in lieu of giving specific color and clarity grades.

President Duma Boko addressed the country’s medical supply chain crisis in a recent televised address.

Former Free People buyer Afton Robertson-Kanne recently joined the retailer.

The jeweler teamed up with two local organizations for its inaugural “Back to School and Bling” event.

The singer’s new bling, reportedly a natural old mine-cut diamond, is no paper ring.

Dubbed the “Imboo,” or “buffalo,” emerald, the rough gemstone is part of Gemfields’ latest emerald auction, which is taking place now.

Plans for dining out, booking vacations, and buying big-ticket items were down.

The “Play” collection centers on nostalgic toys that have kinetic elements to carry playfulness and wonder into adulthood.

Designer Christina Puchi, the creative force behind CCWW Designs, has created charms and pendants based on iconic candies and crackers.