AuctionsMay 15, 2025
'The Mediterranean Blue' Diamond Sells for $21M at Sotheby’sAuctionsMay 27, 2025
182-Carat Paraíba-Type Tourmaline Sells for $487K
Recovered in Mozambique, “The Kat Florence Lumina” was part of Bonhams’ Hong Kong jewelry auction held last week.
“The Kat Florence Lumina,” a nearly 182-carat Paraíba-type tourmaline, sold within its estimated range at Bonhams Hong Kong on Thursday.
Hong Kong—A rare 181.61-carat Paraíba-type tourmaline from Mozambique sold for HK$3.8 million, or approximately $487,000, at Bonhams’ recent Hong Kong Jewels and Jadeite auction.
The internally flawless, unheated and untreated gemstone has a greenish-blue hue and was expected to fetch between HK$3 million and HK$5 million, meaning it sold at the low end of its estimated range.
It was named “The Kat Florence Lumina” after jewelry designer Kat Florence, whose husband, gem hunter Don Kogen, recovered the original 830-carat rough crystal in 2003.
Kogen originally estimated the rough could yield a clean stone of about 300 carats but left it untouched until Florence encouraged him to revisit the crystal this year.
The initial result was a 315-carat gemstone that was later recut to improve its brilliance, resulting in a cushion-shaped gemstone with a weight of 181.61 carats.
It is one of the largest Paraíba-type tourmalines of its kind, according to Bonhams.
The loose stone was accompanied by reports from four gem labs.
An appendix letter from American Gemological Laboratories states, “This impressive Paraíba-type tourmaline possesses a lovely bluish-green color, superior cutting, and a very high clarity that enhances its transparency … The exceptionally large size of this stone is representative of the finest material that has ever been recovered from the African deposits.”
It also received a 95.4-point rating from Gübelin, categorizing it as “exceptional.” Only 1 to 3 percent of stones submitted for testing annually receive this rating, the auction house noted.
Related stories will be right here …
The internally flawless, unheated and untreated gemstone has a greenish-blue hue and was expected to fetch between HK$3 million and HK$5 million, meaning it sold at the low end of its estimated range.
It was named “The Kat Florence Lumina” after jewelry designer Kat Florence, whose husband, gem hunter Don Kogen, recovered the original 830-carat rough crystal in 2003.
Kogen originally estimated the rough could yield a clean stone of about 300 carats but left it untouched until Florence encouraged him to revisit the crystal this year.
The initial result was a 315-carat gemstone that was later recut to improve its brilliance, resulting in a cushion-shaped gemstone with a weight of 181.61 carats.
It is one of the largest Paraíba-type tourmalines of its kind, according to Bonhams.
The loose stone was accompanied by reports from four gem labs.
An appendix letter from American Gemological Laboratories states, “This impressive Paraíba-type tourmaline possesses a lovely bluish-green color, superior cutting, and a very high clarity that enhances its transparency … The exceptionally large size of this stone is representative of the finest material that has ever been recovered from the African deposits.”
It also received a 95.4-point rating from Gübelin, categorizing it as “exceptional.” Only 1 to 3 percent of stones submitted for testing annually receive this rating, the auction house noted.
Bonhams’ 132-lot jewelry auction also included fancy colored diamonds and gemstones, as well as rubies, sapphires and emeralds from notable brands.
The top lot was a ring featuring a 1.08-carat internally flawless fancy vivid pink diamond that sold for HK$4.4 million, or approximately $568,000.
Also notable was the sale of a Cartier diamond and sapphire “Panthère” bracelet, which achieved HK$2 million, or approximately $260,000.
This fancy vivid pink diamond and diamond ring sold for more than $550,000.
A pair of Harry Winston diamond earrings with no-heat Burmese rubies weighing about 7 carats each. The earrings sold for HK$3.6 million ($463,000).
A Cartier diamond and sapphire “Panthère” bracelet, circa 2006, featuring panthers with sapphire spots, emerald eyes, and onyx noses
Crafted in platinum, the bracelet features two opposing panther heads, pavé-set throughout with brilliant-cut diamonds and what Bonhams noted as a “rare use” of buff-top sapphires instead of onyx for the cats’ spots.
The piece has a total diamond weight of 17.50 carats.
Stewart Young, Bonhams director of jewelry and head of jewelry for Asia, said the results reflected “continued strong demand for rare, colored diamonds and exceptional gemstones, notably bigger stones.”
He added, “The sale also demonstrated the enduring appeal for jewels from notable maisons. We saw a 100 percent success rate for all Cartier jewels presented in the sale, led by the rare Cartier diamond and sapphire ‘Panthère’ bracelet.”
More information about the sale can be found on Bonhams website.
The Latest
MajorsApr 01, 2026
Foundrae Sues Pandora for Allegedly Copying Its Medallion DesignsFoundrae also accused the jewelry giant of copying its mood board style of marketing.
SurveysApr 01, 2026
Consumers’ Outlook Improves Again in MarchThe Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged up, with optimism about the present outweighing worries about the future.
IndependentsApr 01, 2026
Zachary’s Jewelers’ Constance Polamalu to Release Children’s BookThe retailer’s Zach Bear gift comes to life in “Zach Bear and the Window Necklace,” which centers on curiosity, bravery, and helping.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2026
AGA Opens 2026 Gemological Scholarship, Research Grant ApplicationsApplications are open for the AGA Gemological Scholarship Program through May 15, and until June 2027 for the Gemological Research Grant.
Weekly QuizMar 26, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
ColumnistsMar 31, 2026
Q1 Clues That Reveal Where Your Jewelry Store’s Sales Are Heading These customer behavior patterns say a lot about how successful your jewelry store is going to be this year, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Mejuri Adds Silver to ‘Puzzle’ CollectionMejuri’s popular collection of 18-karat yellow gold vermeil rings debuted in sterling silver alongside new “Puzzle” slider charms.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Buddha Mama, Ashley Longshore to Host Pop-Up in DallasThe Miami-based jewelry brand and the NYC-based artist will be in Dallas from April 9-11.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
NDC Designates April 8 as 'World Diamond Day'The initiative invites those in the industry to share stories on social media highlighting the meaning and impact of natural diamonds.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
GIA VP Jillian Wolk to Take Over at Tracr Wolk’s first day on the job as CEO of Tracr, De Beers Group’s blockchain platform, will be May 1.
EditorsMar 30, 2026
Tom Moses Looks Back on His Decades at GIA Moses, who will leave the lab in May after nearly 50 years, discusses his start in the business, gemstones that stand out, and what’s next.
TrendsMar 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman Debuts First Spring CatalogThe new catalog, which showcases 35 one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, is a compliment to the company’s popular holiday catalog.
SourcingMar 30, 2026
Rio Tinto Hauls Last Load from DiavikProduction has ceased at the Canadian diamond mine, which has yielded more than 150 million carats of rough diamonds in its 23-year run.
MajorsMar 30, 2026
Tanishq Opens First New England LocationThe store opening marks the 10th United States location for the India-based jewelry retailer.
MajorsMar 27, 2026
Saks Global Has Changed Its Mind About Closing These 3 StoresTwo Saks Fifth Avenue locations, one in Florida and one in California, and one Neiman Marcus store are off the chopping block.
IndependentsMar 27, 2026
Jimmy West, Longtime LJG Executive Director, Dies at 72West, who started in the art department at the Leading Jewelers Guild in 1979, is remembered for his patience, kindness, and dedication.
CollectionsMar 27, 2026
Itä’s ‘Yarí Whirl’ Ring Tells Every Side of the StoryIn the “Tesoro” version of the ring, our Piece of the Week, each side of the gold hexagonal nugget has a unique colored gemstone design.
WatchesMar 26, 2026
Q&A: Citizen Watch America President Jeffrey Cohen on Eco-Drive’s 50th AnniversaryCohen discusses the evolution of Citizen’s light-powered technology, the brand’s cross-generational appeal, and tariffs.
IndependentsMar 26, 2026
Peter Smith Pens Book on Human Behavior in Sales“Essentially Human: On Sales and Salespeople" reveals the underlying human traits and behaviors of the most successful sales professionals.
CollectionsMar 26, 2026
Lionheart Celebrates 13 Years of ‘Cassandane’The collection features symbols of love, luck, and light, based on the story of Queen Cassandane and Cyrus the Great of Persia.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2026
NAJA, Instappraise Introduce New ScholarshipIt’s the third scholarship to be launched as part of the partnership to help appraisers advance their professional credentials.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2026
JA Still Accepting Entries for 2026 CASE AwardsThe deadline for entries in the jewelry design competition has been extended to April 3.
SourcingMar 25, 2026
Rob Bates Steps Down as JCK News Director After 28 years with JCK, the veteran industry journalist is launching his own publication on Substack called The Jewelry Wire.
GradingMar 25, 2026
New York’s Natural History Museum, Wiley To Build Minerals DatabaseWiley said the project will give scientists worldwide access to the American Museum of Natural’s History renowned mineral collection.
CollectionsMar 25, 2026
Boochier Turns Flower Friendship Bracelets Into Fine JewelryThe “Flower Puff” collection looks to beaded flower friendship bracelets from childhood, turning the silhouette into nostalgic fine jewelry.
Policies & IssuesMar 25, 2026
Community for Ethical Jewelry to Host Bench Jeweler Shortage WebinarSet for April 2, the webinar will discuss how the jewelry industry can address the workforce gap.
