Sriram “Ram” Natarajan is now GIA’s senior vice president of laboratory operations and is based out of the lab’s headquarters in Carlsbad.
The Top 10 Jewelry Auction Sales So Far in 2016
Fancy blue diamonds dominated the spring auction season, led by the 14.62-carat Oppenheimer Blue.

New York--So far, 2016 has been one for the record books when it comes to the auction world.
This spring auction season achieved more than $800 million in sales between the months of March and July, according to a recent article from the Gemological Institute of America. Christie’s and Sotheby’s, the two largest auction houses for high-end gem and jewelry sales, broke last year’s half-year record by more than $140 million.
Fancy colored diamonds and colored gems continued to set records across the world as they hit the auction block, with one blue diamond, the “Oppenheimer Blue” becoming the most expensive jewel ever sold at auction in May.
And that hasn’t been the only notable blue stone to go up for auction this year. In fact, in the top 10 lots alone in the first half of 2016, five were fancy blue diamonds.
There also was a 15.38-carat pear-shaped fancy vivid pink diamond that sold for more than $31 million, as well as the “Aurora Green,” which set the world auction record for a green diamond. Rounding out the top 10 were two ruby pieces and a pair of earrings featuring two fancy vivid orange-yellow oval diamonds.
Had Lesedi la Rona sold at auction, it would’ve topped the list--the 1,109-carat rough diamond was estimated at $70 million, but bidding at the June 29 auction held by Sotheby’s London didn’t reach the reserve price.
Here’s what the jewelry auction world has been up to so far in 2016, with the top 10 lots in descending order.
The Latest

The one-of-a-kind collar represents the beauty of imperfection and the strength to rebuild.

Three C-suite executives, including former CEO Tom Nolan, have resigned as part of what the company describes as a “transition.”

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

The retailer, which recently filed Chapter 11, inked a deal to sell its North American business and intellectual property.


Target CEO Brian Cornell will step down in February and be replaced by the company’s chief operating officer, Michael Fiddelke.

The group met with the president's senior trade advisor earlier this week to express the industry’s concerns about the effects of tariffs.

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

The pop-up will display this year's Tiffany & Co. Singles Championship trophies along with a diamond-encrusted tennis racket and ball.

The New Hampshire-based store has expanded to Boston, propelled by the success of Alex Bellman’s TikTok page, “The Truthful Jeweler.”

The latest incident happened Monday at a store in Oakland, California, continuing a pattern JSA first warned about last month.

The new aqua green New York Harbor Limited Edition II is the watchmaker’s second collaboration with the Billion Oyster Project.

Participants who attend any three Rings of Strength events will be awarded a special medal.

The investment company, founded by Dev Shetty, has acquired the struggling miner and its assets, including the Lulo mine in Angola.

Smith shares wisdom he gleaned from a podcast he was listening to one morning while being walked by his dog, a Malshi named Sophie.

The counterfeit Van Cleef & Arpels jewels would have been worth more than $30 million if genuine.

The MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program received the Registered Apprenticeship Program designation by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Casio executive and watch enthusiast Masaki Obu is the new general manager of its U.S. timepiece division.

Barabash, Verragio’s client relations representative, was a vital member of the team and is remembered as being warm and full of life.

Originally introduced in 1992, the “Dot” collection is back with a capsule featuring five archival designs and three new creations.

Allison-Kaufman has received the honor for the fourth year in a row.

The company had a solid second quarter, with sales of non-charm jewelry outpacing sales of pieces in its core collections.

Taylor Swift dons the vibrant pair in new promotional imagery for her upcoming album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” set to release in October.

Its investment in micromechanics expert Inhotec will preserve skills essential to the watchmaking industry as a whole, said the company.

Nicolette Bianchi joins the wholesale provider with more than 15 years of cross-industry experience in marketing and product development.

Her new “Ocean” collection was inspired by Myanmar’s traditional articulated fish jewelry, with depictions of flounder, catfish, and more.

Longtime Casio executive Yusuke Suzuki is the new president and CEO of Casio’s U.S. subsidiary.