Policies & IssuesOct 08, 2026
Third Wave of IEEPA Tariff Refunds Begins This round of tariff refunds is for importers that have sued over IEEPA tariffs in the Court of International Trade and won.
AuctionsOct 03, 2018
5-Carat ‘Ai’ Fancy Vivid Blue Diamond Goes For $13.8M
Coming in behind it at No. 2 in Sotheby’s Hong Kong jewelry auction was a 3.37-carat pear-shaped fancy intense blue diamond.
Hong Kong—The 5-carat fancy vivid blue ‘Ai’ diamond was named after the Chinese word for love, and one buyer certainly fell for the stone at auction Wednesday—to the tune of $13.8 million, to be precise.
The VS2 step-cut fancy vivid blue diamond set in an 18-karat white gold ring and flanked with baguette diamonds led the Sotheby’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite jewelry sale, falling within its pre-sale estimate of $12.5 to $15.3 million.
The jewelry auction totaled approximately $40.2 million.
It seemed like blue diamonds were all the rage, with the Ai diamond followed in the results by another stone of a similar color: coming in at No. 2 was an 18-karat white gold ring set with a pear-shaped fancy intense blue diamond weighing 3.37 carats. It sold for $3.1 million.
Just behind that was a ring centered on a step-cut 18.45-carat white diamond between two shield-shaped diamonds and mounted in platinum that went for $2.3 million.
Rounding out the top five were a 4.31-carat cut-cornered square modified brilliant-cut fancy intense purplish pink diamond set between trapeze-cut diamonds and mounted in platinum and 18-karat white gold, which sold for about $1 million, and a ring set with an old European-cut diamond weighing 10.05 carats in 18-karat white gold that went for about $934,000.
The sale also included a number of pieces from Wallace Chan, the first Asian jeweler to exhibit at the Biennale in Paris in 2012, who today can be seen at such major fairs as The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) and Masterpiece in London.
Only one of his works sold at the auction, according to the Sotheby’s website—the earrings pictured above. Featuring tsavorite garnets, brilliant-cut diamonds, jade, emeralds, diamond briolettes and seed pearls, they fell within their pre-sale estimate range when they garnered approximately $88,000.
The auction didn’t sell a tanzanite, chalcedony and diamond ring, expected to garner as much as $230,000, or a pair of earrings featuring conch pearl, various gemstones and diamonds, expected to sell for between $281,000 and $408,000, among other Chan lots.
A number of important jade pieces also didn’t sell Wednesday, including a necklace composed of 51 jadeite beads of a brilliant emerald green color and with “very good” translucency, with a diamond clasp signed Chaumet, and two fine jadeite bangles displaying hues of both lavender and green that were listed separately, with estimates of $665,000-$895,000 and $640,000-$895,000.
To
see the full list of results from Wednesday’s Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite jewelry sale, visit Sothebys.com.
More on Auctions
The Latest
CollectionsOct 08, 2026
Brent Neale’s New Collection Goes ‘Back to Basics’It revisits the brand’s most requested silhouettes, from "Pillow"-set necklaces and bracelets to "Signature"-set rings and earrings.
SourcingOct 08, 2026
Ethical Gem Fair Heads Back to BrooklynThe trade-only event includes buying opportunities as well as educational sessions on artisanal mining, the new Paraíba source, and more.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
Events & AwardsOct 08, 2026
Pattons Fine Jewelry Sweeps Local Design ContestAra Chanakian, a jeweler at Pattons, took home top honors in every category at Jewelers of Louisiana’s annual jewelry design competition.
Weekly QuizOct 01, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Supplier BulletinOct 08, 2026
Overnight Mountings’ Bridal Builder Helps Jewelers Turn Custom Design into a Hands-On Selling ExperienceSponsored by Overnight Mountings
Policies & IssuesOct 07, 2026
The Plumb Club Amplifies Its Voice as Geopolitical Pressures MountThe supplier organization recently joined JA and JVC to have more input on political issues affecting the jewelry industry.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
Blue Nile, Royal Asscher Collection Highlights Natural Diamond BeautyBlue Nile, a Signet Jewelers-owned brand, is now Royal Asscher’s exclusive licensed retailer in North America.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
4 Standout Pieces in Audemars Piguet’s First High Jewelry Collection “Royal Oak” pays homage to the brand’s most popular watch model using 18-karat gold as well as diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires.
MajorsOct 07, 2026
Empire Safe & Vault Promotes Juan Morales to CEOAs part of the transition, Joseph Nicosia has stepped into the role of COO.
SourcingOct 07, 2026
AGTA Extends Deadline for 2026 Spectrum Awards EntriesParticipants now have until Oct. 14 to complete their submissions.
Policies & IssuesOct 06, 2026
6 Charged in Connection to String of New Jersey Smash-and-GrabsThe alleged thieves used crow bars and sledgehammers to smash into jewelry stores across the state.
ColumnistsOct 06, 2026
Sherry Smith: Is the Consumer Really Trading Up?Ahead of the holidays, Smith urges jewelers to take a hard look at who’s buying jewelry, what they’re purchasing, and who’s stopped buying.
SourcingOct 06, 2026
DDG Taps Influencers for ‘My Diamond Does Good’ CampaignIn the new consumer-facing campaign, four fashion and lifestyle creators share the stories behind their natural diamond pieces.
MajorsOct 06, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names COO, CMOFGI President John Orrico is also leaving the company after more than 13 years.
Events & AwardsOct 06, 2026
JIS Fall Returns to MiamiThe 2026 edition will feature presentations on alternative materials and design trends, as well as pop-up activations on the show floor.
SourcingOct 05, 2026
De Beers to Take Full Ownership of Gahcho KuéIt is the last fully operational diamond mine in Canada following the recent closures of Ekati and Diavik.
CollectionsOct 05, 2026
Sorellina Writes Another Love Letter for ‘Postscript’ CollectionThe fine jewelry brand has expanded the collection that debuted at Couture with four new designs based on its most popular styles.
SourcingOct 05, 2026
Bruce Bridges Joins CIBJO BoardThe AGTA president was elected for a two-year term on the board of directors.
SourcingOct 02, 2026
De Beers, National Geographic Society Renew Okavango Eternal Partnership The partnership, a pledge to protect Africa’s Okavango River Basin, has been extended for an additional five years.
MajorsOct 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New $150M Manufacturing Facility in VietnamThe new facility, its first outside of Thailand, will boost its manufacturing capacity by 50 percent.
TrendsOct 02, 2026
Hearts On Fire Celebrates 30th Anniversary With Heart PendantThe special-edition “Dream” pendant, our Piece of the Week, was created to mark Hearts On Fire’s 30-year milestone with 30 diamonds.
CrimeOct 01, 2026
Police Looking for 4 Suspects in $600K Smash-and-Grab RobberyDubai Jewelers in Springfield, Virginia, was once again the target of an armed robbery.
SurveysOct 01, 2026
Rolex Ranks Among Most Recommended Brands in US, Survey Says YouGov’s 2026 U.S. Most Recommended Brands report’s out, and a fast-fashion giant is sitting at No. 1 while Rolex is just shy of the top 5.
SourcingOct 01, 2026
Columbia Gem House Opens ‘Cutting Toward Change’ FundraiserProceeds from its jewelry raffle will benefit an organization working in India to combat silicosis, a lung disease affecting stone cutters.
TrendsOct 01, 2026
Carolina Hurricanes’ Championship Ring Reveals Hidden Hockey Puck PendantThe rings, crafted by Jason of Beverly Hills, celebrate the hockey team’s Stanley Cup win with design elements that honor its traditions.
