The Texas-based jeweler has also undergone a brand refresh, debuting a new website and logo.
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
The Latest

The two organizations have finalized and signed the affiliation agreement announced in May.

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

With their unmatched services and low fees, reDollar.com is challenging some big names in the online consignment world.

Smith recalls a bit of wisdom the industry leader, who died last week, shared at a diamond conference years ago.


The “Victoria” necklace features a labradorite hugged by diamond accents in 18-karat yellow gold.

Two lower courts have moved to block the import taxes, which will remain in place as the legal battle continues.

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

The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback shares Hublot’s dedication to pursuing greatness, the Swiss watchmaker said.

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

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.

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.