SurveysOct 16, 2026
How Inflation, Gas Prices Will Affect Holiday Sales The NRF is expecting holiday sales to increase this year, but consumers and retailers alike are facing Grinch-like headwinds.
AuctionsJan 28, 2021
126 Mineral Specimens from Collector Hester Diamond Up for Auction
The Sotheby’s sale features minerals from well-known historic sources as well as a number of large and rare specimens.
Always keen on aesthetics, the late Hester Diamond showcased her minerals in open shelves in colors that complemented the specimens.
New York—The late Hester Diamond has been described as a fearless collector, and now everyone can get a peek at what she amassed over the years.
Diamond was a prominent New York interior designer and philanthropist (and mother of Beastie Boy “Mike D”), and now her collection of art and minerals is going up on the block in a single-owner auction.
The sale will take place in New York this week as part of Sotheby’s annual “Masters Week” auctions.
According to Sotheby’s, the Bronx native loved art from a young age, visiting New York City’s museums almost every afternoon after finishing her classes at Hunter College.
After starting her career as a social worker in the early 1950s but wanting to pursue a career in the arts, Diamond took a position at leading antiques gallery Stair and Company in Manhattan.
Through her work there, Diamond and her first husband, Harold, became friends with Martha Jackson, who owned an important gallery of cutting-edge contemporary art on 57th Street.
The couple soon became immersed in the art world, and Diamond also established a thriving interior design business, which got off the ground thanks to her help decorating the home of a Johnson & Johnson heir.
Harold died in 1983, and Diamond wed again, marrying Ralph Kaminsky. She continued to collect art, selling her modern art collection to focus on Old Masters, and took a unique approach to displaying the collection in her home, contrasting modern and contemporary pieces with vibrant colors, angular shapes and hard edges.
She used this same approach with her mineral collection, displaying the specimens on a series of custom-made, open-air shelves crafted in colors that mimicked the hues of the minerals, as seen in the image at the top of the article.
The presentation created a 360-degree gallery in her office and throughout her home.
True to her love for aesthetics, rather than acquiring pieces based on geology, Diamond preferred the specimens with colors and a look that spoke to her, favoring rare and significant sizes.
Diamond was a prominent New York interior designer and philanthropist (and mother of Beastie Boy “Mike D”), and now her collection of art and minerals is going up on the block in a single-owner auction.
The sale will take place in New York this week as part of Sotheby’s annual “Masters Week” auctions.
According to Sotheby’s, the Bronx native loved art from a young age, visiting New York City’s museums almost every afternoon after finishing her classes at Hunter College.
After starting her career as a social worker in the early 1950s but wanting to pursue a career in the arts, Diamond took a position at leading antiques gallery Stair and Company in Manhattan.
Through her work there, Diamond and her first husband, Harold, became friends with Martha Jackson, who owned an important gallery of cutting-edge contemporary art on 57th Street.
The couple soon became immersed in the art world, and Diamond also established a thriving interior design business, which got off the ground thanks to her help decorating the home of a Johnson & Johnson heir.
Harold died in 1983, and Diamond wed again, marrying Ralph Kaminsky. She continued to collect art, selling her modern art collection to focus on Old Masters, and took a unique approach to displaying the collection in her home, contrasting modern and contemporary pieces with vibrant colors, angular shapes and hard edges.
She used this same approach with her mineral collection, displaying the specimens on a series of custom-made, open-air shelves crafted in colors that mimicked the hues of the minerals, as seen in the image at the top of the article.
The presentation created a 360-degree gallery in her office and throughout her home.
True to her love for aesthetics, rather than acquiring pieces based on geology, Diamond preferred the specimens with colors and a look that spoke to her, favoring rare and significant sizes.
This fine aquamarine on matrix is from the Gilgit District of northern Pakistan. Its current bid of $7,500 is already above its pre-sale high estimate of $6,000.
Diamond died in January 2020 at the age of 91.
Now, 126 minerals specimens from her collection—sourced from over a century of important discoveries across the globe and gathered by Diamond over the last three decades—will go up for auction.
The specimens feature minerals from some of the most well-known and important historic sources, like rhodochrosite and smoky quartz with amazonite from Colorado or a large Colombian emerald crystal.
Her collection also reflects the contemporary discoveries in Asia driving mineral collecting today, like the important Chinese fluorite, calcite and pyromorphite finds.
Highlights include a pink tourmaline in quartz, estimated to go for $20,000-$30,000, and a pink fluorite on pyrite, also estimated at up to $30,000.
In an interview with Sotheby’s, Will Larson of Pala Minerals called the pink fluorite his favorite due to its rarity and its coloring, noting, “pink is the most sought-after color of the ever-popular fluorite and the aesthetics on highly lustrous golden pyrite cubes are incredible.”
There is also an important smoky quartz with amazonite from Colorado ($20,000-$30,000); a bicolor tourmaline from Afghanistan ($12,000-$18,000); and a rhodochrosite from the Sweet Home Mine in Colorado ($8,000-$12,000).
See some of the highlights in the gallery below.
Sized at 43.0 x 32.0 x 7.0 mm, this polished lozenge-form Australian opal occurs as a thick seam on matrix. Its current bid as of Wednesday was at $12,000, compared with a pre-sale estimate range of $2,000-$3,000.
A kunzite specimen from Kunar Valley in Afghanistan; the pre-sale estimate high is $5,400 but the current bid is $8,500.
This fine emerald specimen is from the Coscuez mine in Muzo Municipality, Boyacá, Colombia. It had a pre-sale estimate of $3,000-$5,000 but as of Wednesday afternoon, bidding had already reached $16,000.
A bicolor tourmaline from Kunar in the Nuristan Province of Afghanistan ($12,000-$18,000)
A rhodochrosite from the storied Sweet Home Mine in Alma Park County, Colorado ($8,000-$12,000)
A smoky quartz with amazonite from Pikes Peak in Teller County, Colorado
This amethyst came from Jacksons Crossroads in Wilkes County, Georgia. It’s being sold without reserve, but it’s $8,000 current bid is already nearly three times the pre-sale estimate high of $3,000.
“Fearless: The Collection of Hester Diamond Part II,” is taking place online and ends tomorrow (Jan. 29); several specimens are being sold without reserve, meaning there is no minimum price.
To view all mineral lots before the sale closes Friday, visit Sothebys.com.
This part of the auction also features memorabilia from rap-rock group the Beastie Boys, as Diamond’s son is Michael Diamond, better known to Beastie Boy fans as “Mike D.”
Meanwhile, the selection of art works on offer in Part I of the auction (held for one day only, Friday, Jan. 29) features an “unparalleled selection” of Old Master paintings and sculpture, including examples of early Italian Renaissance painting, early Netherlandish painting, and several terracotta, marble and wood European sculpture from masters.
Leading the collection is a rare sculpture by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and his father, Pietro, called “Autumn.”
Estimated to sell for between $8 and $12 million, it is one of only a handful of sculptures by Bernini and his father that remain in private hands, Sotheby’s said.
View those lots online ahead of the live auction.
Editor’s note: The headline of this story was edited on Feb. 2, 2021, to reflect that there were 126 minerals in the sale, not 127, as the auction house initially confirmed, The text in the story also was updated to reflect the change in number.
More on Auctions
The Latest
CollectionsOct 16, 2026
Christina Puchi’s Earrings Hold the UniverseOur Piece of the Week gathers the planets, represented by a variety of colored gemstones, in a pair of 14-karat yellow gold earrings.
IndependentsOct 16, 2026
Reeds Jewelers Expands, Relocates FlagshipThe New York-based jeweler is moving its Amherst flagship store to a larger location in nearby Snyder.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
MajorsOct 16, 2026
Katy Chen Appointed Executive Vice President of Graff USA Chen, who worked at Cartier and Tiffany & Co., will lead retail sales and operations for the luxury jeweler’s 11 U.S. stores.
Weekly QuizOct 15, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsOct 15, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Amy and Elise Greenberg For 40 years, sisters Amy and Elise Greenberg have helmed their 126-year-old family business, leading with appreciation and integrity.
ColumnistsOct 15, 2026
Peter Smith: What Is the Culture REP?It’s a term Smith coined and felt compelled to share following a bad experience with an aborted flight and an unfeeling flight attendant.
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.
WatchesOct 15, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb’s New Movado Watches Are Made for Your Wrist StackMovado teamed up with the New York-based fine jewelry designer on a new collection of Movado Museum Velura watches.
SourcingOct 15, 2026
Signet Jewelers, Richemont May Join Bidder for De Beers, Report SaysThe two companies are reportedly in talks to join the Global Diamond Consortium, led by former De Beers CEO Gareth Penny, as per Bloomberg.
CollectionsOct 15, 2026
Wolf x Marla Aaron's New Jewelry Box Is for Some (Not All) of Your ThingsThe “Some of the Things” box follows the two larger “Everything” box designs with the look and function of antique sewing and toolboxes.
IndependentsOct 14, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Coleman and Mitchell ClarkFourth-generation jewelers Coleman and Mitchell Clark exemplify the best qualities of their predecessors: humility, modesty, and confidence.
SourcingOct 14, 2026
Manuel Marcial de Gomar, ‘The Emerald Whisperer,’ Dies at 90The gem hunter, whose 70-year career was defined by adventure and exploration, is remembered for his steadfast faith and sense of wonder.
FinancialsOct 14, 2026
LVMH’s Jewelry Brands Turn in ‘Very Good’ Performance in Q3 Tiffany & Co. continued its full-scale store renovation project while Bulgari’s high jewelry collection generated “record-breaking revenue.”
Events & AwardsOct 14, 2026
Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference Releases 2026 ProgramThis year’s sessions feature leading voices from human rights, legal, and conservation organizations.
MajorsOct 13, 2026
David Webb Owner Purchases Lugano JewelryThe high-end jewelry retailer was sold to private investment firm Middle West Partners and a group of longtime clients.
Lab-GrownOct 13, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb Takes Lab-Grown Diamond Collection WholesaleThe jewelry designer has partnered with Sofer Jewelry to distribute her 85-piece lab-grown diamond collection.
IndependentsOct 13, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Sean DunnDunn, this year’s Single-Store Independent inductee, is passionate about innovation and telling the story of natural diamonds.
IndependentsOct 13, 2026
Greenwich St. Jewelers’ New Candle Smells Like HomeThe “Island Jewel” candle honors New York City and Puerto Rico and raises money for the island’s water relief efforts.
TechnologyOct 13, 2026
GemFind Is a New JA Member Benefit Partner The partnership will give JA members access to preferred pricing, exclusive benefits, technology solutions, education, and resources.
SurveysOct 09, 2026
These Will Be the 10 Busiest Days for In-Store Shopping This Holiday SeasonStores should expect to see the most customers on Nov. 27, and Christmas week is expected to be hectic too, as Dec. 25 falls on a Friday.
CollectionsOct 09, 2026
Elisa Solomon Collabs With Serendipity 3 on ‘Frozen Hot Chocolate’ CharmThe charm, our Piece of the Week, features brown diamond frozen hot chocolate topped with white diamond whipped cream and a ruby straw.
WatchesOct 09, 2026
Movado to Sell Majority Stake in Ebel for $66.5MThe watch company agreed to sell a 95 percent interest to a group comprised of F.P. Journe, Chanel, and Swiss watch exec Pierre Jacques.
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.
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.
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.
