AuctionsOct 27, 2025
Napoleon Left This Brooch Behind, And Now It’s Up For AuctionIt is part of Sotheby’s “Royal & Noble Jewels” sale along with an ornate hair ornament and an old mine-cut light pink diamond ring.
SourcingFeb 18, 2020
Larry West Bought This 6-Carat Pink-Purple Diamond from Russia
It’s the latest in a line of notable natural colored diamonds mined and cut by Alrosa.
Alrosa sold this cushion-cut 6.21-carat fancy intense pink-purple diamond to New York dealer Larry West. The GIA graded the stone, giving it a clarity of VS1 and a cut grade of excellent.
Moscow—Alrosa has sold another natural colored diamond from Russia to a well-known diamantaire.
The company announced Tuesday that Larry West, owner of L.J. West Diamonds, bought a 6.21-carat fancy intense pink-purple diamond directly from Alrosa.
The purchase price for the cushion-cut stone was not disclosed.
Alrosa cut and polished the diamond from a 20.18-carat stone found in Yakutia, a region in northeastern Siberia, in August 2018.
RELATED CONTENT—Up, Up, and Away: The Rise in Natural Colored Diamond PricesNew York-based West has amassed one of the largest collections of natural colored diamonds in the world.
He first started buying pink diamonds in the 1980s, traveling to the Argyle Mine in Western Australia, long before there was any buzz about the mine or its vibrant pink and purple diamonds.
His purchases include the 2.83-carat “Argyle Violet,” a purple diamond from Argyle, and a 16.78-carat vivid yellow diamond, and he’s loaned portions of his collection to museums for exhibitions on colored diamonds in the past.
But Argyle is scheduled to close at the end of 2020, cutting off the world’s major supply of pink and purple stones. Its closure is expected to send pink diamond prices soaring as supply dwindles.
“As global production declines, pink diamonds will become rarer and thus more valuable,” West said.
“This is the first diamond from Russia that I have bought directly from Alrosa. It possesses excellent characteristics and will certainly take a worthy place in my collection.”
It came with an “electronic passport” that includes a detailed visual history of the diamond’s extraction and production as well as information on the diamond cutter who created it; this information is summarized in a short film produced by Alrosa.
The 6.21-carat cushion-cut fancy intense pink-purple diamond is one of a handful of sizable natural colored diamonds to be discovered in Russia and cut and polished by Alrosa recently, which wants to become known as a supplier and cutter of natural colored diamonds.
It joins the 14.83-carat “Spirit of the Rose,” a fancy vivid purple-pink, and the 20.69-carat “Firebird,” a fancy vivid yellow Graff Diamonds bought in late 2019, also directly from Alrosa.
These two diamonds are part of a three-stone collection Alrosa has dubbed “The Spectacle.” The third diamonds has yet to be revealed.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
Events & AwardsOct 27, 2025
Hill Management Group Hired to Help Atlanta Jewelry ShowHill Management Group will oversee, market, and produce next year’s spring show.
CrimeOct 27, 2025
Arrests Made in Louvre Jewel Heist One of the individuals was apprehended at the airport as he was trying to flee the country.
Brought to you by
DESERT DIAMONDS: The Newest Trend in Natural Diamond JewelryFrom sunlit whites to smoky whiskeys, introduce your clients to extraordinary diamonds in colors as unique as their love.
MajorsOct 27, 2025
Target to Cut 1,800 Corporate JobsThe retailer, which has faced struggling sales in recent quarters, is looking to streamline its operations.
Weekly QuizOct 16, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
AuctionsOct 24, 2025
Bonhams Under New Ownership, Top Executives ReplacedLondon-based investment firm Pemberton Asset Management acquired the auction house for an undisclosed amount.
GradingOct 24, 2025
DMIA to Hold Diamond Testing Instrument DemoThe workshop will give attendees the chance to try out and ask questions about three different diamond verification instruments.
Brought to you by
Are Earrings an Overlooked Category? What Retailers Need to Know NowAs the holiday season quickly approaches, consider stocking one category that sometimes gets overlooked: earrings.
CrimeOct 24, 2025
Video Emerges of Louvre Jewelry Robbers Fleeing the Scene The footage shows two of the jewelry heist suspects descending from the second floor of the museum and then escaping via scooter.
CollectionsOct 24, 2025
Piece of the Week: Wyld Box Jewelry’s ‘Ray of Light’ EarringsFounder and designer Rosanna Fiedler looked to a vintage Cartier clutch when designing the sunlight-inspired drop earrings.
FinancialsOct 23, 2025
Jewelry Sales Resilient Despite Struggles at LVMH, KeringThe luxury conglomerates faced a challenging Q3 amid geopolitical and economic tensions.
WatchesOct 23, 2025
‘Million Dollar Hip Hop Watches’ Recounts Watch HistoryThe book details the journey of watches as symbols of hard-earned success in hip-hop for artists like 2Pac, Jay-Z, and more.
AuctionsOct 23, 2025
Freeman’s | Hindman Names New VP, Senior Specialist for Jewelry & WatchesAlexis Vourvoulis, who most recently worked at Tiffany & Co., brings more than two decades of jewelry experience to her new role.
TrendsOct 22, 2025
The Taylor Swift Effect: Antique Diamonds EditionThe superstar’s August engagement put the stamp of approval on an already hot engagement ring trend.
TrendsOct 22, 2025
Don’t Forget These Diamond Jewelry Trends When Stocking for the HolidaysRetailers should offer classic styles with a twist that are a perfect fit for layered looks, experts say.
AuctionsOct 22, 2025
Pink Diamond, Vanderbilt Jewels to Headline Phillips’ Geneva AuctionThe nearly 7-carat fancy vivid purplish pink diamond could sell for around $9 million.
CollectionsOct 22, 2025
Tiffany & Co.’s ‘Bird on a Rock’ Finds New PerchChief Artistic Officer Nathalie Verdeille has reimagined the iconic design in both figurative and abstract creations.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2025
JFC Kicks Off Halloween Costume ChallengeFive dollars buys one vote toward an industry professional you want to see dressed up as a hero, or a villain, this Halloween.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2025
Hillsborough Antique Show Gets New OwnerRecently acquired by KIL Promotions, the November edition of the public show in San Mateo, California, will be held Nov. 7-9.
GradingOct 21, 2025
GIA Examines Rare Bicolor Pink DiamondThe stone’s two zones, one pink and one colorless, may have formed at two different times, the lab said.
MajorsOct 21, 2025
Pomellato Brings ‘Global Attitude’ to Rodeo Drive FlagshipHollywood glamour meets Milanese sophistication in the design of Pomellato’s new store in Beverly Hills, California.
Lab-GrownOct 21, 2025
Grown Brilliance Opens First FlagshipThe New York City store showcases a chandelier with 1,500 carats of lab-grown diamonds designed by an FIT student.
Events & AwardsOct 21, 2025
‘Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture’ Opens at MADThe Museum of Arts and Design's new exhibition features 75 pieces by the designer, best known for her work in the “Black Panther” films.
AuctionsOct 20, 2025
Sotheby's To Auction 10-Carat Vivid Pink DiamondMaking its auction debut, "The Glowing Rose" is expected to fetch $20 million at the November jewelry sale in Geneva.
SourcingOct 20, 2025
2 Mozambique Police Officers Killed at Gemfields’ Ruby MineThey were attacked on Oct. 15, as approximately 40 miners without licenses marched on the mine’s gate.
CrimeOct 20, 2025
See the ‘Priceless’ Jewels Stolen During Daytime Heist at the Louvre It took the masked thieves less than 10 minutes to steal eight irreplaceable jewels from two display cases in the museum’s Apollo Gallery.
SourcingOct 20, 2025
Pristine Gems Names New Director of European SalesGemologist Lauren Gayda has previously worked at The Clear Cut, Taylor & Hart, and Effy Jewelry.
