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Remembering Pete Yantzer for His Contributions and His Kindness Pete’s boundless curiosity extended beyond diamond cut and he was always eager to share his knowledge with others, no matter the topic.
AuctionsMay 31, 2016
‘Aurora Green’ Diamond Sells for $16.8M at Christie’s
The 5.03-carat fancy vivid green diamond, purchased by Chow Tai Fook, now is the most expensive green diamond ever sold at auction.
The Aurora Green is a rectangular-cut, fancy vivid green diamond of VS2 clarity surrounded by circular-cut pink diamonds. It is the largest fancy vivid green natural color diamond ever graded by the Gemological Institute of America as of Jan 20.
Hong Kong--A 5.03-carat fancy vivid green diamond is the latest big hulking hunk of carbon to set an auction record.
The “Aurora Green” garnered $16.8 million, or $3.3 million per carat, when it hit the auction block at Christie’s Hong Kong Tuesday, becoming the most expensive green diamond ever sold at auction. Hong Kong-based manufacturer and retailer Chow Tai Fook Jewellery purchased the stone.
The previous auction record for a green diamond was held by the “Ocean Dream,” a 5.5-carat fancy vivid blue-green diamond that sold for $8.6 million at Christie’s Geneva in May 2014.
The Aurora Green led Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale, which totaled $60.7 million. When taking into account the jewels that were offered in the anniversary to celebrate the auction house’s 30th anniversary in Asia, jewelry sales Tuesday were $85 million.
This signed Faidee bracelet features three lines of cushion-shaped Burmese rubies, weighing approximately 4.22 to 1.02 carats, alternating with cushion-shaped diamonds and accented by pear-shaped diamonds. It was the second highest-grossing lot in the Magnificent Jewels sale, selling for $3.5 million to a private buyer.
A second green diamond was at the top of Christie’s Hong Kong sale. This ring, set with a 2.08-carat cushion-shaped fancy vivid bluish-green diamond and circular-cut white and pink diamonds mounted in gold, garnered $2.2 million, or approximately $1 million per carat.
This cylindrical jadeite bangle with a width of approximately 9 mm and thickness of approximately 8.8 mm went for $2 million to a private buyer.
This bracelet featuring six oval jadeite cabochons, alternating with circular-cut diamond collets and mounted in gold, sold for $1.9 million to London-based Moussaieff Jewellers.
Other jewels that topped the auction include a Burmese ruby and diamond bracelet by Faidee that sold under its pre-sale estimate when it garnered $3.5 million from a private buyer and a fancy vivid bluish-green, VS1 diamond weighing 2.08 carats that sold for $2.2 million.
Rounding out the top five lots were a cylindrical jadeite bangle for $2 million and a jadeite and diamond bracelet purchased by London’s Moussaieff Jewellers for $1.9 million.
The full list of results can be found on Christies.com.
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