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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.
AuctionsNov 17, 2016
8-Carat “Sky Blue” Diamond Garners $17M
The fancy vivid blue diamond was expected to be the top lot of Sotheby’s Nov. 16 sale in Geneva but was topped by a step-cut 17.07-carat fancy intense pink.
New York--An 8.01-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, dubbed “The Sky Blue Diamond” to emphasize its rare hue, sold for $17.1 million, or $2.1 million per carat, Wednesday.
The stone, which is set in a Cartier ring, was supposed to lead the Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels sale in Geneva, but it sold toward the low end of its estimated range of $15-$25 million.
The sale’s top lot ended up being a step-cut fancy intense pink diamond weighing 17.07 carats. Set between triangular diamonds weighing 3.07 and 3.13 carats, the pink garnered $20.8 million at Sotheby’s.
A few other pink diamonds fell within the top lots: a pear-shaped fancy intense pink diamond weighing 13.20 carats went for $16.2 million, a 40.30-carat pear-shaped fancy light pink diamond garnered $7.5 million and a step-cut fancy intense pink diamond weighing 8.73 carats sold for $4.3 million.
Also in the top lots were an oval fancy deep blue diamond weighing 7.74 carats set between shield-shape diamond shoulders that went for $13.7 million, and a cushion-shaped 8.37-carat ruby and diamond Cartier ring that garnered $4.3 million.
The Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels sale totaled $136.5 million in Geneva.
Meanwhile, Christie’s Geneva sold a 9.14-carat, fancy vivid pink, VS2-clarity pear-shape diamond for $18.1 million, or $2 million per carat, at its Magnificent Jewels auction on Tuesday.
The auction house also set a new world record at the sale for a pair of earrings when it sold two pear-shape, D-color, flawless diamonds weighing 52.55 carats and 50.47 carats from Paris haute joaillerie house Boehmer et Bassenge for $17.6 million.
A couple of necklaces also were notable in the sale.
A diamond fringe necklace from Harry Winston weighing a total of 128.24 carats sold for $8.3 million was bought back by Harry Winston, and a Boehmer et Bassenge necklace featuring two pear-shape diamonds weighing 31.38 and 12.11 carats and an 8.07-carat brilliant-cut diamond that were surrounded by pink diamonds and set in a double line of vari-cut diamond flowerhead clusters sold for $8.1 million.
Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale garnered revenues of $97.1 million.
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