Sponsored by Tasha R
Christie’s to Auction 163-Carat D Flawless Diamond
Polished and set into a de Grisogono necklace, it will be the largest flawless, D-color diamond ever to hit the auction block.
Geneva--When “The Art of de Grisogono, Creation I” necklace hits the auction block Nov. 14 in Geneva, the 163.41-carat diamond center stone will be the largest flawless, D-color diamond ever auctioned, according to Christie’s.
The road to reaching this record began in Angola at the Lulo mine in February 2016, with miner Lucapa’s discovery of the largest diamond ever found in the country, and 27th largest in the world, a 404.2-carat piece of rough.
Named the “4 de Fevereiro,” in honor of Angola’s Independence Day, de Grisogono acquired the Type IIa rough stone through its partnership with diamond trading company Nemesis International.
The 400-plus carat stone took 10 diamond cutting experts 11 months to analyze, map, laser cut and polish. The first cleave was done by hand in New York on June 29, 2016 and the completed emerald cut, 163.41-carat diamond was graded by the GIA in December 2016, then delivered to Geneva to de Grisogono founder Fawaz Gruosi.
Gruosi, who created de Grisogono in 1993, and his team created 50 potential designs for the stone and in February 2017 settled on what is now “The Art of de Grisogono, Creation I” an asymmetric collar featuring emerald-cut diamonds on one side and pear-shaped emeralds on the other.
“The green gives great contrast and enhances both colors,” Gruosi explained in a press release, “and, being Italian, I am superstitious. Green means good luck--you will see a lot of it in my collections.”
Over the next six months, 14 master craftspeople--consisting of eight jewelers, five setters and one engraver--spent 1,700 hours making Creation I by hand.
The stunning masterpiece features 18 emerald-cut diamonds that are graduated in size from 0.48 to 8.10 carats, totaling 48.64 carats.
A total of 862 brilliant-cut diamonds adorn the settings of these emerald-cut stones, totaling 6.52 carats. The setting of the 163.41-carat diamond, specifically, is 399 brilliant-cut diamonds, and the prongs are set with four baguette-cut diamonds.
Not to be outdone by the diamonds, 5,949 brilliant-cut emeralds totaling 38.84 carats serve as accents for the 66 pear-cut emeralds featured, which weigh 120.42 carats total. The clasp of the collar is hidden under a 0.54-carat emerald.
The little white gold that is visible in the design is plated in black rhodium, for what de Grisogono says is meant to invoke a chiaroscuro effort.
The diamond centerpiece may be detached from the collar and when Creation I sells, de Grisogono is willing to work with the buyer on other modular designs, so that the diamond can be incorporated into a cuff, tiara or brooch, for example.
Creation I is the first in a series of high jewelry creations de Grisogono plans to sell through Christie’s, using important diamonds that are notable in terms of scale and quality.
International Head of Christie’s Jewels, Rahul Kadakia, said: “Over our 251-year history, Christie’s has had the privilege of handling the world’s rarest and most historic diamonds. The sensational 163.41- carat perfect diamond suspended from an elegant emerald and diamond necklace propels de Grisogono into a class of their own.”
The Art of de Grisogono, Creation I is on view now in Hong Kong, and will make stops next in London, Dubai and in New York at Rockefeller Center between Nov. 3 and 6, before heading to Christie’s Geneva, where it will be on view at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues.
The Latest
A federal court found that the jewelry store chain violated terms of the settlement reached after it was accused of defrauding customers.
Cynthia Erivo chose Dreams of Hope, an organization dedicated to empowering LGBTQA+ youth, as the charity for this year’s collection.
From protecting customer data to safeguarding inventory records, it's crucial to learn how to tackle cybersecurity challenges.
The new space was designed to evoke a warm, inviting vibe.
Kinney, who spent nearly 30 years at IJO, has been hired to head Abbott Jewelry Systems’ new virtual marketplace.
The auction house was accused of helping clients avoid paying taxes on millions of dollars’ worth of art purchased from 2010 to 2020.
This fall, sharpen your skills in jewelry grading, quality control and diamond assessment.
The four finalists will present their pieces at the 2025 JCK Las Vegas show.
The “Camera Oscura” collection showcases earring designs celebrating female Surrealist artists Claude Cahun and Leonor Fini.
The money will fund the planting of 10,000 trees in critical areas across Oregon, Arizona, Montana, and other regions.
The event centered on advancing jewelry manufacturing technology will return to Detroit in May 2025.
Local reports identified the woman as the wife of the jewelry store owner.
The Australian jewelry box brand’s new West Village store will showcase new jewelers each month through its Designer in Residence program.
“Lovechild” was created in partnership with Carolyn Rafaelian’s Metal Alchemist brand.
Hampton discussed how Helzberg is improving the customer experience and why it was inspired by the company formerly known as Dunkin’ Donuts.
The group will host several curated events and an exhibition of designer jewelry made with Peruvian gold traceable to the miners’ names.
The collection honors the 50th anniversary of Dolly Parton’s “Love is Like a Butterfly” song, which shares a birth year with Kendra Scott.
This year’s theme asks designers to take inspiration from classic fairy tales.
Senior Editor Lenore Fedow makes the case for why more jewelers should be appealing to nerds at the annual event.
The latest “Raiz’in” drop showcases a newly designed “Scapular” necklace and donates a portion of the proceeds to Make-A-Wish France.
No. 1 out of 100, the timepiece was created to mark Citizen’s 100th anniversary and will be auctioned off at Sotheby’s next month.
On the latest episode of “My Next Question,” two experts share best practices for store security during the holidays and year-round.
Sotheby’s sold the necklace, which potentially has ties to Marie-Antoinette, for $4.8 million to a woman bidding via phone.
Instead of its usual elaborate display, the store will illuminate its façade and frame the windows to highlight its flagship’s architecture.
The new Grand Seiko boutique is located in Honolulu’s Waikiki neighborhood.
Eleven spots are available for travelers to visit Northern Tanzania and Southern Kenya from July 25 to Aug. 4.