EditorsNov 07, 2025
Piece of the Week: An MVP’s Sapphire Tennis Necklace At the 2025 World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto sported a custom necklace made by California retailer Happy Jewelers.
AuctionsOct 03, 2018
5-Carat ‘Ai’ Fancy Vivid Blue Diamond Goes For $13.8M
Coming in behind it at No. 2 in Sotheby’s Hong Kong jewelry auction was a 3.37-carat pear-shaped fancy intense blue diamond.
Hong Kong—The 5-carat fancy vivid blue ‘Ai’ diamond was named after the Chinese word for love, and one buyer certainly fell for the stone at auction Wednesday—to the tune of $13.8 million, to be precise.
The VS2 step-cut fancy vivid blue diamond set in an 18-karat white gold ring and flanked with baguette diamonds led the Sotheby’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite jewelry sale, falling within its pre-sale estimate of $12.5 to $15.3 million.
The jewelry auction totaled approximately $40.2 million.
It seemed like blue diamonds were all the rage, with the Ai diamond followed in the results by another stone of a similar color: coming in at No. 2 was an 18-karat white gold ring set with a pear-shaped fancy intense blue diamond weighing 3.37 carats. It sold for $3.1 million.
Just behind that was a ring centered on a step-cut 18.45-carat white diamond between two shield-shaped diamonds and mounted in platinum that went for $2.3 million.
Rounding out the top five were a 4.31-carat cut-cornered square modified brilliant-cut fancy intense purplish pink diamond set between trapeze-cut diamonds and mounted in platinum and 18-karat white gold, which sold for about $1 million, and a ring set with an old European-cut diamond weighing 10.05 carats in 18-karat white gold that went for about $934,000.
The sale also included a number of pieces from Wallace Chan, the first Asian jeweler to exhibit at the Biennale in Paris in 2012, who today can be seen at such major fairs as The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) and Masterpiece in London.
Only one of his works sold at the auction, according to the Sotheby’s website—the earrings pictured above. Featuring tsavorite garnets, brilliant-cut diamonds, jade, emeralds, diamond briolettes and seed pearls, they fell within their pre-sale estimate range when they garnered approximately $88,000.
The auction didn’t sell a tanzanite, chalcedony and diamond ring, expected to garner as much as $230,000, or a pair of earrings featuring conch pearl, various gemstones and diamonds, expected to sell for between $281,000 and $408,000, among other Chan lots.
A number of important jade pieces also didn’t sell Wednesday, including a necklace composed of 51 jadeite beads of a brilliant emerald green color and with “very good” translucency, with a diamond clasp signed Chaumet, and two fine jadeite bangles displaying hues of both lavender and green that were listed separately, with estimates of $665,000-$895,000 and $640,000-$895,000.
To
see the full list of results from Wednesday’s Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite jewelry sale, visit Sothebys.com.
More on Auctions
The Latest
IndependentsNov 07, 2025
Foundrae’s New Palm Beach Location Is a ‘Golden Solarium’The brand’s seventh location combines Foundrae’s symbolic vocabulary with motifs from Florida’s natural surroundings.
FinancialsNov 07, 2025
Watches of Switzerland’s H1 Sales Up 8%The retailer also shared an update on the impact of tariffs on watch customers.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America Aligns New Mission to Create Meaningful Impact for MembersFrom educational programs, advocacy, and recent MJSA affiliation, Jewelers of America drives progress that elevates businesses of all sizes.
SourcingNov 06, 2025
Pink Tourmaline Bracelet, Emerald Suite Take Top Spectrum Honors Pink and purple stones were popular in the AGTA’s design competition this year, as were cameos and ocean themes.
Weekly QuizNov 06, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsNov 06, 2025
Greenwich St. Jewelers Hosts Raffle Supporting Food RescueAll proceeds from the G. St x Jewel Boxing raffle will go to City Harvest, which works to end hunger in New York City.
IndependentsNov 06, 2025
Cornell’s Jewelers Names New PresidentCourtney Cornell is part of the third generation to lead the Rochester, New York-based jeweler.
SourcingNov 06, 2025
De Beers’ Production, Sales Increase in Q3 De Beers also announced more changes in its upper ranks ahead of parent company Anglo American’s pending sale of the company.
WatchesNov 05, 2025
Shinola President Steps Down Just as He Starts Former Signet CEO Mark Light will remain president of Shinola until a replacement for Ulrich Wohn is found.
FinancialsNov 05, 2025
Pandora Posts Modest Q3 Sales Growth Amid ‘Weak’ Consumer Sentiment The company focused on marketing in the third quarter and introduced two new charm collections, “Pandora Talisman” and “Pandora Minis.”
FinancialsNov 05, 2025
Brilliant Earth’s Q3 Sales Climb 10%The jewelry retailer raised its full-year guidance, with CFO Jeff Kuo describing the company as “very well positioned” for the holidays.
Policies & IssuesNov 04, 2025
Supreme Court to Hear Tariffs Case WednesdayAhead of the hearing, two industry organizations co-signed an amicus brief urging the court to declare Trump’s tariffs unlawful.
MajorsNov 04, 2025
Danny Clark to Become Stuller CEO, Succeeding Matt StullerStuller COO Belit Myers will take on the additional role of president, with all changes effective at the start of 2026.
ColumnistsNov 04, 2025
Peter Smith: What Do Birds Have to Do With the Price of Gold? Smith cautions retailers against expending too much energy on things they can’t control, like the rising price of gold.
TrendsNov 04, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Fall Colors for November BirthdaysCitrine and topaz are birthstones fit for fall as the leaves change color and the holiday season approaches.
IndependentsNov 04, 2025
Weston Jewelers Heads to Fort LauderdaleThe family-owned jeweler will open its fourth store in Florida in late 2027.
CrimeNov 03, 2025
Men Dressed as Construction Workers Burglarize Jeweler’s Home The NYPD is looking for three men who stole a safe and jewelry valued at $3.2 million from the home of a jeweler in Jamaica Hills, Queens.
MajorsNov 03, 2025
Matthew Rosenheim Takes Over as JA Board ChairThe trade organization also announced its executive committee and five new directors.
CollectionsNov 03, 2025
Muse’s ‘Have a Heart’ Collab Returns, Now With DDGThe “Have a Heart x Diamonds Do Good” collection is championed by model and humanitarian Flaviana Matata and will benefit her foundation.
TrendsOct 31, 2025
Piece of the Week: A Spinner Fit for ‘Frankenstein’This “Mother Father” spinner necklace from Heavenly Vices Fine Jewelry draws inspiration from Victorian Era jewelry.
CrimeOct 31, 2025
5 More Arrested in Louvre Heist, Jewelry Still Missing The suspects were rounded up in Paris and its suburbs on Wednesday night, but none of the stolen jewels were recovered with them.
Recorded WebinarsOct 31, 2025
Watch: How to Master Google Reviews for Your BusinessExperts share top tips on how to encourage positive reviews and handle negative feedback.
Supplier BulletinOct 30, 2025
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessSponsored by the Gemological Institute of America
CrimeOct 30, 2025
29-Year-Old Man Charged in Multiple Seattle-Area Smash and Grabs The suspect faces charges in the August robbery of Menashe & Sons Jewelers and is accused of committing smash and grabs at two pawn shops.
Lab-GrownOct 30, 2025
Alison Lou’s New Collection Uses Lab-Grown Diamonds and ResinThe “Lumière Fine” collection was born from designer Alison Chemla’s interest in the transformative power of light.
TrendsOct 30, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: A Haunted HalloweenShow off your spooky side with these 12 festive jewels.
