Magnificent fancy coloured diamond sold @ Sotheby's Geneva

Magnificent Fancy Vivid Green diamond ring

Claw-set with a cushion modified brilliant-cut fancy vivid green diamond weighing 2.52 carats, to a plain platinum and yellow gold mount, size 51. Est. 3,300,000—5,450,000 CHF Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium:  3,106,500 CHF

Accompanied by GIA report no. 2106213537 stating that the diamond is Fancy Vivid Green, Natural Colour, VS1 Clarity. Together with a GIA letter stating that the combination of the colour's natural origin and its saturation makes it an extremely unusual occurrence.

NOTE: GREEN DIAMONDS : A WONDER OF THE WORLD

In the elite world of fancy coloured diamonds, green and red are by far the rarest body colours. The appearance of green in a diamond is caused by millions of years of exposure to a source of natural irradiation in the earth, either among uranium compounds or percolating groundwater, which changes its specific absorption of light. The majority of naturally irradiated diamonds show isolated green stains or spots that barely penetrate the surface of the crystal and are almost always removed during the cutting process. On the other hand, a very small minority of them were consistently exposed to the irradiation source over time and therefore exhibit an even green hue throughout the entire crystal. Among this extremely select group of stones, only a very few have a true green colour without any bluish, greyish or yellowish secondary colour, as is the case with the present diamond.

True green diamonds are therefore unique gemmological rarities, and represent an extraordinarily group of beautiful and mysterious gems.

The most famous of all green diamonds worldwide is the legendary 'Green Dresden' stone, which is an antique-cut pear-shaped bluish apple-green diamond of 41.10 carats. It was bought by Frederick Augustus II (1733-1763), Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, from the Dutch merchant Delles at the Leipzig Fair in 1741 and set by the Court jeweller Dinglinger in a Golden Fleece Order. It was said at the time that the stone was the first of its kind to appear on the European market.

Only a handful of natural green diamonds have been auctioned in the past thirty years, and most of them exhibited either a bluish or yellowish secondary colour. As far as our records indicate, this is the largest Fancy Vivid Green diamond ever to have appeared at auction.

The very appearance of the present diamond is an extraordinary event in itself, and it presents a rare opportunity to acquire a unique gem which has never before been set in a jewel.

Very Rare Fancy Intense Blue diamond ring

The fancy intense blue brilliant-cut diamond weighing 3.17 carats, mounted in platinum as a ring, size 51, illustrated unmounted. Est. 1,650,000—2,675,000 CHF Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium:  2,546,500 CHF

Accompanied by GIA report no. 2105427866 stating that the diamond is Fancy Intense Blue, Natural Colour, VVS2 Clarity.

NOTE: The brilliant-cut diamond, considered to be the most 'classic' and 'lively' of all the diamond cuts, is notoriously difficult to obtain from the rough crystal. When compared with other 'fancy' cuts which can be adapted to the shape of the rough, cutting a circular diamond results in a substantial loss of weight.

With the present stone, the cutter decided to 'go for the brilliant', sacrificing considerable weight to achieve the maximum level of brilliancy while still exhibiting the truly unique colour of this extremely rare gem. Brilliant-cut intense blue diamonds are therefore extremely scarce and have seldom appeared at auction. This stone will undoubtedly attract the attention of fancy coloured diamond connoisseurs and aficionados worldwide.

Very attractive Fancy Pink diamond ring

The fancy pink cushion-shaped diamond weighing 6.63 carats, mounted in gold and platinum as a ring, size 52, illustrated unmounted. Est. 1,350,000—1,950,000 CHF Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium:  1,426,500 CHF

Accompanied by GIA report no. 2105427758 stating that the diamond is Fancy Pink, Natural Colour, VVS1 Clarity.

Fancy coloured diamond and diamond necklace

The brick link necklace highlighted with circular-cut diamonds, the front with baguette stones suspending a stylised cross pendant, set with a fancy intense yellow brilliant-cut diamond weighing 1.80 carats, a fancy green-yellow brilliant-cut stone weighing 1.31 carats, a fancy intense green-yellow brilliant-cut diamond weighing 1.29 carats and a fancy intense orangy pink marquise-shaped stone weighing 2.23 carats, mounted in platinum and yellow gold, length approximately 390mm. Est. 210,000—310,000 CHF Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium:  278,500 CHF

Accompanied by four GIA reports; no. 2105879644 stating that the 1.80 carat diamond is Fancy Intense Yellow, VVS1 Clarity; no. 1102879654 stating that the 1.31 carat diamond is Fancy Green-Yellow, SI2 Clarity; no. 2105879653 stating that the 1.29 carat diamond is Fancy Intense Green-Yellow, VS1 Clarity; and no. 1102879685 stating that the 2.23 carat diamond is Fancy Intense Orangy Pink, VS1 Clarity, all Natural Colour. Together with additional GIA worksheets stating that the1.80 and 2.23 carat diamonds may be Potentially Flawless after repolishing.

Light pink diamond ring

The light pink modified shield brilliant-cut diamond weighing 3.08 carats, to a frame and shoulders set with brilliant-cut stones, mounted in pink gold and platinum, size 52. Est. 32,000—52,000 CHF Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium:  122,500 CHF

Accompanied by GIA report no. 15248491 stating that the diamond is Light Pink, Natural Colour.

Fancy Deep Blue diamond ring, Tiffany & Co.

The fancy deep blue octagonal modified brilliant-cut diamond weighing 0.71 carats, the mount set with baguette diamonds, some tapered, mounted in platinum, size 52, signed Tiffany & Co. and numbered, case. Est. 21,000—31,000 CHF Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium:  98,500 CHF

Accompanied by GIA report no. 14681997 stating that the diamond is Fancy Deep Blue, Natural Colour, VS2 Clarity.

Pair of fancy coloured diamond pendent earrings

Each respectively set with a faint pink oval diamond weighing 0.87 and 1.02 carats, suspending a brilliant-cut fancy light grey-blue diamond weighing 0.14 carat and a brilliant-cut light blue diamond weighing 0.16 carat, to the faint pink pear-shaped diamonds weighing 1.69 and 2.09 carats, the whole bordered by brilliant-cut stones, mounted in pink gold and platinum. Est. 55,000—85,000 CHF - Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium:  64,900 CHF

Accompanied by GIA reports no.16820806 and no. 1102249554 stating that the 1.69 carat diamond and 2.09 carat diamond are Faint Pink, Natural Colour. Accompanied by GIA report no. 16824585 stating that the 0.14 carat diamond is Fancy Light Grey-Blue and by GIA report no. 16824429 stating that the 0.16 carat diamond is Light Blue, both Natural Colour. Accompanied by GIA report no. 15842523 stating that the 0.87 carat diamond is Faint Pink, SI2 Clarity and by GIA report no. 2105177995 stating that the 1.02 carat diamond is Light Pink, SI2 Clarity, both Natural Colour.

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels. 17 Nov 09. Geneva www.sothebys.com