Tag Archive for 'Diamonds'

Eskae Jewellery Sparkles!

Published on September 18, 2011 in Diamonds, Eskae Jeweller Events, Eskae Jeweller Studio and Eskae Private Jeweller. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

What day could be better spent than one filled with diamond jewellery and lovely, wonderful people? A photo shoot with SM Productions, that’s what!

Sandy Mandow, owner and founder, SM Productions asked Eskae Private Jeweller to provide a vast collection of our diamond jewellery for their Diamonds Are Forever photo shoot and wow, what a blast that was!

Sandy, herself, took care of the technical stuff such as the photographer, wardrobe and makeup stylists and the studio location while I was asked to bring the brilliance, a.k.a., the diamonds.

Photo shoots can be long and tedious for some people but the experience was just the opposite for me! It was too short and incredibly fun spending the day with such fun, talented people and I’m definitely looking forward to the next commercial shoot!

And do you want to know what the best part is? You can see our final commercial production right here!

  • Share/Bookmark

The Top 10 Most Common Questions About Diamonds

Published on September 4, 2011 in Coloured Diamonds, Diamond Certification, Diamond Education, Diamonds, Eskae Private Jeweller and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

1. How are diamonds formed?

The formation process that diamonds go through is absolutely amazing! Diamonds are the only element discovered that consist of one single element, Carbon, that form between 120-200 kms below the earth’s surface.

Obviously, the farther below the earth’s surface you go, the hotter the temperature gets, majorly increasing the pressure from all of the layers of surface above. This extreme heat and large weight of pressure cause carbon atoms to crystallise – which is how we get these beautiful diamonds that we treasure.

2. How are diamonds mined?

Not many people really think too much about the extraction part of the diamond process when putting a diamond on their finger but extraction is exactly what mining diamonds is. Before it can even be worthy of catching your eye, diamonds are pretty unrecognisable when inside of a mine.

Because it takes great skill and patience to gather diamonds without damaging them, there are two types of mining that are the most commonly used methods: Pipe mining and alluvial mining. Pipe mining is the more dramatic of the two since it involves recovering diamonds from volcanic pipes. Miners have to be lowered deep within the cave to be able to find these valuable stones.

Alluvial mining is a little less intense  and one that most people are likely to be more familiar with since it’s done above the earth’s surface. This type involves the screen you’ve actually seen before at riverbeds and ocean beaches, where people sway them back and forth, sifting in search of diamonds and other treasures.

3. Can diamonds break easily?

This is a very important question because the popular thought is that diamonds are invincible when surprisingly, they’re not!  Remember that even Superman has his weaknesses!

While they are the strongest gemstone known to man, they can still go through wear and tear just like any other precious stone and yes, diamonds absolutely can be broken if hit hard enough with a hammer (not that anyone would likely want to do this!).

Not only can they be damaged, they can also damage other gemstones if sitting too close together. For example, if a person is wearing two rings next to each other – a diamond ring on the ring finger and a ruby ring on the middle finger – and both rings accidentally turn towards each other, the diamond will win that battle, hands down.

4. What are the 4 C’s?

Instead of constantly spelling out all four components that make up a diamonds value (cut, clarity, colour, carat), it’s commonly known as the 4 C’s in the jewellery world.

The cut of a diamond is perhaps the most important ‘C’ of the bunch. This is what determines a diamond’s beauty and when cut to perfection, will enhance the diamond’s colour and hide inclusions at the same time.

Since everything is based on the diameter of the diamond, the perfect diameter for a 1ct. round diamond is exactly 6.50mm – not 6.48mm or 6.55mm – but 6.50mm. This allows for the perfect proportion to then be cut, resulting in a diamond that is now able to break up white light into the appropriate colour spectrum very strongly rather than very weakly.

The clarity of a diamond has to do with how ‘clear’ a diamond is. Any inclusions or imperfection within the diamond can lower its overall grade which decreases the diamonds value. In layman’s terms, the more clarity a diamond has, the more the diamond is worth.

The colour of a diamond is simply just that: the colour. Diamonds come in a beautiful variety of colours, to include just about any colour you can think of. To distinguish the difference between their colours, the terms Faint through Fancy and Fancy through Fancy Vivid are given to these gorgeous coloured diamonds.

And finally, the carat, refers to the weight of the diamond (see question #7).

5. What process do diamonds go through to get that, ‘Girl’s Best Friend’ sparkling, Fire and Brilliance finish?

Believe it or not, diamonds don’t pop out of the earth, glittering and ready to be sold! Diamonds are actually pretty dirty rocks that take an enormous amount of fixing up to get it engagement ring ready. Of course, diamonds are valuable as rough, raw stones but cutting and polishing them improve the diamond’s value by a minimum of 50%!

In order to get the full price and value put into a diamond, it takes an extreme amount of expertise and patience (this process can sometimes take up to an entire year to finish!) until the diamond is ready to be placed into a jewellery setting.

The first important C’s of any diamond is its cut, followed closely by the diamond’s colour. This is what gives each diamond, what I refer to as, that ‘Fire and Brilliance’. The cut and colour of every diamond is its heart and soul which makes these two C’s matter greatly in just how important a good diamond is.

Because diamonds rate a full 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness, very precise tools, such as diamond saws and lasers, are used to cut the shape of the diamond. A Russian mathematician, Marcel Tolkowsky, worked out a formula in the early 1900′s that’s used nowadays to maximise the Fire and Brilliance of diamonds.

To give it that special dazzling factor, jewellery professionals use a special formula to determine where the facets should be placed on the diamond. The final process involves a fine, mechanically controlled saw, a laser or a rotating disk that is sprinkled with diamond powder.

6. What constitutes the carat of a diamond?

This is a very short answer with a single explanation: Technically speaking, a diamond’s carat is the term used to express the weight of a diamond, with one carat equalling 200 milligrams of actual weight. If a diamond is extremely small, it can then be expressed by points, i.e. 0.01 or one-hundredth of a carat.

7. Is there a difference between certified and uncertified diamonds?

Those who aren’t in the professional world of jewellery have a hard time fully grasping the concept of certified and uncertified diamonds. The reason that the difference between both kinds of diamonds might throw people off is because these words sound more like more valuable and less valuable. This is a diamond myth that has absolutely nothing to do with a diamond’s value, whatsoever!

Certified diamonds are graded diamonds. In other words, diamonds with a piece of paper that reputable gemmology labs grade a diamond’s quality with. This may sound a little disappointing but it’s actually the biggest difference between certified and uncertified.

Now, here is where this myth that certified diamonds cost more lies: Diamond wholesalers who possess a certified diamond will occasionally charge more for a certified diamond because the buyer knows without a doubt that everything about the diamond is authentic. This has nothing to do with the certification and has everything to do with the seller.

8. What are the three most famous diamonds in the world?

There are so many famous diamonds but sticking to the three biggest and most magnificent diamonds:

The Cullinan diamond: This is, without a doubt, the biggest diamond to have ever been discovered to date. Coming in at 3,106.75 carats of pure white diamond, it was then cut into nine smaller (figuratively speaking) diamonds with the two biggest rocks taking on famous names themselves: The Great Star of Africa (or Cullinan I) weighing 530 carats and the Lesser Star of Africa (or Cullinan II) weighing 317 carats

The Golden Jubilee: The reason for this diamond’s fame isn’t just on carat weight alone but for its colour. The Golden Jubilee is the biggest brown diamond to make its way to the earth’s surface with a whopping weight of 345.67 carats!

The Incomparable: This amazing yellow diamond was first discovered in its 890 carat glory but after being cut and polished, still holds firmly in third place with 407.48 carats of pure beauty.

9. Are diamonds a good investment?

Absolutely! Diamonds will always be valuable and is the one precious stone that will always remain in tact and at the top of the gem hierarchy. They’re a completely tangible investment because of this very reason.

Even if there is a slight fall in inflation, diamonds are guaranteed to ALWAYS go back up on the rise. Even if it’s hard to find a buyer right off the bat, it’s like any other investment that takes patience. The rewards that can be reaped by diamond investments can cover pensions, send children to college and provide a life of financial security if the right investment techniques are used.

10. Where can people find the best quality diamonds?

The most important advice for those who are looking for the best quality diamonds that nature has to offer, is to begin their search with the most reputable jewellery professional in town. Clients need to feel a sense of security and trust with their jewellery professional before rushing into any purchase so that they’re left 100% satisfied with their purchase with all questions answered.

  • Share/Bookmark

The 10 Most Expensive Dream Shoes – Shoes 6 through 1

Published on July 24, 2011 in Coloured Diamonds, Diamonds, Gemstones, Rubies, Sapphires, Tanzanite and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

Continuing on with the World’s Top 10 Most Expensive Shoes:

5. Dream Shoe Designer: Stuart Weitzmann, assisted by Oscar Heyman Bros.

Fully understanding what women want out of a shoe, Stuart Weitzmann has created some of the finest, artistic and most expensive shoes of our time. Designing, perhaps, a coveted shoe during the times of The Wizard of Oz, these sparkly red slippers are fully studded with 642 oval Burma rubies that come in with a total weight of 123-33 carats and are set in a half pound of platinum.

When the stilettos were first created, they were the most expensive shoe of their time and designed to be worn only by the famous. Currently ranking in at #5 on the list of Most Expensive Dream Shoes, they still cost an arm and a leg of $1.6 million USD.

4. Dream Shoe Designer: Stuart Weitzmann

Deemed the ‘Cinderella slippers’, these elegant heels are heavy with 565 platinum-set Kwiat diamonds that total up to 55 carats of clear diamonds and one enormous 5 carat amaretto diamond, worth one million USD on its own, on each shoe.

These fairytale 4 ½ inch stiletto shoes are every girl’s dream and with their steep cost, may just remain that! While they’ve been worn once by Allison Kraus at the 2004 Oscar ceremony, these shoes now sit on display in Beverly Hills, California and are worth $2 million USD.

3. Dream Shoe Designer: Stuart Weitzmann and Jeweller, Le Vian

Tying 3rd and 4th place with himself on the most expensive shoes list, Stuart Weitzmann, in collaboration with Le Vian, have created another $2 million USD pair of evening shoes.

Rightfully so, these million dollar stilettos rank in the top 5 of the world’s most expensive shoes due to the 185 carats of museum quality tanzanite, 28 carats of diamonds and another huge 16 carat tanzanite that dangles on the front of the heel from the ankle strap. All of these rare and precious stones are placed on the silver leather embellished shoe making it one of the daintiest and rarest high-heeled stilettos ever made.

2. Dream Shoe Designer: Ronald Winston from the House of Harry Winston

Not to be outdone by Stuart Weitzman, Ronald Winston carries on The Wizard of Oz theme by celebrating its 50th anniversary with these Harry Winston Ruby Slippers. Tying in at first place with Stuart Weitzmann on the #1 spot, not only are they eye-blindingly glittery with very possibly, more rubies that any person has seen at once, they also carry more weight than any shoe designed to date! Completely covered in 4,600 valuable rubies, these low-heeled pumps have a total weight of 1,350 carats or pure ruby.

To coincide with this one-of-a-kind pair of treasures, it also carries a one-of-a-kind price tag of $3 million USD!

1. Dream Shoe Designer: Stuart Weitzmann

The factor that determined whether the Harry Winston Ruby Slippers or the Stuart Weitzmann Rita Hayworth Heels took the number one spot was which shoe was more current.

Labelled as the most recent, over-the-top creation in designer shoes, these shoes were inspired by earrings worn by the late Rita Hayworth and worn only once by singer/songwriter, Kathleen Bird York, at the 2006 Oscars. Now owned by Rita Haworth’s daughter, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, they’re off the market although their beauty can still be admired from afar.

These open-toed heels were designed using a rust-coloured satin and decorated with rubies, sapphires and diamonds, all nested in the satin ruffle at the toe of the shoe. Unsurprisingly, the Rita Hayworth shoes hold their value at $300 million USD.

  • Share/Bookmark

The 10 Most Expensive Dream Shoes – 10 through 6

Published on June 26, 2011 in Designer Jewellery, Diamonds, Eskae Private Jeweller, Fun Stuff, Gemstones, Hand-made Jewellery, Platinum, Sapphires and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

The 10 Most Expensive Dream Shoes – Shoes 10 through 6

Everyone wants to own the nicest and latest fashioned, name branded shoes but what about shoes that girls can only dream about? Believe it or not, they do exist! All you have to do is add the most exquisite diamonds, jewels and precious metals to these coveted shoes.

Still don’t believe it? Well, go ahead and take a look at the first half of the world’s most amazing and expensive dream shoes!

10. Dream Shoe Designer: Unnamed Italian Designer in Wuhu

Although the designer has remained vague about his creation, his masterpiece is anything but! These sparkling, gold pumps used 680 grams of pure gold to mould them into perfection under the invitation of the World Gold Council.

While the price is has also not been released, if you calculate the going rate for 1 gram of gold ($44 USD), then the price for the gold alone comes in $29, 920 USD.

9. Dream Shoe Designer: Bruno Frisoni for Roger Vivier

Named, The Dovima, these taxidermy bird shoes (yes, they’re actually real birds!) were dyed a rose pink colour and attached to the toe of these heels by their crystal encrusted head. Frisoni really knew how to set himself apart in the designer world since this is the type of shoe that will never be forgotten once you’ve seen it!

Each bird’s crystallised head is surrounded by 24 carat gold-coated mesh, silk, ribbons and crocodile-skin rosettes with the added bonus of protective crocodile or snakeskin that are attachable to keep the shoes, themselves, from ever touching the ground.

These oddly creative, animal-esque shoes can be ordered for $30,000 (USD).

8. Dream Shoe Designer: Giuseppe Zanotti

This Italian shoe designer created the design for these extremely pink shoes with the help of the fine jewellery company, Chopard, who gave the jewellery needed for this fascinating footwear.

Unlike the previous shoe Shellis designed using one specific type of stone, Zanotti incorporated pink diamonds, pink sapphires, tourmalines and russellites to create this one-of-a-kind satin high-heels.

The biggest plus for these shoes is that the jewelled ankle strap of the shoe is removable so that the owner can have not one, but TWO valuable bracelets!

Totalling 22 carats of diamonds, 134 carats of rubellites and 199 carats of pink sapphires, Giuseppe Zanotti also designed a matching set of rose gold, pink sapphire and diamond hoop earrings.

Believed to be auctioned off for up to $175,000 dollars USD for amfAR’s fight against AIDS, these gorgeous bejewelled, satin stilettos sold for an even bigger sum of $200,000 (USD) to a private bidder!

7. Dream Shoe Designer: Christopher Michael Shellis for House of Borgezie

Founder and jewellery designer of the House Of Borgezie, Shellis has designed some of the most expensive shoes of all times with his main attributes to them consisting of diamonds, platinum and solid gold.

This shoe was given the title of, The Eternal Borgezie Diamond Stiletto, and rightfully so due to the 30 carats of 2,200 encrusted white diamonds set into this platinum beauty.

Since all of his jewelled and precious metalled shoes are made with such precision and the best raw materials, they’re guaranteed to last much longer than 10 lifetimes – 1,000 years!

Shellis’ reason for creating these expensive shoes is to showcase the jewels and create jewellery rather than making shoes for people to wear. He has begun the pricing at £100,000 UK.

6. Dream Shoe Designer: Christopher Michael Shellis for the House of Borgezie

Designing another shoe on our Top 10 list, Shellis has once again created his own pair of diamond encrusted stilettos that he calls, ‘A treasure of the feet’ – which, they truly are!

These shoes required a team of goldsmiths to work with temperatures of over 1000ºC to create the entire shoe out of gold. After the base was made, over 2,200 white diamonds were again added to both shoes, totalling a humongous 30 carats.

Having gone on sale just 5 months ago, these dream stilettos can be bought for the big price of £140,000 UK or $319,469 USD.

  • Share/Bookmark

Luxury Emerald And Diamond Tiara

Published on June 19, 2011 in Diamonds, Emeralds, Eskae Private Jeweller, Gemstones, Hand-made Jewellery, Jewellery and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Breaking the news again after auctioning off the word record holding Graff Pink just last year, Sotheby’s is at it again this year, bringing a circa 1900s and extremely rare emerald and diamond tiara to this years auction!

This exquisite, once-in-a-lifetime jewel encrusted tiara was created by renowned jewellers, Chaumet, for Guido Count von Henckel, First Prince von Donnersmark, as a gift for his second wife, Princess Katharina. The emeralds, themselves, are believed to be a part of a collection owned by Napolean III’s wife, Empress Eugenie before the tiara was designed for Princess Katharina.

Not only is this the most rare and valuable emerald and diamond tiaras to come to light, it’s also one of the most historic and prized jewellery pieces to make its debut at Sotheby’s in over 30 years!

Sotheby has recently released this description of the Luxury Emerald and Diamond Tiara:

“The tiara is a crown of foliate and floral inspiration. The base is set with a central row of eleven larger cushion-shaped diamonds, each set between pairs of muguets, above a line of laurel leaf motifs and surmounted by festooned ribbons, pierced and millegrain set throughout with rose and brilliant-cut diamonds, surmount by a row of eleven polished pear-shaped emeralds. The emeralds, totaling approximately 500 carats, graduated in size from the center, each emerald drilled and held in diamond set cusp motifs, the nine largest tipped by rose diamonds, mounted in silver and gold, later detachable tiara fitting”.

Quite the description to match the tiara’s intricate, magnificent historical piece of work!

Understandably so, this amazing and brilliant Luxury Emerald and Diamond Tiara is estimated to sell for $5 to $10 million dollars in Geneva on May 17, 2011.

  • Share/Bookmark

top 10 biggest diamonds in the world

Published on May 1, 2011 in Coloured Diamonds, Diamond Education, Diamonds and White Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

The Top 10 Biggest Diamonds In The World

These legendary top 10 biggest diamonds in the world come in all shapes and sizes. While their prices are sure to be left to pure royalty, there is no limit to the amount of admiration and awe to be shared amongst everyone.

Take a look for yourself and see if you aren’t dazzled by these diamonds!

1. The Golden Jubilee

Weight: 545.67 carats or 109.13 g

Estimated Value: $8 – $12 million

Firmly holding onto its #1 spot, The Golden Jubilee is the largest known diamond in the world! This large brown diamond was discovered in 1985 in a premier mine in South Africa with the original total rough shape weight of 755.5 carats (151 g) which was later reshaped and resized. The first name originally given to this enormous diamond was simply, ‘Unnamed Brown’. In honor of King Bhumibol Adulyade’s 50th coronation anniversary, this brown diamond was presented to him as a gift during which, he renamed the brown diamond as ‘The Golden Jubilee’.

2. The Cullinan I

Weight: 530.4 carats or 106.1 g

Estimated Value: Over $400 million

Also commonly known as Star of Africa, the Cullinan I is the second largest diamond in the world. This pear shaped diamond measures 58.9 mm × 45.4 mm × 27.7 mm. It is called the Cullinan I since it was the largest of the 9 stones cut from the Cullinan Diamond which weighed 3106 carats when first discovered. The Cullinan Diamond was named after Thomas Cullinan (later Sir Thomas), who was a South African mine company owner.

3. The Incomparable

Weight: 407.48 carats

Estimated Value: $600,000

The Incomparable is the third largest diamond in the world, measuring in at 53.90 mm × 35.19 mm × 28.18 mm and was found in the town of Mbuji Mayi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) in the 1980s. This large rock was first discovered in its rough state weighing 890 carats, then reshaped and resized and finally adjusted into a ring. The cutting of the diamond was done by a the team of Marvin Samuels, who was the co-owner of the stone together along with Donald Zale of Zales Jewellers and Louis Glick.

4. The Cullinan II

Weight: 317.40 carats

Estimated Value: Unknown

Initially dismissed as a real diamond, the cushion-shaped Cullinan II is now the fourth largest diamond of the world. Discovered by mine manager, Fred Wells, this diamond rests in the center-front of the Imperial Stat Crown of Great Britain which had, at one time, belonged to Queen Elizabeth II of England. It was cut from the same rough diamond, the Cullinan, and fascinatingly, has two loops on either side to wear it as a broach or with the Cullinan I.

5. The Spirit of de Grisogono

Weight: 312.24 carats

Estimated Value: Unknown

Coming in as the fifth largest diamond in the world, the Spirit of de Grisogono is also the world’s largest cut black diamond, discovered in West Central Africa. This deep, dark diamond’s original rough weight was 587 carats but was later cut and resized.  It’s now fitted into a ring and is encrusted with 702 small white diamonds which have a total weight of 36.69 carats.

6. The Centenary

Weight: 273.85 carats

Estimated Value: Unknown

The Centenary, discovered on 17th July 1986, is the sixth largest diamond of the world and has an almost heart-shaped appearance. This perfect coloured diamond was found at the premier mine by the electric X-ray recovery system at the Premier Mine and those who were a part of it were sworn to secrecy. The rough shape weight of this diamond was 599 carats with 247 facets, measuring in at 39.90mm × 50.50mm × 24.55 mm. It has since been reshaped and resized.

7. The Jubilee

Weight: 245.35 carats

Estimated Value: Unknown, although, in 1900, its estimated value was 7,000,000 francs.

The seventh largest diamond in the world is the colourless, cushion-shaped Jubilee. Discovered in 1895 in the Jagersfontein Mine located in South Africa, it was sent to Amsterdam where it was polished by M.B. Barends. The previous name given to original diamond before it was cleaved was the Reitz in honour of the then president of the Orange Free State, Francis William Reitz. After a 40 carat slab was separated from the original 650.80 carats of rough diamond, the remaining piece was polished, renamed as the Jubilee and destined to be sent to Queen Victoria. The Jubilee is now located in the Royal Thai Palace and is fixed into the crown along with other expensive and popular jewels.

8. The De Beers

Weight: 234.65 carats

Estimated Value: Would be valued $20 – $30 million if found again

The De Beers is the eighth largest diamond in the world and was discovered in the Kimberly mines located in South Africa in 1888. Before being resized and reshaped this amazing diamond weighed 428.50 carats. It was bought by the Maharaja of Patiala and then fitted into a necklace which was named the Patiala Necklace. In 1978, after being loaned to an event in Israel, the famous necklace went missing until it turned up later at a second-hand jewellery shop in London in 1998 – without the De Beers diamond. This light yellow diamond has yet to be found and until that day arrives, De Beers allowed Cartier to restore a cubic zirconium look-a-like to replace its spot on the Patiala Necklace.

9. The Red Cross

Weight: 205.07

Estimated Value: £2 million

The Red Cross is the ninth largest diamond of the world weighing 205.07 was also discovered in the Kimberly mines, South Africa but at a later date in 1901. There are two extremely significant features that make this canary yellow diamond so valuable and unique. The first rare feature is that after exposure to brilliant light, it emits those rays becoming self-luminous in the dark. Even more intriguing is its second rare feature: The Maltese Cross distinctly visible in the top facet, hence its name, the Red Cross.

10. The Millennium Star

Weight: 203.04 carats

Estimated Value: While the estimated value is kept private, it was insured by De Beers Chairman, Nicky Oppenheimer, for £100 million

Although it’s the last of the Top 10 List, the Millennium Star diamond is definitely not the least and is in fact, the second largest faceted D-Flawless diamond in the world. Discovered in Zaire in 1990, this clear blue coloured stone weighed 777 carats in its rough state and was considered to be a magical number. What makes this diamond extremely exceptional is that it is externally flawless without a single scratch or burn marks on any of the facets.

  • Share/Bookmark

Pink Diamond Investment Success!

Published on April 10, 2011 in Coloured Diamonds, Diamonds, Eskae Private Jeweller, Pink Diamond Investment and Pink Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Everyone loves a good success story for several reasons. They’re uplifting, demonstrate positive outcomes and most importantly, are inspiring. Talking about beautiful, sparkly and dazzling precious stones lets the imagination run endlessly and is anything but boring.

Having spent time discussing how to begin a pink diamond investment and the high amount of patience needed to successfully yield a profitable asset can leave the inexperienced wondering what their outcome could one day be. Therefore, to have a little fun, here are three amazing examples of diamonds being put to use:

Imagine this Mercedes Benz, literally covered in diamonds, as your own success story:

Or this snazzy iPhone 4 complete with a 7.4 carat pink diamond:

And if that’s not enough, what about this Philips Ambilight television encrusted with 2,000 diamonds?

Now, these examples may be a bit extreme but it’s an entertaining way to put into visualisation what most wish to come out of their very own savings. When talking about any beginning investment, there’s so much knowledge to retain and steps to be taken that sometimes, the outcome – being the best part – is easily forgotten

Recently, the success of the pink diamond market has been splashing all over international headlines, shattering world records and as a result, has put the spotlight onto these one-of-a-kind diamonds. It has become a global investment, picking up status at such a fast pace, that specialty investors have been scrambling to keep up with demand.

Obviously, this causes pink diamond investments to be an extremely finicky market since even the smallest of diamond investments requires only those with enormous amounts of capital to enter into this league. It also results in these auctions being few and far between since less than 10% of all pink diamonds mined weigh more than .20 carats. This makes bidding extremely fierce and allowing only the best of the best able to participate in the auctions.

Because of fiscal magnitude that these pink diamond auctions hold, invitations are extremely selective and offered specifically to those who can put down the premium capital required by the auction holder by either cashier’s check or bank wire transfer.

Upon this deposit, only buyers who can provide their financial suitability beforehand will even be allowed to participate in the bidding process! While people may have the opportunity to bid on one or more different stones, bargains are rarely found since the sellers are specialty dealers who normally have their own select clientele.

If the chance to bid does come up, nearly all of the bidder’s financial data must be provided with the understanding that little discretion and confidentiality will be included.

These little pink stones consist of mere ounces in net weight, however, carry enormous monetary weight and typically,

Actual Carat Size

aren’t any bigger than the tip of a matchstick. Concealing these pint-sized fortunes is so simple that many people feel safer carrying them on their body – hemlines, folded pieces of paper, shoes, etc.

Understandably, all of these reasons combined call for excessive security measures to be taken. This is why you’ll seldom hear the location of any diamond auction, the prices will always be kept private and if a pink diamond is purchased, you’ll rarely hear the buyers name released to the public until its new location and insurance are fully covered.

The discretion that is used for this process gives pink diamond auctions a mysterious and desirable air about it. Therefore, when a huge pink diamond is auctioned, it makes international headlining testimonials, becoming highly inspirational to people who have merely thought about taking the first step into this investment.

Take the three most famous pink diamonds that sold at recent auctions, for example.

The 24.78-carat emerald-cut pink diamond purchased by Pattie Wong, Sotheby’s Chairman in Asia, on behalf of Laurence Graff, a London jewellery dealer, for $46 million francs at the Sotheby auction:

World Record: This fancy-intense pink diamond has set the world auction record for not only the purest and most vibrant of any diamonds sold at an auction but also for the price any diamond or jewel has ever previously sold for.

The 5-carat fancy-vivid pink diamond purchased by Chinese stock-investor tycoon Liu Yiqian and his wife, Wang Wei, for $83.5 million HK at the Christie’s International auction:

World Record: This purple-pink diamond set the record for price per carat for diamonds sold at any auction!

The 10.11 fancy coloured pink diamond with VS2 clarity was purchased by an anonymous bidder via phone for $2.3 million CAN at the Toronto-held Circa auction. Since the buyer has wished to maintain confidentiality for security reasons, there have only been a handful of pictures released and zero video footage for the time being.

World Record: This pink diamond set the new record in the country for price per carat, not only for Canadian diamonds but for any gem in Canadian history!

In just over a span of one year, there have been three world records broken and all have revolved around pink diamonds. Perfect examples for the perfect investment!

  • Share/Bookmark

Beginning Your Pink Diamond Investment – Part 3

Published on April 3, 2011 in Coloured Diamonds, Diamonds, Pink Diamond Investment and Pink Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Embarking on such a rare and rewarding investment involving rare pink diamonds naturally brings about some precautionary questions. There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking these questions, in fact, not asking any questions would mean that you’re not taking this investment serious enough!

To wrap up this series of Beginning Your Pink Diamond Investment, let’s take a look at the Do’s and Don’ts to watch out for. Now that you have the general idea of what it takes to get started on your new pink diamond investments, this will give you a better outlook of exactly what to look for and where to target your new found assets.

Don’t buy pink diamonds online:

This is one of the most important ‘don’ts’ when considering putting your stock into the pink diamond market. As with anything costly, the last item you’d ever want to purchase is an imitation pink stone or even worse, get sucked in by an online scam.

Pink diamond jewellery and gemstones sold online are meant to appear enticing and affordable but have you ever hear the saying, ‘If it looks too good to be true, it probably is’? This adage couldn’t have been applied to a better example!

It’s inevitable with the production of pink diamonds declining, that more imitations or simulants will come about which is what makes this investment all the more valuable.

To be very clear, a pink diamond investment is not meant for anyone trying to look for an easy way into this market. In order to become a good collector or investor, you’ll need to go in person with a certified gemmologist to check out the pink-coloured stones with your own two hands. This way, your future pink diamond purchase will be inspected in front of you and you’ll know without a doubt, this is meant for you.

Of course, if you’re looking for an imitation pink diamond to wear, by all means, take the risk – it’s your time and your money; however, if this pink diamond is intended for a lifetime savings fund, then it is an absolute must to never skimp on any steps intended for acquiring only the best pink diamonds available!

Don’t leave without a Certificate of Authenticity:

Unless you’re an extremely experienced pink diamond investor, it might be helpful to take an experienced diamond broker or another experienced investor come along with you to make sure all bases are covered before the purchase.

In order to guarantee that your pink diamond will be top-of-the-line quality, you’ll need this certificate to verify the 4 C’s of the pink diamond and to also state whether it’s an enhanced pink diamond or a natural pink diamond.

It is extremely important to have the Certificate of Authenticity in hand before leaving because it’s a known practice for some unscrupulous people to alter the colour of coloured diamonds to show a more vivid or sparkling stone. It’s not that all people are dishonest but for the simple fact to try and keep up with the demands for coloured diamonds that outweigh the supply.

Don’t rush into buying pink diamonds:

Although there has been an influx of snatching up pink diamonds while they’re still available during the last couple of years, you can’t sell a pink diamond for its maximum profit if you don’t take the time and carefully look at all of the needed perspectives that will benefit you in the long run.

Remember, you’ll always get what you pay for! Rushing into anything isn’t usually a good thing to do but in this case, it can be more detrimental when shopping for that perfect pink diamond to invest your future into. Besides the fact that it will make you an easy target for fraudulent jewellers, you could possibly miss out on an even better deal if you’d had a little more patience.

Do opt for loose pink diamonds:

As mentioned in Part 2 of this series, it’s better to stay away from preset pink diamond jewellery. Unless the pink diamond you’ve bought is meant for wearing, keeping the diamond in loose form will allow it to continue appreciating over time. You will also severely limit the risk of any damage to the pink diamond during the setting stage of mounting it in a ring or pendant or similar. To spend all that money on something as beautiful and rare as a pink diamond… to have it damaged at such a crucial stage is disastrous!

Pink diamonds that have already been cut, shaped and/or placed into jewellery will extremely limit your investment market since you’re limiting buyers who might not like the pre-chosen settings.

Another reason why it’s smart to take this route is because these loose stones are graded heavily on their carat weight. If they are cut down to size to be mounted, that means that their carat weight has also been cut down making it worth much less than before as a loose pink diamond.

Your objective, when getting involved in a pink diamond investment, is to start big and finish bigger!

Do buy pink diamonds from a reputable or preferred location:

There are scams galore surrounding the diamond market especially since everyone wants a piece of that pink diamond pie. Before getting deeply vested into this rare diamond market, get to know the jeweller you will be working with.

Very similar to an interview, you’ll need to feel confident that your jeweller is open and honest when answering all of the questions asked. Developing this important relationship can make all the difference in taking your investment to the next level.

Because pink diamonds are so rare, very few jewellers have actually handled a single pink stone which means there will be a small amount of specialty jewellers to choose from. Once you’ve learned to understand the difference between a knowledgeable jeweller and a sales-pitchy jeweller, you’ll be able to locate the best pink diamond locations/auctions as well as having a fantastic jeweller by your side!

Do insure your pink diamond (s):

The largest reason pink diamond auctions and purchases are left discreet is to prevent theft from happening. Although it’s rare, it’s not impossible!

To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, choose a reputable and renowned insurance provider for this rare and expensive stone. In some countries theft is a direct result of information being leaked out from banks and insurance companies since they know exactly how much you have and where you have it! Go to a respected company and do business with the most senior, responsible person you can get to.

For less dramatic reasons than theft, insurance is also important for loss or damages. Depending on whether you have a homeowner’s insurance policy or not, insurance for pink diamonds can be added onto it.

In conclusion of this three-part series, the overall guideline is intended to show how investing in pink diamonds is a winning situation in every financial aspect – IF you know how to do it!

  • Share/Bookmark

Beginning Your Pink Diamond Investment – Part 2

Published on March 23, 2011 in Coloured Diamonds, Diamonds, Pink Diamond Investment and Pink Diamonds. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

‘It is planning not gambling that produces profit and security!’ – Marcus Aurelius (121-180) Meditations on Stoic Philosophy

When beginning a pink diamond investment, it can seem a little overwhelming at first. There is a lot of information that must be retained and put to use while, at the same time, also knowing what to be wary of.

Continuing on with the second part of this series, we’ll talk about the most important steps needed to start putting this fantastic pink diamond investment into action!

What Do I Need To Do?

Hopefully, by now, your research has been completed and you’ve found a personal broker/advisor that specialises in the pink diamond market. As you move on to the next phase, there are three major areas you may find a couple of ‘What’s’ you will need to ask yourself, those closest to you as well as people you’re doing business with.

Step 1 – Identify your financial goals:

The most important aspect of beginning in any investment is to do something most others will neglect to tell you – get a THOROUGH financial health check!

Without taking this crucial step, it’s easy to miss potential profits or look at multiple investment opportunities. Having a complete overview of your financial goals will also signal any red flags raised by future brokers or other investors you might be dealing with.

The trap that most people tend to fall into is not factoring in expenses they had no foresight to, such as, a medical emergency or purchasing a new car. Having your income plus all of your expenses in alignment will allow you to create the appropriate budget needed to include all unforseen aspects. This will help determine what quality of pink diamonds you’ll be able to afford.

Without your financial goals locked in, your pink diamond nest egg will sit exactly where it started – in dream land.

Step 2 – Assess your investment goals and desired output

When purchasing a pink diamond, it’s recommended to put your stock into a loose pink diamonds weighing at least .75 carats to maintain a steady investment. There is one exception to this when deciding whether carat weight or saturation is more important to your pink diamond portfolio.

If going by carat weight is more your style, obviously, the bigger – the better! For those who can afford a bigger amount of a money set within their budget, pink diamonds weighing 1-1.5 carats demand the highest amount of money in this niche which may be the wisest choice when selecting pink diamonds.

If, however, having a highly saturated pink diamond is the more ideal choice to build appreciation on, you can lower its carat weight down to between .25 – .80 carats. Remember that the smaller a pink diamond is, the higher the saturation is so in this case, bigger is not always better!

This isn’t to say that smaller, less saturated pink diamonds aren’t valuable because any investment grade  pink diamond you own will appreciate over time; rather, it’s just to emphasise the two most valuable types of pink diamond markets available.

After assessing your newly identified goals and desired outputs, it might be helpful to begin listing any and all future spending plans you are forecasting. This could include your children’s college funds, buying property, expanding your pink diamond investment – you get the idea!

Once these expenses are visible, then you’ll be able to see the complete picture with the forecasted cash outflows. This will also come in handy when setting out to build your investment strategy!

Step 3 – Create a Financial Investment Plan

Having your financial goals and desired output in tow, you must put an investment financial plan in place. By including all of your present and future resources that will be available, you can then determine whether your venture in pink diamonds is going to be a long-term or short-term investment.

This is extremely important because it makes the risk factor present itself. If your pink diamond investment plan is prepared for the short-term, a more aggressive approach is needed since the production and supply for pink diamonds have already begun decreasing.

Because this is considered to be a tangible asset, most people will opt to follow a long-term investment plan. This is due to the fact that the market for these rare pink diamonds continues to rise, minimally 15% as it has for the past 20 years, allowing your asset to continue appreciating its value.

All of this can sound a little confusing and get pretty complex for pink diamond novices – but that’s okay! That’s what investors are out there for – helping investees.

Now that you’re aware of how to begin proceeding with your new investment, it is now the time to take start taking action! The steps listed above are geared towards helping you with starting up your pink diamond investment but it’s ultimately up to you to take this investment of a lifetime as far as you’ve dreamed!



  • Share/Bookmark

World’s Most Expensive Pens 1-5

Published on March 20, 2011 in Diamonds, Emeralds, Fun Stuff, Gemstones, Mens Jewellery, Rubies, Sapphires and White Diamonds. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , .

5. Visconti Ripple H.R.H. Fountain Pen

Price: $ 57,000
One of the most remarkable Visconti pens is the Ripple H.R.H. Limited Edition fountain pen. Made of 18K white gold and diamonds and with two-tone 18K gold nib, it costs $57,000.00. It has double reservoir filling system and is sold in two variations – white gold and black.

4. Omas Phoenix Platinum Fountain Pen Luxury Limited Edition with Diamonds

Price: $60,000


With an overwhelming price tag of $60,000, this truncated cone shaped pen is a true embodiment of fact and fancy. Made with 950 platinum and yellow enamel with considerable length and diameter, 18K gold rhodium plated engraving nib.

3. La Modernista Diamonds Caran d’Ache

Price: $265,000
La Modernista Diamonds was made by the Swiss company Caran d’Ache in 1999 in homage to Antonio Gaudi (1852-1926), the most famous of Modernist architects. This amazing fountain pen was sold in Harrods, London, for $265,000, becoming the most expensive pen in GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS in 2001. La Modernista Diamonds is made of rhodium-plated solid silver components. It boasts of an 18-carat rhodium-plated gold nib and is set with a total of 5,072 Wessel ton diamonds weighing in at 20-carats, as well as 96 rubies totaling 32-carats. The pen was hand-made by master jeweler Robert Perron taking him six months to complete this true masterpiece of writing instruments.

2. Mystery Masterpiece Mont Blanc and Van Cleef & Arpels Limited Edition

Price: $730,000
To commemorate the centenary of these two renowned brands, Montblanc and Van Cleef & Arpels have collaborated on this fine, limited edition Mystery Masterpiece. Three individual editions, each set with rubies, sapphires or emeralds has been crafted. Using the Mystery Setting technique for the gemstones, these intricate writing instruments are set to stun with their extravagant design, and equally-extravagant price. At US$730,000 each, they are truly a fitting homage to a century of each brands respective history.

1. Aurora Diamante fountain pen

Price: $1,470,600
The Aurora Diamante is the most expensive writing instrument to date. Only one is for sale per year. The Aurora Diamante contains over 30 carats of De Beers diamonds on a solid platinum barrel. It has a two-tone, rhodium-treated, 18KT solid gold nib and is personalized with a coat of arms, signature or portrait. Aurora Pens says it is the only over 30 carat pen in the world.

  • Share/Bookmark