Posts by afrojack

Let me introduce you to two world record holders among D-color, RBC diamonds of Flawless/Internally Flawless clarity grade, less than 50 carats in weight.

One D-color RBC diamond of Flawless clarity weighing 28.86 carats sold for USD6,940,822 at Sotheby's Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels & Jadeite Sale on April 8, 2013 (Lot 1659). This works out to a price-per-carat value of USD240,500, a world record for price-per-carat for a round brilliant-cut D-color diamond.

The other D-color, RBC diamond of Internally Flawless clarity weighing 25.32 carats sold for USD 6,246,702 at Sotheby's Geneva Magnificent Jewels Sale held on May 13, 2014 (Lot 487). This works out to a price-per-carat value of USD 246,710, a new world auction record for price-per-carat for a round brilliant-cut, D-color diamond.

Schlumberger, Webb and Jar are common names one usually come across when talking about quality jewelry, but may not mean much to the common laymen not involved in the jewelry manufacturing industry and trade. Could anyone give a brief introduction to these reputed individuals for the benefit of the laymen and uninitiated.

Another stunning oval-cut Ceylon pink sapphire weighing 19.38 carats, mounted as the centerpiece of a platinum ring within a pear-shaped diamond surround, appeared at Christie's Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels Sale, held on May 28, 2013, and sold for US$392,191 much above the estimated range of US$155,327 - $232,990. The lot was accompanied by a GGL report certifying the Ceylon/Sri Lanka origin of the stone , with no gemological evidence of enhancement by heating. The price-per-carat value of this stone is US$ 20,237.

A 19.05-carat, cushion-cut, Brazilian alexandrite set as the centerpiece of a platinum ring with a pave-set diamond surround and shoulders, appeared at Christie's New York Magnificent Jewels Sale held on October 16, 2007. GGL which certified its country of origin, also spoke highly of several outstanding characteristics possessed by this stone, such as its high degree of transparency and strong color-change effect from bluish-green in daylight to reddish-purple when exposed to incandescent light. GGL also stated that such a combination of high clarity and strong color-change effect, in a Brazilian alexandrite exceeding 15 carats, is very rare. A pre-sale estimate of USD 550,000 - 650,000 was placed on this rare alexandrite ring, which sold much above the upper estimate for USD 959,400 equivalent to USD 50,362 per carat.

More special settings from the Michael Scott collection, that enhances its uniqueness and value might be appropriate to the ongoing discussion. Here are some which I scouted from the internet :-
1) Queen of Kilimanjaro - World's largest faceted tanzanite weighing 242 carats mounted on a 18k white gold tiara with a serpentine band set with 803 green garnets and 913 colorless diamonds.
2) The Sapphire Cobra - A 64-carat, oval-cut, cornflower blue, Sri Lanka sapphire guarded by a solid gold cobra.
3) The Treasure of Gachala - An 83-carat cabochon emerald from the Coscuez mine, Colombia set in a bracelet of diamond and palygorskite, an opal-like mineral from Mexico

Only a fraction of the rose quartz produced in the source countries like Brazil, India, Vietnam, South Africa, Madagascar, Namibia, USA, Germany and Sweden is of gem quality and used in lapidary work for the production of jewelry. The bulk of the rose quartz produced is used as decorative pieces in landscaping and interior decoration. The hardness and color of rose quartz make it a suitable material for carvings such as figurines and ornate statutes, a practice believed to have been prevalent since ancient times, producing objects of worship and other religious symbols.
It is in respect of the use of rose quartz in carvings that I wish to draw the attention of participants in this forum, to the website of Skullis,Creator of the Finest Crystal and Gemstone Skulls.
The images of two rose quartz skull carvings are given below for the benefit of the readers :-