Sotheby’s HK to hammer Love diamond!

Love Conquers All: The AI ‘愛’ Diamond

5-carat fancy vivid blue diamond and diamond ring

Exhibition: 28 September-2 October, Auction: 3 October

On 3 October, Sotheby’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite Autumn Sale 2018 will present unique contemporary creations alongside phenomenal gems from nature. Headlined by the Ai (‘愛’) diamond, a rare and important 5-carat fancy vivid blue diamond and diamond ring (Est. HK$98-120 million / US$12.49 – 15.29 million), the season also features a spectacular pair of fancy vivid yellow diamond earrings of ingenious designed, and an important jadeite bead and diamond necklace.

Enthusiasts of contemporary designs will be impressed by a selection of masterworks created by celebrated Asian contemporary designer Wallace Chan. A stunning selection of Red Carpet necklaces by such famed jewellers as Van Cleef & Arpels and David Morris, as well as a vintage Bulgari suite will also be offered this season.

Chin Yeow Quek, Deputy Chairman, Sotheby’s Asia, Chairman International Jewellery, Asia, comments: We are proud to present a meticulously curated jewellery auction of beautiful designs, both vintage and contemporary, as well as great examples of precious gemstones and dazzling coloured diamonds which includes the superb Ai (‘愛 ’) Fancy Vivid Blue diamond this season in Hong Kong.

The rare fancy vivid blue diamond has proved to be one of the most coveted gemstones, with per-carat price reaching US$1 million and consistently breaking its own price-per-carat record. For every 33,000 gem-quality diamonds uncovered, only one possesses the brilliance and blue colour most sought after. Among some of the first diamonds to emerge from the legendary Kollur mine in the Golconda, blue diamonds have been treasured as the epitome of natural wonders.

With immense rarity comes exceptional value. As mentioned in the GIA monograph, “the fashioning of any coloured diamond is difficult work, as even the most seemingly insignificant cut can dramatically influence colour, clarity, durability, or the diamond’s overall value. Manufacturing blue diamonds is a particularly arduous process that requires careful inspection of the face-up colour appearance at each stage. For this reason, only the most experienced cutters are entrusted with the task of their manipulation”.

The Ai diamond, named after the greatest power of all, love, is a celestial treasure marrying the capabilities of nature and mankind to full display. Love is the universal language, unspoken but omnipresent, fitting for a gem so unique and irreplaceable.