Jewelry News

The emerald cut 8.73 carat Fancy Intense Pink Diamond VVS2 Image: Sotheby’s

Sotheby’s (like the rest of us) has an ongoing love affair with pink diamonds. Last month in Geneva, there was an incredible array of these pink-hued gems, waiting to be awarded to the highest bidder. But all pink diamonds are not created equal. Note here how the different shade of pink creates such a range in the auction estimates.

According to Naturally Colored:

The first Fancy Intense Pink diamond is a beautiful 8.73 carat Fancy Intense Pink VVS2 emerald cut diamond set in a ring. The auction house has set its estimate between $2.5 million to $4.5 million, or $286k to $515k per carat. Considering the prices that Sotheby’s estimated for the other Fancy Intense Pink diamonds for the evening, and considering the enormous spread between its high and low estimate, it leads us to speculate as to what is going on here with the price.

We presume that either the color is a very light or weak Fancy Intense, making it look more like a Fancy Pink, and that the diamond will break its lowest estimate by a large margin. Alternatively, the color may be strong indeed and the high estimate may be an undervaluation.

 

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A ring that Bernhard Schobinger made in 2010 by impaling a chunk of smoky quartz on a countersink nail.

We would love to check out the latest installation currently running at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (but it’s a long drive from Scottsdale). It’s called “Beyond Bling” and presents jewelry worthy of the status of art, not mere adornment. This includes a ring that Bernhard Schobinger made in 2010 by impaling a chunk of smoky quartz on a countersink nail [pictured above].

“Beyond Bling showcases an extraordinary assemblage of contemporary studio jewelry from the United States, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The exhibition, which features a selection of 50 works from the gift of over 300 pieces from collector Lois Boardman, explores the use of nontraditional materials and techniques, the ways jewelry can communicate personal or political messages, and the medium’s potential to shock and delight. The collection is the first of its kind to enter a museum on the West Coast.”

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Let’s hope not…for obvious reasons. What we do hope is that they’re buying smarter jewelry (like eco-friendly diamonds alternatives such as moissanite). The days of blowing your wedding budget on an engagement ring are changing. More people (the millennials, in particular) see the value option of a custom design ring where the couple chooses the material and the price.

But other factors come into play when looking at jewelry sales dropping. According to the Wall Street Journal:

…jeweler Tiffany & Co. on Thursday said sales at existing stores fell 8% in the second period, extending a string of declines. But unlike Signet, which counts on middle America for the bulk of its sales, Tiffany is heavily dependent on foreign tourists, who have been buying less because of the strong dollar.

“We believe that macro market and political uncertainties are likely playing a role in restrained consumer behavior,” Mark Aaron, Tiffany’s vice president of investor relations, said Thursday.

And let’s not forget the effect of the Kaye diamond swap scandal. A jeweler’s reputation is everything. And when one is tarnished, sales are bound to drop, even though the executives at Signet say differently:

People aren’t buying as much jewelry at Signet Jewelers Ltd. , but executives said it wasn’t because of concerns that some diamonds at its shops were swapped with lesser-quality stones.

Instead, they pointed to a host of other reasons for the unexpected 2.3% drop in sales at established stores and a weak outlook: the prolonged oil slump, the divisive U.S. election, even the Brexit vote.

The retailer, which also owns the Kay Jewelers, Zales and Jared chains, cut its earnings and sales targets for the year, sending shares down more than 14% to $82.65 in Thursday morning trading.

Our advice always remains the same: choose a jeweler you trust (like one that’s been in business over 100 years…hint, hint) and stick with a budget that works for you. You can have your dream ring at the price you decide!

Christie’s is preparing a “landmark auction of The Private Collection of President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan, the celebrated 40th President and First Lady of the United States,” slated for September 2016 and coinciding with Christie’s Americana Week sales series in New York. Proceeds from the auction are designated for The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.

While the auction encompasses everything from furniture to memorabilia, our eyes are on the jewelry, especially the 40th First Lady’s Van Cleef & Arpels diamond and gold lion pendant/brooch necklace and matching diamond and gold lion ear clips worn on a state visit to the U.K. in 1988, worth an estimated $50,000 and $20,000 respectively. These pieces (that the First Lady wore on a state visit to the U.K. in 1988) are expected to lead the jewelry sales.

We’re all coming down from a week of globally felt excitement post-Olympics. But we’re keeping it alive by reviewing some of the jewelry worn by some its top athletes. You might think many athletes wouldn’t don jewelry (since it could interfere with their performance) but USA star Kerri Walsh Jennings is a big believer in the power of positivity.

One of her primary positive sources?

Me&Ro Hand of God Pendant.

According to Yahoo:

The majority of pieces worn by Walsh Jennings come from Me&Ro. Jewels from the New York City based firm have acted as her lucky charms since she won her first gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. “Kerri is a big believer in the power of positive everything and jewelry is a part of that,” says Me&Ro designer Robin Renzi who became friends with the volleyball player after spotting her in the jewels on television.

What a fascinating look at Nadja Swarovski in the Telegraph, especially during a time where we see more women breaking through the glass (in this case, close to literally) ceiling in a myriad of ways, including the recent nomination of Hilary Rodham Clinton for President.

Swarovski has had a storied history, not all of it good. The famous crystal company had a besmirched reputation decades ago, where the media and public regarded it skeptically, as cheap or dated product.

You do the swan and the duck – why would we ever want that in fashion?” Nadja Swarovski shudders  as  she recounts the withering put-down from a snooty magazine stylist twenty-five years ago.

The sole female member of an Swarovski executive board, which counts four male distant cousins, she fought her way back into the family business and gave the crystal group a new lease of life -transforming it from a dated tableware and chandelier business to one which counts collaborations with feted designers such as Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane, Karl Lagerfeld, Peter Pilotto and a new home range that includes Aldo Bakker and the late Zaha Hadid.

Read more about this fascinating woman and how she expanded the vision of Swarovski to include fashion and so much more.

Any article that contains “red diamond” catches our eye. Not only is it a stunning gem to behold but its very rare. (According to reports, red diamonds will become even more rare and and their price is expected to double in the next couple of years.)

Known as The Kimberley Treasure and for sale at AU$1 million, the breath-taking collectable has been crafted from one kilogram of 99.99% fine gold, and features a radiant cut 0.54 carat red diamond unearthed from Rio Tinto’s Argyle Diamond Mine in the east Kimberley region of Western Australia.

Unveiled by the Premier of Western Australia, the Honourable Colin Barnett MLA, The Kimberley Treasure is issued as legal tender under the Australian Currency Act 1965.

Simon Trott, managing director of Rio Tinto’s diamonds business said “We are delighted to collaborate with The Perth Mint on the exclusive release of this distinctive investment piece. It is a beautiful symbol of the unique treasures of Western Australia and sets a new benchmark in limited edition craftsmanship.”

The Argyle Diamond Mine produces a very small proportion of rare pink diamonds and an even smaller proportion of rare red diamonds. On average one carat of rare red diamonds a year is produced from the Argyle mine.

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The lines and designs of jewelry extend far beyond what we wear on our bodies. Look at one of your favorite pieces of jewelry. Take a moment to note if you see that design or style elsewhere in your life, like in your home or office. Most likely, you have.

And that’s the beauty of jewelry design: it reflects artistry seen all around us.

Take the teaming of Rem Koolhaas who spearhead the redesign of Gaia Repossi’s flagship store on Place Vendôme in Paris. The jewelry reflects the design itself.

According to W Magazine, Repossi explained, “the new Lateral high end emerald cut diamond earrings that twist along their structure, which is a little like the billboard (the flipping panel window) on the ground floor. I had that idea for a long time, and that took a lot of time to develop.”

Pearls seem to be maligned as much as revered. Revered, for obvious reasons: the opalescence and luster of pearls is one of nature’s finest gifts. Maligned? Because they often tend of be associated with a dated look. Sure, Jackie O rocked them…but so did you grandmother.

But pearls won’t go down without a fight.

Their enticing beauty wins out in the end, no matter what era! Their updated look couldn’t help but be noticed at this recent JCK Las Vegas (the leading jewelry event in North America open to all jewelry professionals).

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Joan Rivers did more than just wear jewelry; she celebrated it. She viewed it as art (rightfully so, in our opinion) and now, since her passing, her belongings are up for auction, along with an extensive collection of designer gowns, home furnishings and other personal belongings.

The comedienne’s private collection will be auctioned at Christie’s in New York City on June 22nd. Nearly 300 lots are for sale, ranging from a Tiffany dog bowl, to the desk and chair where she may have written her jokes, to an Edouard Vuillard painting that may fetch more than $120,000.

“There’s really just incredible depth to her collections,” Gemma Sudlow, Christie’s specialist head of Private & Iconic Collections, told ABC News. “There’s glitz. There’s glam. There’s that Hollywood feel to it, that show business feel to everything.”

The collection is on view and is free and open to the public at Christie’s through June 21. Items range in price from $400 to well over $100,000.

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