Diamond

Oppenheimer diamond sells for record £39.5m

A new world record for any jewel sold at auction as been set by the Oppenheimer Blue diamond after it sold for $57.5m (£39.5m). The diamond, which is the largest fancy vivid blue diamond ever offered at auction, was sold at the Christie’s auction of ‘Magnificent Jewels’ held at held…

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New LDB president appointed as Harry Levy named chairman

The London Diamond Bourse (LDB) has appointed Menachem Prager as its new president, simultaneously creating a new chairman role. Current president Harry Levy has been appointed to the newly created position. Former vice-president Prager, who is the principal of a successful diamond company, has been a member of the bourse…

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Pink diamond sells for record-breaking £21.8m

The seller of the most expensive polished diamond ever sold at auction has broke another record with the sale of the largest fancy vivid pear-shaped pink diamond. The 15.38-carat diamond – named ‘Unique Pink’ – sold for $31.56m (£21.8m) at Sotheby’s Geneva on Tuesday 17 March and became the most…

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De Beers and Namibia sign long-term sales agreement

The Government of the Republic of Namibia and the De Beers Group of Companies has signed a 10-year sales agreement. The agreement – the longest-ever signed between the two partners – will include the sorting, valuing and sales of Namdeb Holdings’ diamonds. Namibia will see a significant increase in rough…

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Leicester jewellers creates £225,000 Premier League trophy ring

Leicester-based Lumbers Jewellers has created a one-of-a-kind Premier League trophy ring, following the shock title triumph from underdogs Leicester City. The handcrafted ring – featuring a brilliant-cut diamond in excess of 5.01-carats and certificated as G colour and VS clarity – has been designed to represent the Premier League trophy.…

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Lucara sells rough diamond for record-breaking £43.5m

Diamond production firm Lucara has announced it has achieved the highest price ever achieved for the sale of a rough diamond. The 812.77-carat type IIa rough diamond, which was recovered from the Karowe mine in Botswana in november last year, has been sold by the company for $63m (£43.5m). As…

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Largest rough diamond discovered in 100 years could fetch £48m at auction

The largest rough diamond to be discovered in over a century could sell for more than $70m (£48m) at a Sotheby’s auction. The 1109-carat ‘Lesedi la Rona’ – the largest gem-quality rough diamond to be discovered in over a century and the largest rough diamond in existence today – will…

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Polished diamond prices dip in April

Polished diamond trading slowed in April due to sluggish demand at the start of a seasonally-quiet period, according to the Rapaport Group. The group’s RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI) found the price of 1ct, GIA-graded diamonds, slipped 0.3% in April, while the price of 0.3ct and 0.5ct diamonds fell by 1.3%…

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Allum & Sidaway appoints new jewellery design director

Jewellery retailer Allum & Sidaway has announced the appointment of Ivonna Poplanska as its new jewellery design director. A multi-award winning designer, Poplanska has had a 10-year career working on numerous bespoke commissions including the creation of the ‘The Eternal Dove’ brooch for Queen Elizabeth II, which was presented in…

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Industry financing to top agenda at World Diamond Congress

“Critical” information on financing for the diamond industry will be at the top of the agenda at the 37th World Diamond Congress to be held in Dubai on 16-19 May. The biennial meeting of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) will have…

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