At Holiday Inn, diamonds for lucky guests

New York--Forget finding a piece of candy under the hotel pillow or having the towels contorted into amusing animal shapes that cause children to squeal with delight.

Beginning on Oct. 1, the Holiday Inn hotel chain is stashing cushion-cut diamonds that are more than one carat under the pillows of lucky guests at its inns in the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Russia and Turkey. (The campaign will not be coming to hotels in the United States.)

Guests who are lucky enough to check into a diamond-blessed room will find what essentially amounts to a large, diamond-shaped paperweight under their pillow, along with a luggage tag telling them to see the hotel manager to collect the real thing.

The United Kingdom-based chain is turning to social media to promote its diamond drop, asking potential guests to check its Facebook page for hints as to where the company will place the precious stones.

The company says the promotion is an innovative way to mark its 60th, or diamond, anniversary while giving back to its guests in the process.

Holiday Inn opened its first hotel in Memphis, Tenn. in 1952. Today, the chain has 3,375 hotels worldwide across its brands, which are Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn Resorts and Holiday Inn Club Vacation.

www.nationaljeweler.com

Alrosa Finds 158 Carat Diamond

Earlier this month, Russian diamond miner Alrosa uncovered a diamond that is one for the books—the gem weighs a whopping 158.2 cts.

Alrosa describes the stone as “a natural crystal roundish in shape, transparent and having prominent facets on one of the sides. The central part is clean, with no visible defects; there are inclusions of dark color, cracks, and a technical chip in the peripheral area.”

The diamond’s size is 35 x 22 x 22 millimeters.

Alrosa expects the stone to sell for $1.5 million, if auctioned.  

“If cut, this rough diamond may produce several polished diamonds having high quality characteristics, and each of them may be worth hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars,” the diamond producer added.

http://www.jckonline.com/

Ring Sells for $1.2 Million at Sotheby’s

Brooke Astor’s 22.84 ct. emerald engagement ring (photo courtesy of Sotheby's)

Jewelry from the estate of Brooke Astor, philanthropist and legendary New York society figure, fetched $5.7 million at Sotheby’s New York.

The sale, which concluded on Sept. 25, was led by Astor's 22.84 ct. platinum, emerald, and diamond engagement ring; it sold for $1.2 million. The entire auction brought in $18.8 million, nearly doubling its estimate of $9.7 million. All 64 lots of jewelry were sold.

Other highlights of the jewelry collection included a Bulgari 18k gold, platinum, emerald, and diamond necklace, which sold for $686,500, and a Van Cleef & Arpels platinum and diamond ring, which sold for $614,500.

The proceeds of the auction will benefit Astor’s favorite charity organizations, including the New York Public Library, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Pierpont Morgan Library, and the Animal Medical Center of New York.

Bulgari 18k gold, platinum, emerald, and diamond necklace

Van Cleef & Arpels platinum and diamond ring

Sotheby's Jewels Sale Tops $16M

Sotheby’s New York completed its sale of important jewels, which achieved a total of $16,383,856 and was 79.3 percent sold by lot. The top lot was a 5.08-carat, VVS2 brilliant-cut fancy light pink diamond that sold for more than twice its high presale estimate at $1.4 million or $280,807 per carat.

A 3.09-carat, VS1 pear-shape fancy intense orangy-pink diamond pendant (pictured) fetched $770,500 or $249,353 per carat and a 13.22-carat Kashmire sapphire and diamond ring sold for $578,500; both lots of which sold well above presale estimates.

Gary Schuler, the head of Sotheby’s jewelry department in New York, said,  “We saw particularly strong prices for unique color diamonds, led by the fancy light pink diamond that soared to $1,426,500 above a high estimate of $700,000.

''While many of our top 10 prices came from American trade buyers, both signed jewels and stones under 10 carats brought spirited bidding from collectors worldwide,'' he said. ''Jewels from the estate of Kitty Carlisle Hart, which we were delighted to offer, doubled their overall low estimate and were led by her beautiful art deco diamond sautoir that achieved $146,500. And in a continuation of a trend we have observed in recent years, natural pearls remain a strong segment of today’s market.”

Christie's Auctioning Legendary 76 Carat D-Flawless Diamond

Christie’s expects the world-famous 76.02 ct. D-IF Archduke Joseph Diamond to fetch $15 million at its Nov. 13 auction in Geneva.

While the auction house provided the $15 million figure, an official estimate will only be provided upon request.

While Christie's did not reveal the stone's current owner, it was once offered for sale by Pheonix jeweler Al Molina.

A Christie’s release calls the gem “one of rarest and most famous diamonds in the world.” The stone was discovered in the Golconda mine in India, the source of such legendary gems as the Koh-i-noor, the Hope, and the Regent. According to the auction house, “Golconda diamonds have a special whiteness often described as soft, watery, and pure, so that light appears to pass through the stone completely unimpeded.” The Archduke Joseph is the largest and most perfect Golconda stone to ever appear at auction.

The stone received its name from one of its owners, Archduke Joseph August of Austria, who passed it on to his son, Archduke Joseph Francis. The son is believed to have deposited the stone in a bank where it remained through World War II, escaping the attention of the Nazis. After decades of mystery, the diamond reappeared in 1962, and was then sold again at Christie’s in 1993, where it realized $6.5 million (the company says that figure is equivalent to $10.5 million today). 

“The magic of auction sometimes brings back great gems to our salerooms more than once,” François Curiel, international head of Christie's jewelry department, said in a statement said. “In November, we have the privilege to give both new and established collectors the opportunity to own a piece of history once again.”

www.jckonline.com

Russia Has More Diamonds Hiding in an Asteroid Crater Than the Rest of the World Has Combined

If you had more diamonds than the rest of the world combined hiding under an asteroid crater, would you tell anyone? Russia was happy to keep that knowledge a secret until now, finally revealing plans to begin tapping into a reserve containing trillions of carats worth of diamonds.

It's a treasure trove of unprecedented scope, secrecy, and value.
First reported by the Christian Science Monitor, the crater, which rests in the upper reaches of Siberia, was left by an asteroid that crashed into Earth 35 million years ago, creating an impact zone that's 62 miles in diameter. In the intervening eons, it's believed to have spawned enough diamonds to power the global market for the next 3,000 years. By context, the next biggest Russian reserve at the Yakutia mines is believed to have one billion carats—several orders of magnitude less than this current haul.

What makes these diamonds especially valuable to prospective buyers is the fact that they're impact diamonds, or diamonds formed as a result of an asteroid or meteor crashing into the carbon-based compound graphite. According to IDEX, these are diamonds that can never be used as jewels, but rather are extremely valuable for their industrial applications. For starters, Russian officials claim these newly revealed diamonds, known as impactite, are twice as hard as normal diamonds, while others value these diamonds for their grain size and abrasive cuts.

So why reveal the secret now, after all these years? When the discovery was first made decades ago, Russian already had other diamond mines which were yielding abundant amounts of the coveted mineral. And because the diamond industry was heavily regulated back then, there was little financial motivation to announce a discovery that has the power to heavily influence the market for these things. But now, with the diamond industry starting to show signs of life after bottoming out in 2009, and the increased use of diamonds in the technological world, Russia seems to think its a good time to start mining these valuable little things (or at least start thinking about mining them).

But the true effect will take time to be felt, according to a quote given to the Russian publication ITAR-TASS by an expert in the field:

Deputy Director of the Yakutnipromalmaz Institute Gennady Nikitin warns: "The Popigai diamonds can overturn everything, and is not clear what will happen to prices in the market."

So how will this impact us normal people? Probably not much at all. Since these jewels will never be converted to gems, the price of that wedding ring you plan to give or receive will never be affected by this Russian stockpile. But should there be a global shortage in the future, Russia will be in a unique position of controlling the entire industrial diamond industry. Given the increased use of lasers in technological innovations, and the quest to attain nuclear fusion (both of which rely on industrial diamonds), the demand for this rock won't be diminishing anytime soon.

PRECIOUS METALS: Gold, Silver Surge as Fed Reveals Easing Plans

--Gold, silver surge to six-month highs after Federal Reserve announcement

--Comex December gold rises 2.2% to settle at $1,772.10 a troy ounce

--Comex December silver settles 4.5% higher at $34.778 an ounce

--Easy-money policies can boost demand for precious metals as a U.S. dollar, inflation hedge

--Platinum supported by calls for strike in top producer South Africa

(Adds details on trading halt in the seventh, eighth paragraphs.)


By Matt Day and Nicole Friedman

NEW YORK--Gold and silver climbed to six-month highs Thursday, as the Federal Reserve's announced round of bond buying sparked a retreat in the U.S. dollar and in demand for a hedge against potential inflation down the line.

The U.S. central bank said that it would buy $40 billion of mortgage-backed securities each month and that it could extend those purchases if the U.S. labor market doesn't improve. The Fed also said it would extend its program known as Operation Twist, under which it sells short-term bonds and buys longer-term bonds in an effort to lower borrowing rates.

Gold and other precious metals can gain from easy-money policies similar to the ones announced Thursday as investors seek a hedge against the inflation that can result. Such policies by the Federal Reserve also can take a bite out of the dollar, drumming up demand for dollar-denominated gold.

Gold for September delivery gained $38.50, or 2.2%, to settle at $1,769.10 a troy ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, the highest settlement since Feb. 28. The most actively traded contract, for December delivery, rose $38.40, or 2.2%, to settle at $1,772.10.

The September silver contract rose 4.5% to settle at $34.716 a troy ounce, the highest since March 1.

The Fed also extended its outlook for low interest rates to mid-2015, from its previous outlook of late 2014. Low rates can send investors looking for higher yields into precious metals.

Trading in gold was halted by Comex operator CME Group Inc. (CME) twice Thursday as volume spiked before and after the release of the release of the Fed's statement. A CME spokesman said the exchange halted trading for less than a minute at 12:14:47 p.m. EDT, and again at 12:31:20 p.m. EDT.

The exchange uses such trading halts to prevent excessive price volatility.

The Fed's action was widely expected after Chairman Ben Bernanke and other officials hinted at the central bank's willingness to act should economic growth in the U.S. weaken. Gold futures gained 9% between Aug. 2 and Wednesday's close.

Even after those gains, "I think that you had a lot of people sitting on the sidelines just wanting to make sure there wasn't a surprise here" on Thursday, said Matt Zeman, head of trading with Kingsview Financial.

The day's gains could spark another leg higher in gold in the weeks ahead, said Adam Klopfenstein, a senior market strategist with Archer Financial Services.

Gold spent much of this summer in sideways trading, as investors worried about the global economy preferred the U.S. dollar at the expense of precious metals. That sparked some talk that gold's 11-year bull run could be set to stumble, and speculators grew cautious toward the metal.

After the Fed's announcements, "I think we're going to see a lot of the [gold] skeptics throwing in the towel," Mr. Klopfenstein said, adding that some of those traders were closing out bets on lower prices Thursday. "Gold is having an impressive run."

On top of the Fed news, platinum gained an additional price boost as labor unrest continued in South Africa four weeks after violence erupted at a mine owned by Lonmin PLC.

Platinum mine workers called Thursday for a nationwide strike across the sector to begin Sunday. South Africa produces 75% of the world's platinum, according to chemicals and precious metals company Johnson Matthey.

Platinum for October delivery settled up 1.8% at $1,679.50 a troy ounce.

Demand for physical platinum could exceed supply next year, said TD Securities, which forecast that prices would rise above $1,825 a troy ounce in the second quarter of 2013.

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120913-714170.html

De Beers Diamond Jewellers Unveils 'Imaginary Nature' in Asia

De Beers Diamond Jewellers unveiled its jewelry collection, Imaginary Nature, for the first time in Asia today. The event was attended by award-winning actress, Gigi Leung and Taiwanese actress and model Bianca Bai. De Beers stated that the Imaginary Nature collection exhibits a journey of light, where heightened imagination meets natural beauty with diamonds.

Francois Delage, the chief executive of De Beers Diamonds Jewellers, said, “We wanted, through Imaginary Nature, to truly establish our legitimacy as a jeweler and to express our vision through a strong creative and contemporary gesture. Our unique designs inspired by our DNA bring to life our brand essence – The Jeweller of Light – by creating exquisite pieces, moments and movements from a journey from earth to light. The eight one-of-a-kind creations sublime our diamond mastery and jewelry know-how, and we are delighted to now unveil them in Asia.”

Each Imaginary Nature piece balances the contrasts of the natural world with the drama of an ascent and the grace of gliding, according to De Beers. These rich contradictions are conveyed through an array of diamond cuts and settings. Radiant pear-cut diamonds were set on a tilt in a way to engage light and trace movement. By contrast, the definite angles of the baguettes against round brilliant diamonds punctuate each piece with tradition and brilliance.

Leung (pictured) said, “It is so refreshing to see a contemporary take on high jewelry, the three-dimensional aspect and the interplay of light between different diamond cuts is truly unique.”

Hollie Bonneville-Barden, the jewelry designer, added, “Imaginary Nature represents an exhilarating yet elegant display of evolution, inspired by the beauty of transformations within nature, which are realized in a story of metamorphosis. Each piece reveals a unique gesture inspired by the essence of nature. With the diamond as our muse, the collection is centered on diamonds of character, focused on pears and baguettes to create a language of movement and fluidity.”

http://www.diamonds.net/news/NewsItem.aspx?ArticleID=41084

Best Brands in Luxury Jewelry; Graff, Asprey and Mikimoto Take Top Honors in Luxury Institute Survey, but Tiffany Proves Most Popular

Ultra-wealthy U.S. shoppers with at least $200,000 per year in household income and minimum net worth of $5 million rank U.K.-based Graff Diamonds highest among 22 luxury jewelers in the 2012 Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey by the independent and objective New York-based Luxury Institute. LBSI scores comprise respondents’ evaluations of each brand’s products, customer service experience and reputation.

With the top overall LBSI score of 7.98 out of 10, Graff ranks first on brand reputation and product quality considerations, scoring highest in evaluations of materials and craftsmanship.

Graff is also the brand that pentamillionaires are most likely to deem worthy of charging premium prices, followed by fellow U.K. jeweler, Asprey, and Japanese pearl specialist, Mikimoto. Asprey (7.82) and Mikimoto (7.77) also rank second and third, respectively, in overall LBSI scores.

Top luxury jewelers serve an exclusive clientele. Just 1% of pentamillionaires have purchased one of Graff’s diamonds in the past 12 months, 3% have shopped Asprey and 4% have purchased from Mikimoto. Tiffany & Co. is the most popular luxury jeweler: 13% of ultra-wealthy shoppers made a blue box purchase in the past year; 75% plan to buy Tiffany goods in the coming year.

“Quality in craftsmanship and materials are primary considerations for any luxury goods brand, but especially so in jewelry,” says Luxury Institute CEO Milton Pedraza. “The top-ranked jewelers also pay attention to delivering an outstanding customer experience to create true brand value and a competitive advantage.”

Survey participants reported average income of $682,000 and average net worth of $14.6 million.

http://luxuryinstitute.com/blog/?p=1991

September Birthstone

Birthstone Color: Deep Blue
The striking deep blue of a quality sapphire is reminiscent of a cloudless night sky. Ancient civilizations believed that the world was set upon an enormous sapphire, which painted the sky blue with its reflection. This legend, as well as the belief that the ten commandments were inscribed upon tablets made of sapphire, gives September’s birthstone a royal place among gemstones.

Named after the Greek word "sapphirus", meaning blue, Sapphires have long been a favorite among priests and kings, who considered them symbolic of wisdom and purity. These gemstones are prominent among the British Crown Jewels, and Prince Charles chose this as the engagement stone for his fiancée, Princess Diana.

In ancient times, Sapphires were thought to be protective against envy, and even against poisoning. A common belief was that a venomous snake placed in a Sapphire vessel would rapidly die! Ground to a powder, the blue stone was believed to cure colic, rheumatism and mental illness, and to strengthen eyesight.

Sapphire is a variety of the mineral corundum. Corundum is found in every color of the rainbow, with red being designated as ruby and all other hues Sapphire. But the most prized color of Sapphire is a rich, deep blue. These gemstones were mined as early as the 7th Century BC from India and what is now Sri Lanka. They are found today in Sri Lanka, Kashmir, Myanmar, Thailand, Australia, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, China, Madagascar, and the United States. Large specimens of Corundum crystals are rare, although the 563-carat Star of India can be seen in the American Museum of Natural History. This is the largest and most famous of star Sapphires, which are cut to reflect light from inclusions within the stone, revealing a bright six-legged star pattern.

The Sapphire is second only to the Diamond in hardness, making it a durable gemstone for setting into jewelry. A gift of Sapphire represents sincerity and faithfulness. As nourishing to the soul as gazing up at the sky on a summer day, this brilliant blue gemstone is truly a heavenly choice!

http://www.about-birthstones.com/septemberbirthstone.html