Jewels & Jadeite Hong Kong Sunday, November 26, 2017 | Phillips
    • One cushion modified-cut Fancy Intense Green diamond, 5.62 carats

    • Surrounded by eight brilliant-cut diamonds, totaling 4.46 carats

    • 18 karat white gold

    • Photographed unmounted

    • Size 5½

    (5.62-carat Green Diamond)
    GIA report, numbered 5141067571, dated 16 February, Fancy Intense Green colour, VS2 clarity.
    (Eight round Diamonds)
    Eight GIA reports, 0.62 to 0.50 carat, all F colour, VS2 clarity, Excellent Cut, Polish and Symmetry.

    附 九張美國GIA 證書

  • Catalogue Essay

    The occurrence of natural green diamonds are so rare that historically very few examples were documented. This explains why this unusual green gem, unlike its fancy coloured counterparts, remains less known to the majority of the general public. With the growing awareness and demand for extraordinary coloured diamonds, green diamonds have risen as a collectors’ favourite in the gem world.

    Diamonds get a green colour in nature when it is exposed to radiation for a significant long period of time, typically for millions of years in rocks that emits alpha-particles. The radiation causes a defect in the lattice structure of the diamond which subsequently alters its optical characteristics. However, most of these ‘green’ diamonds only possess a green outer coating. This ‘skin colour’ is refined to the surface that was in contact with the rocks. Once cut and polished, such diamonds will lose all of their green colour and appear to be colourless or yellowish. Only in extremely rare cases, the intensity of radioactivity could penetrate through the entire diamond rough, causing a homogenous green ‘body colour’.

    Purity of this green body colour is the next important factor determining its value. Blue and yellow are the most commonly found secondary colours of a green diamond. Pure green colour is exceedingly unusual, fancy green colour more so.

    In the past few decades, only a number of the purest green diamonds appearing in international auction market managed to obtain the highest ‘fancy vivid green’ colour grading from GIA. The per carat price soared from over US$700,000 in 1999 for a 0.99 carat stone to approximately US$1.2 million for a 2.52 carat stone in 2009. Last year, the largest fancy vivid green diamond ever to appear at auction, weighing 5.03 carats, was sold for over US$3.3 million per carat. Superb green diamonds are evidently finding their way into the international open market with promising potential.

    Phillips is proud to offer a green diamond of comparable significance this season. A rich, uniform and saturated green body colour is not the only striking characteristic of this important coloured diamond, its remarkable size is another attribute deeming it highly exceptional. While most green diamonds very rarely exceeds 2 carats, this cushion-shaped fancy intense green diamond weighs close to 6 carats. Thoughtfully set in a elegant ring exhibiting its innate beauty, this jewel is more than worthy of any serious gem connoisseur’s love and acclaim.

607

A Rare and Fine Fancy Intense Green Diamond and Diamond Ring

Size 5½

Estimate
HK$22,000,000 - 26,000,000 
$2,800,000-3,300,000

Contact Specialist
Terry Chu
Head of Jewellery, Asia, Senior Director
+852 2318 2038

Jewels & Jadeite

Hong Kong Auction 27 November 2017