colored-stones

See the internally flawless fancy vivid yellow diamond set in a diamond studded necklace that will headline Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction this weekend, with a high estimate of $5.1 million USD, and more popular lots.

Born in Sydney and now based in New York City, designer Ray Griffiths is known for his bold, gem-forward pieces, which always give the stone or stones pride of place, from kaleidoscopic opals to turquoise the size (and color) of robin’s eggs.

A Ruser ring with a 21.15 carat sapphire and diamond side stones set in platinum surpassed its pre-sale estimate by four times, commanding $127,500 when the gavel fell at Bonham’s California Jewels auction in Los Angeles.

You could say that minerals and gemstones are in the DNA of artist Naomi Sarna,  who grew up in Montana, […]

As the leaves begin to change color and summer’s warmth yields to the crispness of autumn, September ushers in a new season of beauty and wonder. It is a month of transition, and fittingly, its birthstone, the sapphire, embodies the very essence of this change. Here are several fun facts and historical points of interest about this remarkable gemstone.

Peridot, with its vibrant green hue, is a gem that has captivated human hearts for centuries. Celebrated in ancient times as the “gem of the sun,” peridot’s color ranges from deep green to yellow-green or greenish-yellow. Beyond its visual allure, peridot enjoys a fascinating history and an association with metaphysical and healing properties.

Every year, while Americans are celebrating the Fourth of July over fireworks, sparklers of an entirely different variety descend on Paris around the same time. Known as Paris Couture Week, this important summertime event is when some of the most influential fine jewelry houses unveil their high jewelry collections to buyers, press and other VIPs.

Some of IGI’s newest graduates were honored with a diploma ceremony in the evocative, historically significant lecture hall of Sapienza University in Rome. Timed to follow a major international gemological conference at the same site, the ceremony united over 30 IGI students and instructors from various parts of Italy.

All hail ruby, the birthstone of July, and one of the most widely celebrated colored gemstones. Technically the mineral corundum, all rubies are red. In any other color corundum is not classified as ruby, it is called sapphire.

A vintage sapphire weighing 7.58 carats, previously connected with a royal family, sold for more than three times its low valuation, helping Christie’s fetch a record-setting $12.03 million – well exceeding the sale’s $9.8 million upper presale estimate.

A 234 year old diamond, ruby and emerald crowned medallion/locket, containing locks of both King George III and Queen Charlotte’s hair, will be offered at auction during Christie’s Classic Week in London, June 30th – July 14.

In 2011, Chinese jewelry artist Dickson Yewn was relatively unknown beyond the most exclusive collecting circles. Then First Lady Michelle Obama was photographed wearing one of his rings during a state dinner. It was the celebrity moment that put him on the map.

Enjoy a series of video shorts featuring some of the beautiful jewelry models and dazzling adornments appearing at the first international IGI D Show this weekend at the Hilton Dubai, Al Habtoor City in Dubai, UAE.

Tiffany & Co. has made a comeback in New York after four years of construction and relocation, and will open to the public tomorrow, with a number of changes. The Fifth Ave location is now called “The Landmark,” setting it apart from other locations.

Last week the “Lion of Merelani,” a spectacular 116.76 carat tsavorite garnet, was unveiled at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. This exquisite gemstone has been recorded as the largest tsavorite ever cut in the United States and the largest precision-cut tsavorite in the world.

On June 8, a 55.22 carat ruby discovered by Canadian company Fura Gems in Mozambique will be up for auction in New York. Named Estrela de Fura (or Star of Fura in Portuguese) it’s expected it to fetch “in excess of” $30 million.

The IGI GemBlog has improved its position among thousands of blogs and websites, ranked by traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness according to Feedspot, the internet’s largest human-curated database of bloggers.

Christie’s is preparing for what may be a record-breaking jewelry sale featuring The World of Heidi Horten, a two-part live auction boasting over 700 pieces of exquisite high jewelry from the estate of the late European collector.

IGI’s grading lab and offices in New York City have relocated to 545 Fifth Avenue. On March 16th the institute […]

Bonhams’ recorded ‘perfect’ sales of all 119 items at their aptly named ‘Perfect Jewelry Box’ auction in New York earlier this month. Every lot offered found a buyer, resulting in a total of 8.1 million dollars.

A selection of chic, wearable jewelry goes on the block at Sotheby’s Paris this coming Tuesday, March 21st, in a two part sale featuring 347 lots. Of particular note in this sale are pieces incorporating natural pearls.

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated all around the world, particularly in Ireland and among those of Irish descent. It is a day of revelry, merriment, and green-themed festivities. One gemstone that’s often associated with St. Patrick’s Day is peridot.

Students of the Eugenio Montale Institute in Italy participated in a series of learning sessions involving gemstones and human values. Gemologist Francesco Sequino added his professional experience and insight on behalf of the International Gemological Institute.

GQ.com Style Editor Yang-Yi Goh recently published ‘The Wild New Era of High-End Men’s Jewelry’ covering modern masculine menswear from wallet chains to dental ‘grills.’ We found the photos masterful, employing vivid context to bring life and personality to the jewelry items described.