education

Christie’s will sell the Largest Diamond ever cut in Russia
Feast your eyes on this 100.94 Carat D Color, Internally Flawless masterpiece. The “Spectacle” diamond has been declared the largest ever polished in Russia and will be sold at the Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction in Geneva on May 12.
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A Photo Feast of Luxurious Garnet Jewelry
Cartier, Tiffany, Harry Winston, Louis Vuitton. Those iconic names quickly conjure visions of diamond, ruby, emerald and sapphire jewelry, but […]
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Three Fancy Vivid ‘Rock Stars’ sold by Christie’s
“The Perfect Palette,” a trio of fancy vivid colored diamonds sold in separate lots at Christie’s New York Magnificent Jewels auction, amassed a total of $8.4 million, cumulatively, after their gavels had fallen.
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See Metal I.D. Performed on an Antique Etruscan Necklace
Recently the IGI Lab in Shanghai received an antique Etruscan revival style necklace from the mid to late 19th century. When the necklace was submitted, IGI gemologists immediately understood the reason it was sent for identification: It seemed to weigh less than it should and, therefore, was suspected to be made of gilt copper, rather than gold.
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IGI World’s First w/ ISO Accreditation for Lab-Grown & Natural Diamonds
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the world’s largest developer of voluntary international standards, has certified IGI with the ISO 17025 accreditation for lab-grown diamonds, making IGI’s laboratories the world’s first to hold ISO accreditation for both natural and lab-grown diamonds.
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IGI celebrates Pantone Color Of The Year in Gemstones
Pantone, the international color authority, previously announced its Colors of the Year. Gemologists from IGI Shanghai have provided images and information celebrating 2021’s vibrant color: Illuminating Yellow.
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Flawless purple pink Sakura could bring $25-38 million at auction
Natural pink diamonds are extremely rare. When discovered, only one in 10 weighs more than 0.20 carats. This year, as the annual cherry blossom season hits its peak, the 15.81 carat flawless, fancy vivid purple-pink Sakura Diamond will be the star of Christie’s Hong Kong’s Magnificent Jewels sale.
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Rough Diamond Sales Surge into April
April’s birthstone is diamond and her majesty, Diamond, the queen of gemstones, is having a scintillating 2021 so far. Record setting prices, climbing volume and exceptional stone sales all reflect the enduring value of diamonds.
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The Classic Chameleon Diamond
Gemologists from IGI Shanghai recently provided images and information regarding one of nature’s rare and stunning wonders, the chameleon diamond.
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RJC and WDC join forces on Sustainability and Sourcing
The Responsible Jewellery Council and World Diamond Council have signed mutual codes of conduct, entering a partnership to advance and strengthen key United Nations’ initiatives on responsible practices and sustainability.
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The Gemstones of Mars are Coming!
How exciting! After flybys, orbits and epic landings, a future mission will bring rocks home from the red planet’s surface.
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Rough Diamond Sales Continue Climbing
Lucara, Lucapa, DeBeers, now Alrosa. Improving jewelry demand in the USA and China, coupled with low stock in the midstream, is credited for continued strong sales of rough diamonds through the first month of 2021.
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DeBeers Encouraged by first sales of 2021
Citing demand ahead of the Chinese New Year, which begins February 12, and Valentine’s Day two days later, DeBeers’ reported […]
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IGI Partners with the World’s Largest Diamond Bourse
IGI has designed a series of exclusive educational courses for members of the Bharat Diamond Bourse, the World’s Largest, with more than 4,000 jewelry professionals engaged in the import, export, manufacturing and marketing of rough and polished diamonds.
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Millennials & Gen-Zs Highly Desire Diamonds
A Natural Diamond Council survey reveals diamond jewelry is the most highly desired and tangible luxury item among Americans in Generation Z as well as Millennials. Together these generations account for 38% of the adult population.
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Uplifting Lost and Found Ring Stories
It happens. People lose their wedding rings. What doesn’t often happen is to find them again, especially in circumstances like those below. Here are three of my favorite, uplifting “lost and found” stories which prove that you should never give up hope.
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Practically Prioritizing the Diamond 4Cs
If you know anything about diamonds it’s probably the 4 Cs – Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat Weight. There’s plenty of information about the 4Cs which can be found online and learned in conversations with professionals and enthusiasts, but prioritizing them is not always easy. Here are my suggestions.
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IGI President appointed to the Board of Diamonds Do Good
IGI North America President Avi Levy is one of 10 new members appointed. Founded Diamonds in 2007, Diamonds Do Good’s mission is supporting programs that develop and empower people in countries with significant economic dependence on the natural diamond trade.
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Holiday E-Commerce Sees Signet Sales Soar
Signet’s stock climbed more than 6% after reporting its same store sales during the holiday season were up 5.6% compared to 2019. Most notably, the jeweler’s e-commerce sales rose nearly 61% year over year.
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First Mothae rough sale in 2021 yields $5.6 million
4,676 carats of rough diamonds from Lucapa’s Mothae kimberlite mine in Lesotho have been sold in Antwerp. Commanding a record price of $1,198 per carat, the parcel contained a number of larger pieces, including the 101 carat D colored crystal unearthed at the end of 2020.
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7 Staple Jewelry Items for Every Girl (and Boy)
What the Tiffany Solitaire is to bridal jewelry, the seven staples pictured here are to daily fashion. Each is a versatile classic which has stood the test of time. Easy to accessorize, suitable for nearly any occasion, we return to these popular pieces again and again.
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Same Carat Weight – Visible Size Differences
Different 1.00 carat diamonds can look different sizes. This is because we typically view diamonds from a single direction: Above. Imagine cooking a 1 pound meatball and a 1 pound pancake. On your scale they weigh the same. But the meatball’s weight is distributed in a deeper geometry.
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25 Year Extension for Lucara in Botswana
If you watched the documentary “The Diamonds of Botswana” you know how diamonds benefit the citizens of that country. Lucara’s Karowe Mine has just received a license renewal and extension from Botswana’s Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security into January, 2046.
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Some Clarity on Diamond Clarity
Nature’s birthmarks? Or unsightly specks? What do you think? There are many different philosophies regarding natural diamond and gemstone clarity. What do you think? Should a diamond be allowed to have few blemishes, or should it be as clean as the pure driven snow?
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