Pre-Auction Analysis: April 20th, 2021 Sotheby’s Hong Kong, Magnificent Jewels

As most of the industry has been prevented from traveling to Hong Kong during this challenging period, this Auction Analysis could help those who would like to bid without physically inspecting the goods.                                                 

Our Sotheby’s Hong Kong Pre-Auction Analysis focuses on elements that are hidden from the unprofessional eye. We will describe the important visual elements for those who cannot attend the preview and discuss characteristics such as: Undertone, Color Dispersion, and Inner-Grade (UDI; a detailed explanation appears at the bottom of this article). We analyze and grade Fancy Color Diamonds relative to their GIA grade.

We use grades 1, 2, 3, and 4, 1 being the lowest grade. Grade “+” is granted in rare cases and stands for stones with an exceptional characteristic. Stones that receive a minimum total UDI score of 8, without a red remark, pass the industry threshold and can be traded easily. Fancy Color Diamonds that are graded 10 or above, (without a quality remark) are usually sought after by high-end jewelry brands, collectors and the investment community.

For your convenience, we have added direct links for the GIA reports.

• All images in this article review were taken with an iPhone 12 pro, no filters were applied.
• All auction valuations are per carat and in US Dollars.

The diamonds in this analysis were photographed, as always, in the viewing hall of the auction house; this is the first time they have been photographed under LED lights. Please note that most diamonds appear less saturated in real life.

Lot #1759

7.0 carats, Fancy Intense Purplish Pink, Emerald, IF

A similar diamond enters the market once every… Check Rarity Here 

High catalog estimation: $1,010,279 per carat

Didn’t reach the minimum

An unusual shallow and elongated Pink Fancy Color Emerald cut. The amount of purple creates a desirable hue, and the color will probably meet the expectations of most buyers who are looking to own a Pink diamond with a strong intense Inner-Grade. 

Cutting and polishing a perfect Emerald cut poses many challenges during the manufacturing process. It is rare to see