Our pre-auction analyses focus on visual elements that are not expressed on the GIA report, such as “inner-grade”, “undertone” and “color dispersion”. We use grades 1, 2, 3, 4 and 4+ to evaluate these features. It is often difficult to identify these characteristics when viewing stones in an auction catalogue. For the first time, we are also including the rarity of each stone, calculated by our Rarity Evaluator tool.
Please note that all photos were taken with an iPhone 6.
Lot 495: Fancy Vivid Pink, 15.38 carats; FCRF Rarity Evaluator: A stone with similar characteristics is available in the market only once every few years. It is classified as a Super-stone.
High Estimate, Price Per Carat: $2,450,341; Realized Price (Including Premium): $2,052,093 Price Per Carat (Updated 20/5/16)
This Vivid Pink has quite a low inner-grade (grade 2). The undertone is warm, leaning towards the orange spectrum (grade 2). The color dispersion is very high and earned a grade of 4. The GIA photograph in the Sotheby’s catalogue is the most accurate reference for this stone’s undertone (p 358-359).
Auction houses insist on highlighting a ‘Type IIa’ designation, but the connection between a Type II label and the value of a pink diamond is purely coincidental. Unlike Type II colorless diamonds, Type II pink stones have certain characteristics that are not necessarily positive; in fact, graining and low transparency are common features. In this case,
FCRF MEMBER? Login Here