Pre-Auction Analysis: 2016, Sotheby’s Hong Kong

Our pre-auction analysis focuses on visual elements that are not expressed on the GIA report, such as “inner-grade”, “undertone” and “color dispersion”. We use simple grades 1, 2, 3, 4 and 4+ to evaluate these features. It is often difficult to identify such characteristics when viewing stones in an auction catalogue.

We are delighted to see that our readers are embracing the 1-4+ grading system.

This pre-auction analysis focuses on two important items from the upcoming Sotheby’s sale in Hong-Kong. Please note that all photos were taken with an iPhone 6.

Lot 1704 10.81 carat fancy vivid yellow oval, vs2.

Catalog estimate:  $100,000 to $140,000 per carat

It is not very common to see large vivid yellow diamonds in