Storied Marquise-Cut Diamond Up for Auction RAPAPORT. A marquise-cut diamond from the family of the original “Gibson Girl” will go under the hammer at Skinner Auctioneers later this month.
The unmounted, 12.20-carat, G-color, SI1-clarity diamond came from the descendants of Irene Langhorne Gibson, who is thought to have modeled for husband and illustrator Charles Dana Gibson. The famed American artist created the Gibson Girl image, a personification of the feminine ideal that became popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Irene Gibson Emery, the daughter of Irene and Charles, received the stone from John Josiah Emery on their engagement in 1926, Skinner said Wednesday. The US auction house expects to sell it for $100,000 to $150,000 at its Important Jewelry sale on May 18 in Boston, Massachusetts.
GemGenève Announces 2021 Show Dates
RAPAPORT. The third installment of Swiss gem and jewelry show GemGenève is set to take place in November after a forced cancellation last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The show, which will run from November 4 to 7 at Geneva’s Palexpo, will include lectures, round tables, seminars and exhibitions, GemGenève said Thursday. It is open to jewelry designers, exhibitors, dealers, retailers and collectors, as well as to the general public.
In August, show organizers announced they would not hold the 2020 fair amid the challenges brought about by travel restrictions and health concerns. Exhibitors who had signed up for the event were reimbursed and guaranteed a spot at this year’s fair.
Fancy-Color Price Index Rebounds
RAPAPORT. Prices of fancy-color diamonds increased in the first quarter as the American market showed renewed demand for high-end products, according to the Fancy Color Research Foundation (FCRF).
The group’s Fancy Color Diamond Index gained 0.3% compared with the previous three months, the organization reported Thursday. Prices of blue fancy-color diamonds jumped 0.5%, while pinks increased 0.4%, outweighing a 0.2% decline in the yellow category.
“As the USA rebounds from Covid-19, we are witnessing an uplift in spirits, which in turn affects the demand for luxury goods,” said David Shara, founder and CEO of Optimum Diamonds, one of the companies that supplies pricing data to the FCRF. “We see now, and will see, a continuous rise in prices of fancy-color diamonds.”
5ct. Sapphire to Lead Bonhams NY Sale
RAPAPORT. Bonhams will offer a Kashmir sapphire and diamond ring at its New York sale this month, expecting it to fetch up to $480,000.
The ring, from the late 19th century, contains a cushion-shaped, 5.22-carat unheated sapphire set within a diamond frame. The piece will lead the May 19 auction, Bonhams said last week.
“Kashmir sapphires are among the most highly prized gems in the world due to their rarity, scarcity and beauty,” said Caroline Morrissey, head of jewels at Bonhams New York. “The blue tint of this.sapphire is piercingly bright, and beautifully set within a charming old European-cut frame of 10 exquisite diamonds.”