Celebrity Life

Diamonds appear in some of our most prized possessions, like engagement rings, necklaces, and bracelets, but the precious stones are more than just decorative. Each diamond tells its own story — which is especially true for the 555.55-carat black diamond unveiled by auction house Sotheby's Dubai. The stone is believed to have come from outer space.

A 555.55 carat black diamond goes up for auction

While the true source of the rare jewel, which Sotheby's has fittingly named "The Enigma," is unknown, the black diamond was likely created either from a meteoric impact or from a "diamond-bearing" asteroid that collided with Earth. The history of black diamonds, also known as Carbonado diamonds, can be traced back anywhere between 2.6 to 3.8 billion years ago. Even more indicative of their storied pasts, these diamonds contain nitrogen and hydrogen—two elements found in interstellar space.

 

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The shape of the diamond being auctioned off by Sotheby's is inspired by the Middle Eastern palm symbol of the Hamsa, a sign of protection that also means "five" in Arabic. Sophie Stevens, a jewellery specialist at Sotheby's Dubai, told The Associated Press that this number bears a great significance to the diamond. In addition to its 555.55 carats, the jewel contains exactly 55 facets.

The rare black diamond will be open for bidding online from February 3 to 9, and the auction house plans to accept cryptocurrency as a source of payment. Sotheby's expects the diamond to be sold for at least USD 6.8 million. "Its sale represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire one of the rarest, billion-year-old cosmic wonders known to humankind," Nikita Binani, a jewellery specialist at Sotheby's in London, said in press release Monday.

This story first appeared on www.marthastewart.com

(Main and Feature Image Credit: Courtesy of Southeby's)

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The post Sotheby’s Auction House Unveils a 555.55 Carat Black Diamond Believed to Come From Outer Space appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

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You know what they say – diamonds are forever. Here's everything new in jewellery that we're coveting for winter this year.

Chaumet: Taille Impératrice Cut Diamonds

High-jewellery house Chaumet has made a major breakthrough in diamond cutting, creating a new patented diamond cut called Taille Impératrice, featuring 88 facets for maximum brilliance and scintillation. The 88 facets are each individually shaped by hand, combining a hexagonal form with a star-shaped crown. The Taille Impératrice diamond cut makes an appearance in new jewellery pieces in the Bee My Love collection.

Philips: Flawless X Vivarium, New Modernism

Phillips Flawless’s online selling exhibition features 27 lots by 16 jewellery designers of the 20th and 21st centuries to celebrate the centenary of the Modernist Movement. There are exceptional pieces from Aldo Cipullo and Dinh Van, who designed for Cartier in the 1970s, as well as a beautiful brass-and-steel pin from the 1930s designed by Alexander Calder. New Modernism is a wonderful ode to the strong connection between jewel and art and paints a pretty picture of how abstract modernist designs makes for beautiful contemporary jewellery.

De Beers: The 1888 Master Diamonds

The 1888 Master Diamonds is De Beers’ latest offering of rare and exceptional loose diamonds, ranging from 5 to over 26 carats, which are sourced from its mines in Botswana and Canada. The diamond’s journey is extremely precious to De Beers, which showcases to its clients through images and videos the transformation of its 1888 Master Diamonds, from roughs through to the cutting and polishing stages.

Nalas x Kröller-Müller Museum

Jewellery brand Nalas has collaborated with the Kröller-Müller Museum in the Netherlands to launch an original art jewellery series called Shining Stars, inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s Trilogy of the Starry Nights’ Terrace of a Café at Night (Place du Forum), 1888, to be sold with its NFT at auction. The earrings, featuring more than 200 diamonds, was sold at Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels: Part II in October.

The post Diamonds Are Forever: New in Jewellery this Winter 2021 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Would you buy a lab-grown diamond? The Better Diamond’s founders make a compelling case.

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These stunning pieces will stop you in your tracks.

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These stunning pieces will stop you in your tracks.

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The House of Graff has envisioned a captivating character for its latest jewellery collection, the Tilda's Bow Collection.

The protagonist is Tilda, a young girl with a magic touch who can turn silk into diamond ribbons. Each jewel is a vision from her vivacious fantasies. The voluminous swirl of diamonds, knotted and spun into shining bows, are expertly shaped by Graff's jewellers to capture the realistic form of a silk ribbon and all its femininity, delicacy, and sensuality.

The bow has always been a major motif for Graff, according to Anne-Eva Geffroy, Design Director at Graff. For the Tilda's Bow collection, it's not just the bow itself, but the motion of tying it that serves as the source of inspiration.

"We capture the precise moment a woman finishes tying a bow on her dress or in her hair — the loose, organic shape and expressive movement," says Geffroy.

Tilda might have dreamt up these magical ribbons but the real magic is at the fingertips of the designers at Graff, who bring these whimsical fantasies to life. The masters in the Graff workshop shape each curve and twist of the diamond ribbon to evoke a hand-tied bow. Then, the beautifully shaped bows are used to adorn necklaces, rings, earrings, and bracelets.

Tilda's Bow latest designs

The Tilda's Bow Diamond Necklace is one of the latest interpretations. It's an enchanting white gold necklace that features double strands of round diamonds that loop around the neck. The delicate hand-tied bow rests just off-centre, above the collarbone. The charming necklace comes with baguette-cut and round diamonds with a total weight of 13.50 carats.

You’ll find spectacular high jewellery pieces in the Tilda’s Bow collection, but everyday diamonds are also a huge part of the collection. Petite yet powerful, these new everyday pieces feature ribbons of pavé and pear-shaped diamonds. The designs are minimalist and yet perfectly timeless, evoking the always and forever nature of diamonds that appeal to the young and spirited Tilda within all of us.  

Learn more or shop the latest designs in the Tilda's Bow collection on graff.com.

The post Meet Tilda: Graff’s New Muse appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

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The Diamond Registry was founded in 1961 to protect consumers from overpriced diamonds and jewelry.

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