Top Gemstone Myths and Legends from History

The precious gems and stones are already on earth’s crust ever since the world began. This is the reason why ancient civilizations used them as part of their lives. Aside from simply being ornaments, accessories, and embellishments, these precious gems have also been associated with beliefs, myths, and legends.


Amethyst Myths

Throughout the years, this gemstone is believed to protect people against infidelity, plagues, locusts, hail, storm, thieves and nightmares. If you are the type of person who always has a busy schedule, this gem is right for you because of the fact that it also encourages calmness. Don’t you want to fall in love foolishly? This gem is also perfect for you.

Amber Myths

The myth associated with this gem is that it is worn on the throat in order to prevent asthma, hay fever, and nasal congestion. According to ancient beliefs, this gem makes a woman smell more attractive to her lover. Some say that this can also heal diseases and ailments such as plague, deafness, loss of teeth, indigestion, goiter, erysipelas, asthma, and whooping cough.

Flawless 100-carat diamond sells for $22.1m at NY auction

An eye-popping, 100-carat diamond, the highlight of a magnificent jewels sale in New York on Tuesday, sold for $22.1 million, Sotheby’s auction house said.
The perfect classic emerald-cut D color diamond, which is about the size of a walnut and was mined by De-Beers in southern Africa, was purchased by an anonymous buyer via a telephone bid. It had a pre-sale estimate of $19 million to $25 million.

Rio Tinto’s Zim diamond production falls 42% in Q1

Rio-Tinto said production at its Murowa diamond mine in Zimbabwe fell 42% in the first quarter after a planned shutdown and a decision to cut output as it sought clarity on a new export tax.
Zimbabwe’s government in January introduced a 15% export tax on unrefined platinum and there was confusion on whether the levy also applied to diamonds.

Famous Kimberley diamond brooch to be auctioned soon

The magnificent brooch was a gift from Colonel Sir David Harris, pioneer of the South African diamond industry, Director of de Beers for 40 years, to his wife, Rosa Gabriel of Pomerania (Prussia), whom he married in 1873.

The brooch composed of seven flower-heads, the centre claw set with an old brilliant cut diamond weighing approximately 3.20 carats, enclosed by yellow and white old brilliant- and old European cut diamonds weighing a total of approximately 10.80 to 11.30 carats, mounted in gold and platinum, width approximately 37-mm.

Hong Kong is Turning its Dead into Diamonds

It sounds outlandish at first. Even obscene.
But why not turn the cremated ashes of your loved one into a beautiful diamond you can take with you instead of entombing his or her ashes in a gloomy columbarium?

It's not as impossible as it may sound. An American company named Life-Gem has been transforming the ashes of the dead into diamonds since 2001.
LifeGem says over 5,000 people have transformed their loved ones into LifeGem "Memorial Diamonds". Based in Chicago, LifeGem says its beautiful "cremation jewelry" is a unique way to embrace a loved one's memory day by day.

$60 Million Pink Flawless Diamond

 $60 million pink diamond

Text: AFP

A flawless 59.60-carat pink diamond known as the 'Pink Star' is up for grabs at a Sotheby's auction in November with an asking price of $60 million (49 million euros), the highest ever sought at auction for a gemstone.Diamond belongs in 'ranks of the Earth's greatest treasures' David Bennett, chairman of Sotheby's jewellery division in Europe and the Middle East, said the diamond belonged in 'the ranks of the Earth's greatest natural treasures'.
"It is difficult to exaggerate the rarity of vivid pink diamonds weighing only five carats, so this 59.60 carat stone is simply off any scale," he said in a statement.The sparkling oval cut rock, which has received the highest possible colour and clarity rating from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) will be part of the auction house's Magnificent Jewels auction in Geneva on November 13. Weighs 11.92 grammes Set on a ring, the gem measures 2.69 by 2.06 centimetres (1.06 by 0.81 inches), and weighs 11.92 grammes (0.026 pounds).

Flawless pink diamond could fetch €49m

Sotheby’s has showed off a 59.6-carat pink diamond that will be auctioned in the Swiss city of Geneva in November at a record asking price of $60m (€49m).

By Jenny Johnson, Geneva
The ‘Pink Star’, an internally flawless oval-cut vivid pink diamond, will become the most valuable diamond ever to be offered at auction, Sotheby’s said.
“I have had the privilege of examining some of the greatest gemstones in the world over the past 35 years, and I can say, without hesitation, that the ‘Pink Star’ diamond is of immense importance,” said David Bennett, chairman of Sotheby’s jewellery division in Europe and the Middle East.
“It is difficult to exaggerate the rarity of vivid pink diamonds weighing only five carats, so this 59.60 carat stone is simply off any scale,” Bennett said, insisting it belonged in “the ranks of the earth’s greatest natural treasures.”

Diamond De Beers is moving from London to Botswana

Global mining giant De Beers, has recently announced they will be moving their sales business from London to Gaborone, Botswana. This means that the once dusty area of Gaborone will soon be a hub of world wide diamond trading with $6bn of diamond trades happening here. The world’s diamond pipeline will soon be running right through the center of town. Highr rises and amenities are already springing-up-rapidly as diamond traders plan for the relocation, and not only those involved in diamond trading are seeing an increase in profits and business growth due to this economic boost to Gaborone.

The New Diamonds : Trends

A new wave of designers are creating contemporary jewels that mimic the properties of diamonds in the form of metal, faux stones and enamel, shaking up the notion of what it means to be precious and covetable.

When is a diamond not a diamond? Arguably, when it is forged in silver, enamel or plastic.

A new trend making its way into mainstream design is concept of taking the shape of diamonds and precious stones and transforming them into solid silver or gold designs, embellished with enamels and in some cases, as an added twist, actual diamonds.

GIA Opens Gem Laboratory in Japan

CARLSBAD, Calif, /PRNewswire/  GIA (Gemological Institute of America) is now offering diamond grading services in Tokyo.  The Institute's ninth global laboratory brings industry-leading diamond grading to Japan, one of the world's largest markets for gems and jewelry. The new lab will accept diamonds for grading directly from clients beginning today, Dec. 3, 2012.
The GIA laboratory in Tokyo lab will initially offer Diamond Dossier® and Diamond Grading Report services for D to Z diamonds up to 2.99 cts. The Tokyo lab will also take in colored stones and pearls for any other GIA services. At this time, those gems will be sent to another GIA global laboratory lab and returned to Tokyo for pick-up. GIA plans to expand the menu of services offered by its Tokyo facility in the coming months.

$5.1 Million Burmese Ruby Necklace Tops Hong Kong Auction

A ruby and diamond necklace weighing 62.46 carats. It was on sale for an estimated $3.5 million to $5.5 million at Christie's International auction in Hong Kong on Nov. 27. It sold for HK$39.9 million ($5.1 million). Source: Christie's Images Ltd. via Bloomberg

A “Pigeon’s Blood” Burmese ruby and diamond necklace sold for HK$39.9 million ($5.1 million), topping last night’s Christie’s International jewelry sale in Hong Kong.

Demand for precious gems as an attractive investment class has increased steadily in recent years. On Nov. 23 in Hong Kong, Bonhams set a per-carat record for a Sri Lankan sapphire with the sale of a 43 carat sapphire and diamond ring for HK$12 million.

Black Diamond Jewelry Bold and Enigmatic

Generally-diamonds are colorless sometimes slightly tinged with shades of pink to chocolate browns to blue, purple etc. Black diamonds are one of the most preferred gemstones after the natural whites and also have earned the fame of being the most-enigmatic. The fact that they are the most difficult ones to produce amongst its kind as they have an uneven surface which make their cutting and designing all the more challenging. In geological terminology, they are called ‘carbonado’ and are found in opaque forms because of the scratch marks on it’s surface which-comprise of sulfide deposits.Black Diamonds Jewelry

$12m pink diamond to go under the hammer

A 22 carat rare pink diamond worth $12 million is going under the hammer at a Sotheby's auction in New York.

Record Prices of Emerald Ear Pendants and Round Diamonds at Hong Kong Auction

"China and the rest of Asia-continue to flex its economic muscle while feeding its voracious appetite for all kinds of gemstones and jewelry as Christie’s Hong Kong-Magnificent-Jewels sale Tuesday brought in $82.7 million, the most ever for a jewelry auction in Hong Kong"

"The top lot for the event was a pair of near identical round diamonds. The 35.77-carat D flawless type IIa brilliant-cut diamond fetched $8.27 million ($231,000 per carat). A 35.61-carat D flawless type IIa brilliant-cut diamond sold for $8.1 million ($228,000 per carat).

World’s Largest Yellow Pear Shaped Diamond sells for over $10.9 Million at Auction

By Associated Press
GENEVA-: The Sun Drop Diamond of South-Africa, a giant pear shaped yellow-gem weighing 110.3 carats, has sold for more than $10.9 million at auction Tuesday, beating previous-records for a jewel of its type.

Including commission the unidentified telephone bidder paid almost $12.4 million for the gem, putting it within the $11 million-to-$15 million range Sotheby’s had estimated before the sale.

It’s a record for a yellow-diamond at auction, said David Bennett, the head of Sotheby’s jewelry division. He added that it was the eighth most expensive-diamond ever sold at auction.

Colored Diamond Jewelry, A new Trend in India

By Anindita Mitra | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA
"Coloured diamonds speak of a luxury that’s rare-and-unparalleled. The Hope Diamond that’s a natural blue diamond or the 185-carat natural pink Darya-i-Nur, bears testimony to the rare beauty of coloured-diamonds. Of late, India is gradually waking up to the trend"


"Take, for instance, the line of champagne-diamond-jewellery launched by Jaipur Gems. Beautifully crafted and set in contrasts with white diamonds, the pieces have found eager takers. Such diamonds, incidentally, come largely from the Argyle mines in Australia and there is a high international demand for it. In hues that range-from a light cognac to rich brown, these are marked by their ability to absorb rather than reflect light. They possess a rare sparkle that helps-make exquisite pieces of jewelry"

Diamonds are not forever 'De Beers' shifts the base of its auctions from historical Hatton Garden to Botswana

Diamonds-Are-Forever: James Bond took advice from De Beers staff in London for his escapades in the-1971 film

By DAN ATKINSON 
It seems-that diamonds are, after all, not forever. London's historic role as capital of the world's gemstone market is to end with the decision by De Beers - which at one point controlled the sale of well over half the global supply of precious-stones - to shift the base of its auctions from Hatton Garden to Botswana.
The move will in effect bring down the curtain on an era of diamond trading-begun at the end of the 19th Century by empire builder Cecil Rhodes, who founded De Beers.

Diamond Rings Symbolize the Value of the Relationship

Diamond rings symbolize deep affection for one's beloved. Just like-diamonds are forever diamond rings, too, are-forever. After all, the symbol of love should always be kept close to you. As often they are the reasons behind the rekindled flame of love between-long lost lovers.
The very-sight of the elegant lady across the table gives you a shimmers and goose bumps. Men wonder what would be the right way to express their love. Someone told-them the secret of women or rather, how to touch their hearts. The 'open secret' says that women love diamonds and men forgot the material worth of them just in order to please their beloved. Courtship has always included diamond rings as the most important part of it. As they symbolize the deep affection a man has for his lady love.

Huge Diamond Forfeited in Ohio to be Auctioned

 This undated photo provided by the U.S. Marshals Service shows a large yellow diamond. The large yellow diamond, known as the “Golden Eye,” was seized in a federal drug and money laundering investigation in northeast Ohio and is going on the auction block with the minimum bid to start at $900,000. The 43.51 carat diamond belonged to an Ohio businessman convicted of money laundering and conspiracy. A refundable deposit of $180,000 is required to be able to view the diamond in Cleveland the week of Aug. 29-Sept. 2 and bid on it during the auction that begins at 8 a.m. on Sept. 6 and continues until 3 p.m. Sept. 8. (AP Photo/U.S. Marshals Service)

A large yellow diamond known as the "Golden Eye" seized in a federal drug and money laundering investigation in northeast Ohio is going on the-auction block with the minimum starting bid set at $900,000.

The 43.51-carat diamond belonged to a northeast Ohio businessman who was convicted of money laundering and conspiracy. Prosecutors said he tried to sell to an undercover FBI agent the diamond and an estate once owned by boxer Mike Tyson, all for $19.5 million and a boat.

Diamonds are Rich in clues about early Earth

Steven B. Shirey, Carnegie Institution of Washington

Optical photomicrograph of a sulfide-inclusion-bearing rough diamond from the Orapa kimberlite, Botswana.

                       By Charles Q. Choi

                        OurAmazingPlanet

Diamonds from deep within the Earth-reveal that the motions of tectonic plates responsible for the drifting of continents and the birth of mountains likely started up about 3 billion years ago.

The collisions, growth and shifting of tectonic plates have changed the face of the planet since its birth-some 4.5 billion-years-ago. However, much remains unknown about what plate tectonics was like early  in Earth's history, or if it even operated at all, due to the dearth of rocks that age.