My Fancy Color Diamond of the Decade

Ephraim Zion, Dehres

“One of the most beautiful diamonds that I’ve seen during the last decade is a 1.10 ct cushion fancy vivid green, with the deepest and rarest color. The most obvious characteristic of this colored diamond is its saturation and brightness. To find diamonds in such a unique and vibrant green color is truly a rare gift of nature and anyone who is lucky enough to own such a piece of art is really a privileged individual.”

Leibish Polnauer, Leibish & Co.

“I have handled many outstanding stones during my 40 years of work. One stone however stands out in my memory, due to its size or to its crispy vivid yellow color.  “The Sun of Africa”,  a 127 ct fancy vivid yellow radiant is an unforgettable gem. The pure canary yellow color was already stunning  as rough in the tender, in South Africa. It was a 253 ct rough, perfect material and color, to be polished to a vivid yellow radiant.”

Bruno Scarselli, Scarselli Diamonds

“One of the most memorable diamonds which I have owned in the past decade was a 5.03 carat fancy vivid green, VS2 clarity. The diamond was born out of a superb crystal from an undisclosed African region, and was manufactured in a long rectangular make.  It enjoyed a very deep irradiation, allowing for an overall color with a slight hint of bluishness, but while maintaining a very strong saturation in a vivid green color. The diamond was sold at Christie’s in 2016, for $16,800,000, the diamond broke 4 world records.”   

Marc Boghossian, Bomare SA

“A royal diamond was presented at an auction a few years ago. Its inky-like fancy dark gray-blue color was hypnotic and its old mine pear shape very charming. The bruises around its girdle were witnesses to its 300 year-life above ground, surviving an expedition of ten boats that all sank in the Atlantic except the one carrying it. A gemological treasure concentrated in a 6ct diamond, “The Farnese”, in my opinion, was more than rare, it was unique.”

Elad Zohar, Red Diam Ltd.

“The most memorable fancy color diamond for me this decade was a 100+ carat fancy purplish-pink briolette, flawless diamond. I had a chance to examine it in Belgium after it was polished, it was an incredible diamond.”

David Ebrani, Color Diamond Trading Co.

“I had a chance to see the, “Oppenheimer Blue” in auction in 2016. It’s an emerald cut, 14.62ct, fancy vivid blue diamond. I saw other unique diamonds this decade, but as far as beauty goes, this diamond is really memorable. The combination of the size, cut and color was extremely special.”

John Glajz, Glajz-THG.

“A diamond I will never forget from the last decade is definitely the Argyle Alpha. It’s 3.14ct fancy vivid purplish pink, emerald cut. The color is almost unreal and an emerald cut for these characteristics is unusual. It’s a very special diamond.“

Richard Vainer, M. Vainer Ltd.

“A 10 carat+ deep blue briolette, which we cut from the rough in our London office. It eventually went to auction where it was bought by Graff who touched it up and got a vivid blue.”

Eden Rachminov, Rachminov Diamonds 1891

“My unforgettable diamond of this decade is the 9.75 vivid blue PS (sold at Auction for $32.6m). It was owned by the famous philanthropist, Rachel Mellon. The diamond was forgotten in one of her drawers and was found accidentally after she passed away. The stone had the most hypnotic blue undertone I have ever seen in my career, it’s blue color will stay engraved in my memory forever.”

Rima Farrah, Swissdiam

“I remember a unique diamond, around 2011-2012. It was an 8ct, fancy vivid bluish-green rough. The combination of color and size was very special.” 

Matthew Aldridge, Gemcut SA

“It’s not necessarily one specific diamond, but we purchased a whole Argyle tender this decade. The combined beauty of all the diamonds of the tender was truly remarkable, and memorable.”

Diamond photo courtesy of Glajz-THG