Christie’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels, November 29th, 2020
As most of the industry has been prevented from flying during this special period and inspect the lots physically, we believe this current analysis is even more relevant than ever.
Our Christie’s Hong-Kong Pre-Auction Analysis focuses on elements that are hidden from the unprofessional eye. We will describe the important visual elements for those who cannot attend the preview and discuss characteristics such as: Undertone, Color Dispersion, and Inner-Grade (UDI; a detailed explanation appears at the bottom of this article). When we analyze and grade any Fancy Color Diamond it is always done in relation to its GIA grade.
We use grades 1, 2, 3, and 4, 1 being the lowest grade. Grade + is granted in rare cases and stands for stones with an exceptional characteristic. Stones that receive a minimum total UDI score of 8, without a red remark, are considered to be “Gems” and are generally sought after by high-end jewelry brands, collectors and the investment community.
For your convenience, we have added direct links for the GIA reports.
- All images in this article review were taken with an iPhone 11pro, no filters were applied.
- All auction valuations are per carat and in US Dollars.
Lot #2029
3.29 carat, Fancy Intense Blue, Marquise IF
3.29 carat, Fancy Intense Blue, Marquise IF
High catalog estimation: $689,008 per carat
Price realized: $922,562 pc
The uniqueness of this lot comes first and foremost from the fact that very few fancy color diamonds are manufactured into marquise shape diamonds, moreover when it comes to larger blue fancy colors such as these two fancy intense blue diamonds. From the way they are cut and polished (the large culet and the classic, brilliant cut), we can assume they were cut between the 1970’s and the 1990’s of the last century. The color dispersion is quite low in both stones and the Inner-Grade is not quite the same.The length and width of the two stones is quite different as well and they don’t appear to be a matching pair.
Inner Grade |
Color Dispersion |
Undertone |
Quality Remark |
|
3.29 ct, F.I.B, MQ, IF |
3 |
2 |
3 |
Not a matching pair |
3.29 ct, F.I.B, MQ, IF |
4 |
2 |
3 |
To review the GIA Report of 3.29 ct F.I.B (a) Click here
To review the GIA Report of 3.29 ct F.I.B (b) Click here
Total Average Score 8 out of 12
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Lot #2027
4.90 carat, Fancy Intense Pink, Emerald, VS1. High catalog estimation: $925,240 per carat
Price realized: $764,913 pc
Click here to check the rarity of this diamond
A square pink Emerald cut diamond with a very pleasant pink Undertone. The color dispersion is above average for a step cut as well as the Inner-Grade. The depth percentage is 64.9
4.90 ct, F.I.P, Rad, VS1
Inner Grade |
Color Dispersion |
Undertone |
Quality Remark |
3 |
3 |
3 |
Total Visual Score 9 out of 12
To review the GIA Report of 4.90 ct F.I.P Click here
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Lot #2024
3.11 carat, Fancy Deep Blue, Pear, VS2. GRAFF. High catalog estimation: $749,712 per carat
Didn’t reach the minimum
Click here to check the rarity of this diamond
A rare blue diamond with a very high depth percentage (72%) which makes the stone appear smaller relative to its weight. Fancy Deep will always receive the highest Inner-grade to the thickness of the color. Two visible colorless areas were left on the side of the stone, probably to lighten the color. The color has very little gray undertone and exhibits an “Ink blue” hue.
3.11 ct, F.D.B, PS, VS2
Inner Grade |
Color Dispersion |
Undertone |
Quality Remark |
4 |
3 |
3 |
– |
Total Visual Score 10 out of 12
To review the GIA Report of 3.11 ct F.D.B Click here
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Lot #1966
18.08 carat, Fancy Vivid Yellow, Cushion, VVS1. High catalog estimation: $57,315 per carat
Price realized: $78,854 pc
Click here to check the rarity of this diamond
A large Vivid Yellow, elongated cushion cut diamond, with an attractive symbolic weight. Although the GIA report states that the cut is modified, it doesn’t have the typical modern facet alignment. In fact, due to the unique cut of the diamond, it has an “old world” look, which also results in a low color dispersion. Because the stone is quite shallow, the yellow gold underneath the stone is visible through some parts of the face-up view and may give a feeling the Inner-Grade is stronger than it really is.
18.08 ct, F.V.Y, Cush, VVS1
Inner Grade |
Color Dispersion |
Undertone |
Quality Remark |
3 |
2 |
4 |
Total Visual Score 9 out of 12
To review the GIA Report of 18.08 F.V.Y Click here
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Lot #2026
2.25 carat, Fancy Intense Blue, Heart, SI1. High catalog estimation: $460,564 per carat
Price realized: $461,610
Click here to check the rarity of this diamond
An Intense Blue, relatively shallow heart shape, with 47% depth. The SI1 clarity is a result of a few feathers in the “shoulder” area. No gray undertone in the color. Color dispersion is above average and Inner-Grade is high.
2.25 ct, F.I.B, HS, SI1
Inner Grade |
Color Dispersion |
Undertone |
Quality Remark |
3 |
3 |
4 |
Total Visual Score 10 out of 12
To review the GIA Report of 2.25 ct F.I.B Click here
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Lot #1961
10.01 carat, Fancy Vivid Yellow, Heart, VVS2. High catalog estimation: $32,365 per carat
Price realized: $33,834 pc
Click here to check the rarity of this diamond
A large Vivid Yellow heart shape, VVS2 clarity due to external blemishes which may be removed. The Inner-grade is solid and Color dispersion is average with some colorless areas on the crown.
10.01 ct, F.V.Y, HS, VVS2
Inner Grade |
Color Dispersion |
Undertone |
Quality Remark |
3 |
3 |
3 |
Total Visual Score 9 out of 12
To review the GIA Report of 10.01 ct F.V.Y Click here
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Lot #1957
0.89 carat, Fancy Intense Purplish Pink, Emerald. Color report only
High catalog estimation: $364,015 per carat
Didn’t reach the minimum
An attractive square, Pink Emerald cut diamond with excellent visual characteristics. The diamond has a color only report which required a deeper analysis during the viewing. Placing the stone under a UV light, revealed that the stone has a strong blue fluorescent, a common characteristic in pink fancy color diamonds. The clarity seemed low (SI2-I1) while inclusions and naturals are visible to the naked eye.
0.89 ct, F.I.Purplish Pink, EM
Inner Grade |
Color Dispersion |
Undertone |
Quality Remark |
4 |
4 |
4 |
Strong BlueI1 clarity |
Total Visual Score 12 out of 12
To review the GIA Report of 0.89 ct F.I Purplish-Pink Click here
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Lot #2023
1.36 carat, Fancy Intense Pink, Pear, SI2. High catalog estimation: $238,216 per carat
Price realized: $296,464 pc
Click here to check the rarity of this diamond
A Fancy Intense Pink with strong Inner-Grade and no traces of orange or brown undertone, exhibiting an attractive pink color. The SI2 clarity grade is due to multiple crystals and feathers around the stone.
1.36 ct, F.I. P, PS, SI2
Inner Grade |
Color Dispersion |
Undertone |
Quality Remark |
4 |
3 |
4 |
SI2 Clarity |
Total Visual Score 11 out of 12
To review the GIA Report of 1.36 ct F.I.P Click here
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Lot #2025
1.04 carat, Fancy Deep Purplish Pink, Emerald, VS2. High catalog estimation: $224,290 per carat
Price realized: $775,369 pc
Click here to check the rarity of this diamond
A very attractive Deep Pink square Emerald cut diamond, with very good visual characteristics. A few crystals underneath the table area, and 70% depth.
1.04 ct, F.D.P/P, EM, VS2
Inner Grade |
Color Dispersion |
Undertone |
Quality Remark |
4 |
4 |
4 |
– |
Total Visual Score 12 out of 12
To review the GIA Report of 1.04 F.D.P.P Click here
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Lot #1868
3.89 carat, Fancy Intense Yellow, Radiant, VVS1
3.85 carat, Fancy Intense Yellow, Radiant, VVS2
High catalog estimation: $20,091 per carat
Didn’t reach the minimum
Click here to check the rarity of these diamonds
Two Fancy Intense Yellow radiant cut diamonds, mounted in a pair of earrings. Both stones have a very large table (above 72%). The Inner-Grade and Undertone don’t match perfectly (differences are expressed in the chart below) a fact that might harm the price premium a pair should receive. In addition, one stone seems to be a re-cut from what used to be a round brilliant cut diamond.
Inner Grade |
Color Dispersion |
Undertone |
Quality Remark |
|
3.89 ct, F.I.Y, Rad, VVS1 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
|
3.85 ct, F.I.Y, Rad, VVS2 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
Total Average Score 10 out of 12
To review the GIA Report of 3.89 ct F.I.Y Click here
To review the GIA Report of 3.85 ct F.I.Y Click here
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Lot #1960
6.02 carat, Fancy Vivid Yellow, Radiant, SI1. High catalog estimation: $25,831 per carat
Price realized: $21,432 pc
Click here to check the rarity of this diamond
From the facet alignment and the pattern of the colorless areas around this Vivid Yellow radiant cut diamond, it is quite obvious the stone went through a re-cut procedure from what used to be a round brilliant cut diamond. This fact, by itself, should not affect the value of the stone, however the colorless areas resulting from this cutting procedure might reduce its overall esthetic.
6.02 ct, F.V.Y, Rad, SI1
Inner Grade |
Color Dispersion |
Undertone |
Quality Remark |
3 |
3 |
3 |
Total Visual Score 9 out of 12
To review the GIA Report of 6.02 ct F.V.Y Click here
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General
We use 1, 2, 3, 4, and 4+ to grade the three visual elements that GIA is silent about, however they impact the value dramatically.
Inner-Grade refers to the strength of color within each GIA saturation category:
Grade 1 weakest, bordering the saturation below.
Grade 2 weak (most abounded).
Grade 3 full-bodied color (above average).
Grade 4 very strong saturation.
Grade 4+ applies for the vivid category only, exhibiting the strongest possible saturation (rarely seen).
Undertone refers to a subtle hue influence in the body color of the stone.
For example:
A Fancy Blue Diamond with a significant gray presence in its general appearance will be graded with a low undertone grade of 1. A Fancy Blue that has no gray influence and will be close to a primary blue will receive the grade, 4.
In a Pink Fancy Color Diamond, a stone with a warm undertone (such as orange or brown) will receive a low undertone grade. A pink stone with a cold undertone (such as purple) will receive a high grade.
In Yellow Fancy Color Diamonds, low foreign influence or a light orange influence will grant the stone a high undertone grade. When the yellow undertone looks like a true primary yellow, it will receive the rare grade 4+. Green and brown undertones will grant a low grade in the yellow category.
Color Dispersion relates to how well the color is dispersed in the face-up view of a Fancy Color Diamond, regardless to whether the GIA grades the stone as even. A stone with many colorless areas will receive the grade 1, while a stone that exhibits its face-up view with no colorless patches will receive the grade 4+. Unlike the first two elements, the color dispersion is not a gemological quality and has only to do with cutter proficiency.
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