DALLAS — Heritage Auctions will present a 1.21-carat Fancy orangy red diamond, estimated at $100,000-$150,000, as part of its Sept. 29 Fall Fine Jewelry Signature® Auction. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.
Diamonds occur naturally in a rainbow of hues, but one color stands out as the rarest of them all. Because of their exceptional scarcity, diamonds described as predominantly red rank among the world’s most elusive and expensive gems.
Originating in locations such as Brazil, Australia, Russia and Africa, red diamonds are found only in small sizes and small quantities, making them one of the planet’s most captivating and intriguing gemstones. The scarlet beauties are so rare, in fact, that between 1957 to 1987, the Gemological Institute of America graded none with pure red color. As a result, very few people are lucky enough to ever see a red diamond in person, especially one that weighs more than one carat.
“This gem is one of only a few diamonds to display enough saturation and intensity to be graded as a true red,” said Heritage Auctions’ Executive Director of Fine Jewelry Jill Burgum. “Adding to the allure, the cause of a red diamond’s color remains a mystery to scientists, making this stone even more of a marvel.”
Other exceptional diamonds can be found throughout the fall auction, which should be welcome news to jewelry lovers, as larger diamonds with GIA certificates have become increasingly difficult to acquire. Among the offerings is a 17.63-carat Fancy Intense yellow diamond ring, estimated at $300,000-$400,000 and consigned from the estate of Dallas philanthropist Mary Anne Sammons Cree.
Platinum and 18K gold necklace with almost 50 carats of Asscher-cut yellow and white diamonds, estimated at $80,000-$100,000. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions
The ring is one of more than 125 pieces of jewelry Heritage is offering from Cree’s extraordinary collection, with proceeds benefiting Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) and Dallas-area nonprofits. Upon her death in 2021, Cree left the jewelry to CFT, which manages more than 1,200 charitable funds and has awarded more than $2 billion in grants since its founding in 1953.
Among the myriad highlights in Cree’s collection is a platinum and 18K gold necklace adorned with approximately 21.80 carats of Asscher-cut diamonds and approximately 25.75 carats of Asscher-cut yellow diamonds, estimated at $80,000-$100,000, as well as a pair of platinum and 18K white gold diamond earrings, estimated at $170,000-$200,000, and a diamond-studded butterfly brooch set in 18K gold and estimated at $30,000-$50,000.
[av_button label=’Click to view the auction catalog and sign up to bid’ icon_select=’no’ icon=’ue800′ font=’entypo-fontello’ link=’manually,https://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/258691_fall-fine-jewelry-5533/?keyword=&page=1′ link_target=’_blank’ size=’small’ position=’center’ label_display=” title_attr=” color_options=” color=’theme-color’ custom_bg=’#444444′ custom_font=’#ffffff’ btn_color_bg=’theme-color’ btn_custom_bg=’#444444′ btn_color_bg_hover=’theme-color-highlight’ btn_custom_bg_hover=’#444444′ btn_color_font=’theme-color’ btn_custom_font=’#ffffff’ id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-7zlnh4y’ admin_preview_bg=”]
View top auction results on LiveAuctioneers here: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/pages/recent-auction-sales/