Anne Eisenhower's jewels shine at Christie's

Marlene Dietrich’s iconic Van Cleef & Arpels ruby and diamond bracelet stars in the collection of the late granddaughter of Dwight D. Eisenhower. 30 pieces will be featured in the Magnificent Jewels of Anne Eisenhower on 7 June during Christie’s Luxury Week in New York.

High Jewel Lizards

A gecko is always considered a lizard, while a lizard may not always be a gecko as lizards refer to four other groups of similar species. Lizards are found all over the world. They populate every continent except for Antarctica and are also found on most island chains within the world’s oceans. Geckos have the unique ability to climb vertical surfaces due to specialized pads on their toes, which is something that lizards are unable to do.

Idol's Eye diamond

Rival members of Qatar’s royal family are battling for control of the diamond, with one side trying to force a $10m sale.

The Idol's Eye diamond is 70.21 carats and a light blue, VVS1. The diamond's history began at a Christie's sale in London on July 14th, 1865. Later the 34th Ottoman Sultan, Abdul Hamid II (1842-1918) owned the Idol's Eye. The Idol's Eye was one of several large diamonds that came up for auction in Paris on June 24th, 1909. Afterwards a Spanish nobleman bought the diamond.

Harry Winston bought it in 1946. The following year the stone was sold to Mrs. May Bonfils Stanton, daughter of Frederick G. Bonfils, the publisher and co-founder of the Denver Post. Chicago jeweler Harry Levinson bought the Idol's Eye for $375,000, after Stanton's death. In 1979 Laurence Graff of London purchased the Idol's Eye. Guernsey-based Elanus Holdings Limited, which is controlled by the heirs of the late Sheikh Saud bin Mohammed al-Thani bought the diamond.

Mandarin Spessartite Garnet

Mandarin Spessartite Garnet is a rare form of orange garnet colored by manganese. The combination of vivid color and high refractive index make spessartite garnet one of the most brilliant stones in the world of colored gems. Its hardness is around 6.5 - 7.5 on the Mohs scale, making it ideal for jewelry.

The gems occur in a range of colors from yellowish orange to reddish orange and orange-red. The pure orange, known as mandarin or fanta orange, is very rare and has been found in only a few deposits in Africa, notably in Nigeria. Top spessartites are highly sought after by gem collectors and are considered investment grade. Very little in the way of new material has been found recently.

The prices and value of spessartite garnet varies according to the size and quality of the gemstone. Color and clarity are the most important factors. Vivid orange is the most valuable. The reddish and orange-red are also valuable in fine quality. Gems with a distinct brownish hue, or heavily included stones, are less valuable. Spessartites are not currently enhanced by any method.

Harry Winston

German police lasso 'Green Vault' diamonds

German police have recovered a number of 18th-Century treasures stolen from a Dresden museum during a €113m heist in 2019. Authorities returned 31 objects to the Green Vault museum. The items were reportedly found after talks with the lawyers of six men currently on trial for the theft. Among the items are a diamond-encrusted breast star and a richly-jewelled Heron Tail hat decoration.

13.15 carat pink diamond hot

A 13.15 carat diamond that was pulled from an auction was reportedly stolen and lead authorities to a psychic who said the jewel needed to be "cleansed." The pink diamond, which has an estimated value of between $25m and $35m, was set to be a part of Christie’s New York auction. The gem was stolen in an elaborate $90m jewelry heist that involved an employee of a wealthy resident of Doha, Qatar. The employee allegedly sent the jewels to a man claiming to be a psychic named John Lee living in Florida and New Jersey to have them “cleansed.” Lee was arrested and charged with wire fraud, mail fraud, and interstate transportation of stolen goods. The diamond dealer asked for a private viewing because he was suspicious of its ownership. The dealer confirmed that the diamond belonged to the person in Doha. Federal agents immediately took possession of the diamond.

The Fortune Pink Diamond - $28.8m

The largest pear-shaped fancy vivid pink diamond ever put up for auction had a high estimate of $35m at a Christie's sale of rare jewels on Nov. 8. The Fortune Pink Diamond weighs 18.18 carats. It made $28.8m against it's $25m to $35m estimate.

The Williamson pink diamond brooch

The Williamson pink diamond brooch was often worn by Her Majesty and was one of her favorites. It includes one of the rarest flawless pink diamonds in the world. The Queen received the 54.5-carat rough pink diamond in 1947 as a wedding gift from Canadian geologist Dr. John Thorburn Williamson. The cut gem is 23.6 carats. Thought to be the second most valuable in the Queen’s collection, the Williamson brooch is estimated to be worth at least $40 million.

11.15-carat Williamson Pink Star sells for $49.9m

A world record for the highest price per carat for a diamond sold at auction has been set. Auctioned by Sotheby’s Hong Kong, the Williamson Pink Star diamond was originally estimated at $21m.

170 carat pink diamond unearthed - 'Lulo Rose'

The 170-carat pink "Lulo Rose" diamond was recovered by the Lucapa Diamond Company in Angola. The diamond is the fifth-largest to be unearthed by the company at the mine.

The Emerald Tzar of Colombia

Víctor Carranza (8 October 1935 – 4 April 2013) was a Colombian emerald dealer and the owner of emerald mines in the Boyacá mountains. Carranza was involved in the Muzo mining area outside Boyacá, Colombia from the 1980s until his death. Various forces clashed during the Green War, including Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel, leftist guerrilla groups and right wing paramilitaries. Carranza remained in control of Colombia's emerald trade during this period. Carranza controlled at 40% of Colombia’s emerald business, which supplies about two thirds of the world’s stones.

Before the signing of a peace pact in 1991, an estimated 3,000 people were killed in fighting for control of the business. As cancer spread, his hold on power slipped, and the peace pact started to unravel. He survived at least two assassination attempts.

The emerald tsar brought a relative peace to the industry. Carranza claimed emeralds “called to him”.

Slipping production is likely the reason behind the rise in the price of Colombian emeralds, which spiked 30 per cent in 2017, according to industry experts.

Jadeite

Jadeite is a pyroxene mineral with composition NaAlSi2O6. It is monoclinic and has a Mohs hardness of about 6.5 to 7 depending on the composition. The Latin version of the name, lapis nephriticus, is the origin of the term nephrite, another variety of jade. Jadeite is formed in metamorphic rocks under high pressure and relatively low temperature.

The most highly valued colors of jadeite are the most intensely green, though white has been considered the most valuable of the jades by the Chinese.

Jadeite from the Motagua Valley, Guatemala, was used by the Olmec and Maya, as well as the indigenous of Costa Rica. Top quality jadeite is very rare. Vivid, sleek, and translucent, magnificent jadeite commands some of the highest prices among gems.

Natural Icy Imperial Emerald Green Jadeite Dragon's Fang Pendant 16 carats.

Jadeite’s three most important qualities, in order of their impact on value, are color, transparency, and texture. The finest-quality jadeite is known as Imperial jade. The royal court of China once had a standing order for all available material of this kind, and it’s one of the world’s most expensive gems.

The Hutton-Mdivani Necklace carries 27 matching pure jadeite beads. $27.44m

Jadeite and diamond pendant £180k

Jadeite’s transparency ranges from opaque to semitransparent. The best jadeite is semitransparent. The finest quality jadeite is usually cut into cabochons. A jadeite snuff bottle, 1780–1880. It sold for HK$ 1.5 million

A pair of jadeite and diamond ear pendants. Est HK$3,800,000-5,800,000 ($480,000-750,000)

A jadeite ring. Est ($3,500,000-4,800,000)

Art-deco jadeite, enamel, gem-set and diamond brooch from Cartier, circa 1927. HK$7m-8m

Jadite Bangle.($777,816 - $1,037,088)