World’s largest fancy vivid yellow diamond tipped to fetch £10m at auction

[sianrose]

I don't get this...why all that money for a glass stone?... World’s largest fancy vivid yellow diamond tipped to fetch £10m at auction It is one of the most sought-after diamonds in the world and so rare it was once said to be impossible to value. But now the dazzling Cora Sun-Drop gem is tipped to make £10 million when it appears at auction next month. Roughly the size of a woman's thumb and 110 carats it is thought to be the largest vivid yellow pear-shaped diamond in existence. It has been given a pre-sale price of £6.9 million - £9.4 million ($11m-$15m) but many anticipate that it will exceed this estimate. Sotheby's Switzerland co-chairman David Bennett said: 'This stone has immense presence and is truly stunning.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2053763/World-s-largest-fancy-vivid-yellow-diamond-tipped-fetch-10m-auction.html#ixzz1buP3u3WO

[GrumpysWife]

I don't get this...why all that money for a glass stone?... World’s largest fancy vivid yellow diamond tipped to fetch £10m at auction It is one of the most sought-after diamonds in the world and so rare it was once said to be impossible to value. But now the dazzling Cora Sun-Drop gem is tipped to make £10 million when it appears at auction next month. Roughly the size of a woman's thumb and 110 carats it is thought to be the largest vivid yellow pear-shaped diamond in existence. It has been given a pre-sale price of £6.9 million - £9.4 million ($11m-$15m) but many anticipate that it will exceed this estimate. Sotheby's Switzerland co-chairman David Bennett said: 'This stone has immense presence and is truly stunning.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2053763/World-s-largest-fancy-vivid-yellow-diamond-tipped-fetch-10m-auction.html#ixzz1buP3u3WO

You know what they say, "A fool and his money ............."8-)

[retroHelen]

The amount of money willingly paid is amazing for such things because wealthy people feel that gold and diamonds are a better investment than bank accounts or shares these days.

Sadly, many diamonds are mined in very unethical ways to fund wars, weapons and criminals. They often cannot be properly traced when sold on centralized world marketplaces to all jewellers, so that you are never completely sure you are or are not buying 'blood diamonds' when buying modern jewellery today.

Setting the greed element aside, it is quite amazing how people can take rough looking crystals - created by volcanoes deep in the earth - then cut them so their many facets sparkle so wonderfully. This skill seems to be a traditional specialism of the Jewish community and years ago I saw them cutting diamonds in Amsterdam and Netanya Isreal. It was fascinating to watch, but I couldn't afford the lovely results!

Another rare gem that when it's cut is quite amazing is Alexandrite from Russia. It literally changes colour when it facets in artificial light or different colour in sunlight. I've only ever seen treated purple sapphires (often sold as Alexandrite when they aren't) do nearest to this, but not as intensly nor with the different faceted colours.

[sianrose]

Setting the greed element aside, it is quite amazing how people can take rough looking crystals - created by volcanoes deep in the earth - then cut them so their many facets sparkle so wonderfully. This skill seems to be a traditional specialism of the Jewish community and years ago I saw them cutting diamonds in Amsterdam and Netanya Isreal. It was fascinating to watch, but I couldn't afford the lovely results!

I am thinking Helen...whether in the new system...we will be adorning our houses and selves... with all types of gems...if there is to be a way it can be done...say as a hobby for some ...some form of gem and jewel collecting...I have n't thought this through yet:D...or will they remain part of the earth?

[sianrose]

You know what they say, "A fool and his money ............."eye rolling smiley

what annoys me...well really it is this system....but how some have the money to buy such things...and others have nothing...

[retroHelen]

Sian I think it would be possible, as Jehovah would oversee safe ways of extracting them. He describes his chariot and throne in terms of gems and had beautiful gems on the high Priest's ephod to represent the tribes of his people. He describes dressing his figurative earthly woman Jerusalem in the best materials and jewellery and called her pretty and 'my splendour' (Ezekiel 16:10-12)so he wasn't against using such things to enhance appearance - which shows ascetics /Puritans like Amish that they are too extreme.

As Ezekiel went on to say later in the chapter though, to Jehovah it's the motive when wearing the fine things that is the problem, not the fine things themselves, as Jerusalem went on to use her lovely gifts of clothes and jewellery to seduce other Kings instead of staying faithful to her giver Jehovah.Wealthy people sometimes wear their wealth to look down on others who can't afford such things. We will all be able to wear and enjoy Jehovah's creations in the New World because we won't pay other humans to use Jehovah's things in the same way then.

The worse travesty of this on the news last night was not a luxury but a necessity - water - it's getting expensive globally and Jehovah gave it freely and profiteers make us pay far more than just for the pipe maintenance for it to come into our homes and separately for it to be drained from our homes too!! Water Bills in a wet country like ours are !!!!

PS the spellchecker is up to tricks again - wants me to change High Priest's Ephod to High Priest's Aphid:lol1:

[retroHelen]

Alexandrite - Named after Czar Alexander of Russia in the 1830's. The same cut stone is often described as emerald by day and ruby by night as it has the unusual ability totally change colour in different light and Russian ones are extremely rare:

[sianrose]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24KMweGlfy4

a short clip I took at Bristol Assembly Hall UK....of the mineral rocks found when they were building the hall...