RAPAPORT... Christie’s Hong Kong will hold its magnificent jewels sale on May 26, 2009. Leading the sale is a 20.70-carat, D, flawless diamond pendant, mounted with a 10.07-carat, pear-shaped, D, internally flawless diamond. Both stones are type IIa. Christie's will also auction a suite of 56 colored diamonds in a range of hues, certified as fancy deep, vivid and intense pink, blue, yellow and green, of 14.67 total carat weight, with a presale estimate of between $1.35 million and $1.9 million.

Other highlights include a Cartier diamond ring (pictured), set with a 14.43-carat, old-cut pear-shaped, D, internally flawless, type IIa stone; an unmounted 15.02-carat, D, flawless, type IIa diamond with a presale estimate of $1.3 million to $1.9 million; and a 14.99-carat, D, internally flawless diamond briolette with a presale estimate of $1.2 million to $1.9 million. Ear pendants to be auctioned include a set of pear-shaped diamonds of 10.03 carats and 10.02 carats. Both are graded D, VS2, and the pair has a presale estimate of between $900,000 and $1.3 million. A second set of diamond ear pendants in the sale, with cushion-shaped diamonds of 7.02 carats and 6.94 carats, carries a presale estimate of $450,000 to $710,000.

Christie's will also auction the Star of Kimberley, a 40.86-carat, type Ia, immense and exquisitely chiseled light yellow diamond with a presale estimate of $500,000 to $800,000. Christie's describes the Star of Kimberley as a fine example of the large yellow gems uncovered at the diamond mines near the town of Kimberley in South Africa, which has been fashioned into a cushion-shaped brilliant style, an "old mine-cut" that dates back to the 17th century.

Top jadeite highlights include a pair of jadeite "peapod" ear pendants with a presale estimate of between $500,000 and $710,000, a pair of oval jadeite cabochon earrings with a presale estimate of $200,000 to $300,000, and an oval jadeite double cabochon ring with a presale estimate of $710,000 to $1 million. The double cabochon ring radiates "a beautiful depth of vivid and brilliant emerald green so typical of top-quality Burmese jadeite, these cabochons are also impressive for their graceful proportions and size, as well as matching translucency and evenness of color," according to Christie's.



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