mounting.
1.53 carat Round Brilliant Cut loose diamond graded E color and SI2 clarity.
1.23 carat Princess Cut diamond graded H color and SI1 clarity in a 4-prong Tiffany style 14-karat white gold mounting.
The first half of 2008 saw polished diamond prices go up 15% compared the previous year. Diamond mines were implementing expansion plans and there was full employment for cutters, wholesalers, and retailers worldwide.
Starting in July, diamonds started to see the same pressures that commodities like oil were experiencing. Consumer fear, triggered by reduced real estate equity and tightened credit, resulted in reduced luxury purchases and lower demand for diamonds. The inertia of the diamond industry pipeline caused an out of balance between supply and demand with the result being a 11% drop in polished diamond prices during the second half of 2008.
Josephine Archer, Sales and Marketing Manager for Argyle Pink Diamonds, noted, “We are excited to showcase our first ever collection of precious blue and violet Argyle diamonds, sourced from several years of production at the mine. It is an enchanting collection that will appeal to connoisseurs and collectors alike.”
The “Once in a Blue Moon” collection will include a variety of colors, single cuts, matched pairs, and smaller diamonds. This event will no doubt raise the awareness of blue diamonds worldwide even though only a limited number of people will see the actual collection.