Details
AN IMPORTANT FANCY AND FANCY INTENSE COLOURED DIAMOND AND DIAMOND LINE NECKLACE, BY CHAUMET
Of sixty-seven graduated vari-cut multi-coloured diamonds, set to the front with a circular-cut fancy brownish greenish yellow diamond weighing 1.85 carats, a circular-cut fancy grayish yellowish green diamond weighing 2.32 carats and a pear-shaped fancy intense yellow diamond weighing 3.10 carats, mounted in platinum, 38.0 cm., with French assay marks
Signed by Chaumet
With certificates 8480497, 8480496 and 8480498 dated 20/7/1994 and 5/8/1994 from the Gemological Institute of America stating that the 1.85 carat diamond is fancy brownish greenish yellow, natural colour; the 2.32 carat diamond is fancy grayish yellowish green, natural colour; and the 3.10 carat diamond is fancy intense yellow, natural colour, SI1. Also with six additional certificates.
"...the diamond is either colourless or light yellow, passing into wine colour, and then through cinnamon-brown into almost black, also pale-green passing into yellow-green. A dull or faint tinge considerably reduces the value of this gem, but when distinctly pink, blue or green it is much enhanced and eagerly sought for by
connoisseurs."
John Mawe, author of: A Treatise on Diamonds and Pearls, London, 1823
"The oldest diamonds in the world are green diamonds," says Dr. F.A. Raal, former senior research manager at De Beer Diamond Research Laboratory. According to Dr. Raals' study of green diamonds (Diamond News), the small green crystals he examined from the Western Transvaal, South Africa, were more than 2.25 billion years old.
The phenomenon of green colour in natural diamonds involves time and a unique set of circumstances. Following growth and eruption to the surface, diamonds are scattered due to erosion and later buried in deep sediments along with other heavy materials, such as gold and uranium. When in close proximity, the energy emitted by the uranium will gradually alter the colour of the diamond, imparting a green coloration. Experts agree that millions of years are required to impart even a pale green body colour to a one carat diamond.
There are many different kinds of green diamonds found in nature. The majority of rough green diamonds display isolated green spots or coalescing green patches which only just penetrate the surface. There are also diamonds that exhibit a uniform green 'skin' over the entire surface, indicating that the uranium was in a solution surrounding the diamond. Unfortunately, during the cutting process this green surface is polished off. On occasion, uniformly coloured 'bottle' green stones are recovered. Such stones require millions of years exposure to natural radiation and thus are exceptionally rare.
Diamond literature cites many unusual examples of natural green colours, such as 'apple' green, 'aqua' green, 'oil' green, 'pistachio' green, 'olive' green and 'siskin' green. There are also green diamonds that exhibit unusual colour zones and others that display a peculiar change of colour, known as 'chameleon' diamonds (such as the present 2.32 carat stone). When a chameleon diamond is stored in the dark for several hours and then brought into daylight, it appears a distinct yellow. Then, it gradually changes colour through various shades of yellow-green back to the original green colour.
Since the conditions under which diamonds form and acquire their colour are not constant, two coloured diamonds are never the same. This is especially true of green diamonds. Each one is a unique expression of the enviroment in which it formed.
Stephen Hofer
Of sixty-seven graduated vari-cut multi-coloured diamonds, set to the front with a circular-cut fancy brownish greenish yellow diamond weighing 1.85 carats, a circular-cut fancy grayish yellowish green diamond weighing 2.32 carats and a pear-shaped fancy intense yellow diamond weighing 3.10 carats, mounted in platinum, 38.0 cm., with French assay marks
Signed by Chaumet
With certificates 8480497, 8480496 and 8480498 dated 20/7/1994 and 5/8/1994 from the Gemological Institute of America stating that the 1.85 carat diamond is fancy brownish greenish yellow, natural colour; the 2.32 carat diamond is fancy grayish yellowish green, natural colour; and the 3.10 carat diamond is fancy intense yellow, natural colour, SI1. Also with six additional certificates.
"...the diamond is either colourless or light yellow, passing into wine colour, and then through cinnamon-brown into almost black, also pale-green passing into yellow-green. A dull or faint tinge considerably reduces the value of this gem, but when distinctly pink, blue or green it is much enhanced and eagerly sought for by
connoisseurs."
John Mawe, author of: A Treatise on Diamonds and Pearls, London, 1823
"The oldest diamonds in the world are green diamonds," says Dr. F.A. Raal, former senior research manager at De Beer Diamond Research Laboratory. According to Dr. Raals' study of green diamonds (Diamond News), the small green crystals he examined from the Western Transvaal, South Africa, were more than 2.25 billion years old.
The phenomenon of green colour in natural diamonds involves time and a unique set of circumstances. Following growth and eruption to the surface, diamonds are scattered due to erosion and later buried in deep sediments along with other heavy materials, such as gold and uranium. When in close proximity, the energy emitted by the uranium will gradually alter the colour of the diamond, imparting a green coloration. Experts agree that millions of years are required to impart even a pale green body colour to a one carat diamond.
There are many different kinds of green diamonds found in nature. The majority of rough green diamonds display isolated green spots or coalescing green patches which only just penetrate the surface. There are also diamonds that exhibit a uniform green 'skin' over the entire surface, indicating that the uranium was in a solution surrounding the diamond. Unfortunately, during the cutting process this green surface is polished off. On occasion, uniformly coloured 'bottle' green stones are recovered. Such stones require millions of years exposure to natural radiation and thus are exceptionally rare.
Diamond literature cites many unusual examples of natural green colours, such as 'apple' green, 'aqua' green, 'oil' green, 'pistachio' green, 'olive' green and 'siskin' green. There are also green diamonds that exhibit unusual colour zones and others that display a peculiar change of colour, known as 'chameleon' diamonds (such as the present 2.32 carat stone). When a chameleon diamond is stored in the dark for several hours and then brought into daylight, it appears a distinct yellow. Then, it gradually changes colour through various shades of yellow-green back to the original green colour.
Since the conditions under which diamonds form and acquire their colour are not constant, two coloured diamonds are never the same. This is especially true of green diamonds. Each one is a unique expression of the enviroment in which it formed.
Stephen Hofer