Christie’s in partnership with De Beers Group will present Rare Treasures of the Earth, a museum-quality public exhibition uncovering the mystery of nature’s most beautiful gems including special fancy coloured diamonds and rare minerals and crystals. Christie’s said in a press release that the exhibition will take place from November 8-12, 2019.

This selling exhibition is curated by Christie’s Jewellery Private Sales and the Natural History Department.

During the event, the De Beers Group Institute of Diamonds will also conduct interactive demonstrations tracing the diamond’s journey from deep within the earth to a captivating jewel.

Focusing on the science behind the diamonds, experts from De Beers Group will also explain what gives these rare diamonds their unique colours, and the rigorous criteria a diamond must meet to be classified as a fancy colour. They will also share the intricate process involved when polishing a fancy coloured diamond and provide specialist grading demonstrations from the Institute’s team of specially trained graders.

Leading the exhibition is The Cullinan Dream, a 24.18 ct Fancy Intense Blue VS2 Rectangular-Shaped Diamond, drawn from the Cullinan mine in South Africa, formerly known as the Premier mine. The combination of the size, colour and extreme rarity together make the Cullinan Dream a truly exceptional diamond, remarkable for its pure and consistently strong blue colour throughout every facet, Christie’s said. Further highlights include superb coloured diamonds including a Fancy Vivid Pinkish Purple Diamond of 2.01 ct, a Fancy Purplish Red Diamond of 1.09 ct and a Fancy Vivid Bluish Green Diamond of 1.42 ct, the company added.

Complementing the coloured diamonds in the exhibition is a vast selection of unusual minerals and crystals sourced from the furthest corners of the globe by Dale Rogers Ammonite, London’s premier crystal gallery. Breathtaking and magnificent examples include jade, labradorite, quartz and agate. Together these geological wonders offer an experience of nature’s alchemy in an exhibition paying tribute to earth’s treasury and legacy to mankind, the statement noted.

Mei Giam, Christie’s Jewellery Private Sales Director, said, “The coloured diamond is the world’s most valuable gemstone, an exclusive beauty revered for its rarity and individual colour expression. With a shared dedication to scholarship and expertise, we are delighted to collaborate with De Beers Group on our Private Sales Jewellery event, Rare Treasures of the Earth, exploring the origin, rarity and value of these extraordinary gemstones. The exhibition represents our annual public facing celebration of jewels, sharing insight into the stones at the heart of the jewellery we wear, admire and aspire to own.”

Jonathan Kendall, President of De Beers Group Institute of Diamonds: “Christie’s and De Beers Group share a passion for the miracles of nature that are diamonds and how they play a central role in the luxury world. With De Beers Group’s diamond knowledge based on a legacy of more than 100 years at the vanguard of the industry, our leading Institute of Diamonds’ grading reports provide Christie’s collectors with the assurance and insight they are seeking about these exquisite gemstones. The Rare Treasures of the Earth exhibition represents a perfect partnership where both De Beers Group and Christie’s can bring their expertise to bear, and we look forward to developing our close relationship even further.”

Pic caption: The Cullinan Dream, a 24.18 ct Fancy Intense Blue VS2 rectangular-shaped diamond

Pic courtesy: Christie’s