'Oppenheimer Blue' Claims Title of Priciest Gemstone Ever Auctioned; $57.5M Price Beats 'Blue Moon' by $9M

Last night, the "Oppenheimer Blue" became the highest priced gemstone ever sold at auction. The 14.62-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, dubbed "the gem of gems," fetched an astounding $57.5 million at Christie's Geneva.

Two bidders battled back and forth for more than 20 minutes in a dramatic exchange that included 44 individual offers. The bidding started at 30 million Swiss francs (about $30.4 million) and rushed forward in increments of 1 million, 500,000 and 200,000 Swiss francs.

Watching the action in real-time via streaming video, viewers around the world joined in the excitement as the bidding moved well above the pre-sale high estimate of 45 million Swiss Francs ($45.6 million).

Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International Head of Jewelry, finally put the hammer down at 50.6 million Swiss francs ($51.2 million) to the roar of the showroom crowd. With commissions and fees included, the final price was 56.8 million Swiss francs ($57.5 million). That number was $9 million more than the previous record-holder, the "Blue Moon of Josephine," which sold at Sotheby's Geneva in November 2015 for $48.5 million.

Both diamonds boast the top color grade of "fancy vivid." While the 12.03-carat cushion-shaped Blue Moon of Josephine was rated internally flawless, the rectangular-cut Oppenheimer Blue was one grade below at VVS1 clarity.

The Oppenheimer Blue's price per carat price of $3.93 million came up just shy of the record of $4.03 million held by the Blue Moon of Josephine.

Named after Sir Philip Oppenheimer, one of the leaders of the diamond industry for generations, the Oppenheimer Blue was the largest fancy vivid blue diamond ever offered at auction.

Kadakia had called the Oppenheimer Blue "the gem of gems,” and “one of the rarest gems in the world.” He was impressed by its perfect hue, impeccable proportions and fabulous rectangular shape. The magnificent gem was offered for sale in its original platinum mounting by Verdura.

During the auction, he encourage the bidding by reminding the audience that this type of gem comes around only once in a lifetime. According to Christie's, less than .0001 percent of all diamonds mined are blue. Blue diamonds owe their color to the presence of boron in the chemical makeup of the gem.

Credit: Image courtesy of Christie's. Screen capture via Christies.com.

'Unique Pink' Sells for $31.5M, Sets Record for a Fancy Vivid Pink Diamond

The 15.38-carat "Unique Pink," the largest pear-shaped fancy vivid pink diamond ever offered at auction, lived up to its pre-sale fanfare by fetching $31.5 million at Sotheby's Geneva last night. It was the highest price ever paid for a fancy vivid pink diamond.

The much-anticipated final lot of Sotheby's Magnificent Jewels & Noble Jewels sale — Lot #495 — sparked a five-minute bidding war that started with an opening offer of 24 million Swiss francs (about $25.5 million). Six subsequent bids propelled the price up to 27.3 million Swiss francs. With the buyer's commission included, the final price was 30.82 million Swiss francs (or $31.56 million).

Previously, the record for a fancy vivid pink diamond was held by "Sweet Josephine," a 16.08-carat beauty that sold for $28.5 million at Christie's Geneva in November of 2015.

Sotheby's had estimated that the Unique Pink would sell in the range of $27.5 million to $37.3 million.

The Unique Pink, which boasts the highest possible color grading of "fancy vivid," had been characterized as one of the finest pink diamonds of all time. Sotheby's Worldwide Chairman of Sotheby’s International Jewelry Division, David Bennett, had described the diamond's color as "simply astonishing."

“It is difficult to imagine a diamond that better illustrates the term ‘vivid pink’ than this outstanding stone,” noted Bennett.

The gem also stood apart because of its impressive size and "exceedingly pure" Type IIa clarity rating.

The Unique Pink was so special that it headlined a multi-city promotional tour that included stops in Hong Kong, London and New York City, before returning to Geneva for the auction.

It is believed that pink diamonds owe their color to the effects of intense pressure and heat while they were still deep within the earth. These factors caused distortions in the diamond’s crystal lattice that influence the way the diamond absorbs green light, thus reflecting a pink hue.

Credits: Unique Pink photos courtesy of Sotheby’s. Auction screen capture via Sothebys.com.

Red-Hot Chicago Cubs Slugger Anthony Rizzo Assists With Surprise Marriage Proposal

Chicago Cubs slugger Anthony Rizzo showed off his tender side on Saturday when he assisted lifelong fan, Steve Milsap, with a surprise marriage proposal.

Earlier in the day, the red-hot Rizzo, who is hitting .373 in the month of May for the first-place Cubs, smashed a three-run homer in an 8-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. But even more unforgettable than the game was what happened that same evening at the Fanatics sports memorabilia show in Chicago.

Show organizers had arranged for Milsap and his girlfriend, Leslie, to meet Rizzo for a photo op and autograph signing. The unsuspecting girlfriend was told that the special Rizzo meet-and-greet was a surprise was for her nine-year-old daughter, who idolizes the 26-year-old phenom.

After posing for a few photos with the family, Rizzo turned to Milsap and said, "Steve, do you have any questions you want to ask."

Milsap took a step toward his girlfriend and said, "Leslie, from the day that I met you I knew you were the one."

"No," said Leslie.

"Yes," countered her smiling boyfriend. Then he pulled a ring box from his pocket, went down on one knee and popped the question.

"Will you marry me?" he asked.

"Yes. Oh my, God. Oh my," she answered, as memorabilia show onlookers shouted their approval.

Rizzo then presented the couple with a Cubs jersey with the words "Marry Me" and Rizzo's number "44" embroidered on the back. Milsap asked if Rizzo would sign the jersey and he was happy to oblige.

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound athlete seemed to love his role as Cupid. "She was really excited and she started crying," said Rizzo. "It's awesome for them."

"I'm still in shock right now," said Leslie.

Milsap thanked Rizzo and the show coordinators.

"We couldn't have done it without Fanatics," said Milsap. "We want to thank everybody who helped out. It was amazing."

Check out the heartwarming 67-second video here...

Credits: Screen captures via YouTube/Fanatics

Ultra-Rare 'Aurora Green' Diamond Could Fetch the Highest Price Per-Carat Ever for Any Gemstone

And the amazing diamonds just keep coming... On May 31, Christie's Hong Kong will be putting up for bid the "Aurora Green," an ultra-rare fancy vivid green diamond that could set a new auction record for the highest price per carat ever paid for any gemstone.

Christie's estimated the rectangular-shaped 5.03-carat Aurora Green to be valued between $16.2 million and $20.1 million, or at the high end about $4 million per carat. The current record holder is the "Blue Moon of Josephine," a 12.03-carat vivid blue diamond that sold in November 2015 for $48.5 million, or $4.03 million per carat.

Experts believe the Aurora Green has a legitimate shot at breaking the record at Christie's Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels sale because of its combination of rarity, size, color and quality. The green gem, which owes its color to the natural radiation present during its formation inside the earth, is the largest, natural fancy, vivid green diamond in the world. “Vivid” is the most saturated color intensity for green diamonds, and while "fancy intense" green diamonds come to auction frequently, "fancy vivid" green diamonds are almost unheard of.

Asian bidders might be particularly attracted to the Aurora Green because that color symbolizes health, prosperity and harmony in Chinese culture.

According to the Diamond Investment & Intelligence Center, the only other time a fancy vivid green diamond has come to auction was in the midst of the global financial crisis in 2009. In November of that year, Sotheby's sold a 2.52-carat fancy vivid green diamond at its Geneva event for $3.07 million.

The Aurora Green diamond is presented in a pink diamond halo setting. The Gemological Institute of America described the green gem as a “cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant” with a clarity of VS2.

Vickie Sek, Christie’s deputy chairman and head of jewels for Asia, told ARTINFO that the Aurora Green got its name from nature's phenomenal light shows — the aurora borealis and aurora australis, also known as the Northern or Southern Lights. She said the diamond's saturated color and scintillation emulates the "magical display of dancing lights that can only be seen above the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres."

"While the auroral displays appear in a spectrum of colors, the vibrant, vivid greens are the most anticipated and admired," she said.

Credits: Aurora Green images courtesy of Christie's. Northern lights by Varjisakka (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons.

Pop the Question, Then Eat the Ring Box — Because It’s Made of Pizza

As a clever sequel to his two outrageous pizza innovations — the pizza-topped pizza and the pizza-box pizza — Sean Berthiaume of Vinnie’s Pizzeria in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, introduced a mini pizza-box pizza that’s designed to hold an engagement ring.

Imagine popping the question using one of Berthiaume’s culinary masterpieces and then sealing the deal by gobbling the delicious box like the pooches in the spaghetti scene from Disney’s Lady and the Tramp.

Along with a photo of the new creation, Vinnie’s Pizzeria posted this caption to its Instagram page: “Mini Pizza Box Pizza for the pizza lover on the go. Handheld, for your pleasure. Great for a quick snack or use it to propose to your significant other, whatever you’d like!"

Berthiaume’s engaging personality and outrageous menu items have earned tons of publicity for the Vinnie’s Pizzeria locations in Williamsburg and Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

Last June, talk show host Jimmy Kimmel of Jimmy Kimmel Live! called Berthiaume an “American hero” for inventing the pizza-topped pizza. Via a live feed from the Williamsburg pizzeria, Kimmel interviewed the proprietor in a hilarious five-minute segment, during which Berthiaume explained exactly what goes into the pizza and how he came up with the idea.

Then, last month, the innovative pizza proprietor shook up the internet when he revealed the pizza-box pizza, a product that is delicious and environmentally friendly.

“I get ticked off when people ask for a box when they’re eating here,” Berthiaume told BuzzFeed.com. “There’s no point. It fills the trash can. So I thought, ‘What if you could just eat the box?’”

So, Berthiaume designed a box made of pizza that holds, you guessed it, another pizza. The pizza-box pizza is composed of three parts: the box, which is a Sicilian pizza; the box top, which is made of garlic bread; and the contents — the requested pizza.

He told BuzzFeed.com that it takes about an hour to make a pizza-box pizza, compared to the normal 10 to 15 minutes for a regular pizza. The pizza-box pizzas are priced accordingly at $40 each.

Before you run out to Vinnie’s to get engaged, please note that the mini pizza-box pizza is an off-the-menu item and must be ordered in advance.

Credits: Instagram.com/vinniesbrooklyn.

'The Constellation' Sets Rough Diamond Price Record; 813-Carat Stablemate of 'Lesedi la Rona' Sells for $63M

Back in November of 2015, Canada-based Lucara enjoyed an uncanny stroke of good luck when its workers discovered two enormous gem-quality rough diamonds at its Karowe Mine in Botswana. The pair tipped the scales at a combined 1,922 carats — or just shy of a 14 ounces.

The larger of the two — the 1,109-carat Lesedi la Rona — will be offered for sale at Sotheby's London on June 29. The smaller of the two — The Constellation — just set a record when the 813-carat gem was purchased by Dubai-based Nemesis International for $63.1 million. It was the highest price ever paid for a rough diamond.

The record is likely to be short lived because the Lesedi la Rona is expected to fetch at least $70 million in London. If Lesedi la Rona earns the same $77,649 per-carat as its Lucara stablemate, it is likely to garner upwards of $86 million.

Both diamonds have been rated Type IIa by the Gemological Institute of America. Diamonds in this rare and coveted subgroup are chemically pure and often show extraordinary optical transparency.

As part of the deal with Nemesis International, Lucara retained a 10% interest in the net profit from the sale of the faceted diamond (or diamonds) The Constellation will yield after cutting and polishing.

Lesedi la Rona is being billed by Sotheby's as "The Diamond of a Lifetime" because it's the biggest rough diamond to be unearthed in more than a century. Only the 3,016-carat Cullinan Diamond, discovered in 1905, was larger. The Constellation, at 813 carats, is the sixth largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found, according to NationalJeweler.com.

It's hard to imagine how improbable it was for Lucara to secure two such extraordinary diamonds within days of each other in the same area of a single diamond mine — in this case, the south lobe of the Karowe Mine.

Credits: Facebook/Lucara Diamond Corporation.

Utah Man's Romantic Proposal Takes Unexpected Turn When Girlfriend Opens an Empty Ring Box

They say, "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry” and that's certainly the case for Greg Nottingham, whose perfectly planned marriage proposal took an unexpected turn of epic proportions.

The Provo, Utah, resident had picked a glorious day, the perfect diamond engagement ring and a scenic riverside setting for a romanic picnic with his girlfriend of five years, Sax Brinkley, and their dog, Bella. What's more, he also arranged for some friends to secretly photograph the exact moment Nottingham would pop the question to the love of his life.

At first, everything seemed to be going swimmingly.

When the timing was just right, Nottingham smoothly pulled a ring box from his jacket pocket and went down on one knee. As he opened the box, it became frighteningly clear that something very important was missing.

"There's nothing in it," exclaimed Brinkley as her mortified boyfriend froze in horror.

Fortunately for Nottingham, Brinkley has a wonderful sense of humor. All she could do was chuckle at the classic blunder.

Trying to make the best of a bad situation, Nottingham joked, "This is the part where I get down on one knee and show you a really pretty ring."

Nottingham had picked up the wrong box on his way to the picnic and left the actual engagement ring at home.

Despite the epic goof, Nottingham was undaunted as he continued with the marriage proposal — ring or no ring.

"Will you be mine forever and always, and for the rest of your life?" he asked.

"Yes, yes," she answered.

Then he lifted her into his arms.

As their friends filmed the couple, Brinkley wore a wide grin and repeated, "He forgot the ring! He forgot the ring!"

Later, Nottingham explained the circumstance that led to the embarrassing situation...

"I got the wrong box," he said. "Before I left the house, I put this coat on and just felt the pocket, which had a box in it. I didn't think to check it. The box I picked up was the gift box. The box with the ring [was] in another jacket."

After the picnic, the couple dashed home so Nottingham could give Brinkley her engagement ring. From the photo posted on Brinkley's Facebook page, it was clear the bride-to-be loved her new bling.

Despite the happy ending, Nottingham realized that his embarrassing story is now part of marriage proposal folklore.

"I'll have to live with that moment for the rest of my life," he said. Check out the video at The Daily Mail...

Credits: Video screen capture via Mail Online; Facebook/Saxanie Brinkley.

1,109-Carat 'Lesedi la Rona' Diamond Expected to Fetch $70M+ at Sotheby's London on June 29

The greatest diamond find in more than a century — the 1,109-carat gem-quality "Lesedi la Rona" — is expected to fetch at least $70 million when it goes under the hammer at what promises to be an electrifying stand-alone sale at Sotheby's London on June 29.

The $70 million figure would set a record for the highest price ever paid for a gemstone at auction, surpassing the $48.5 million achieved by the 12.03-carat Blue Moon of Josephine diamond at Sotheby's in November of 2015.

In its current rough state, Lesedi La Rona is the size of a tennis ball. When cut and polished, it could yield a D-color diamond weighing more than 400 carats. The current record for the largest top-quality faceted diamond in existence is held by the 530.20-carat Great Star of Africa, which was the largest of nine diamonds carved from the legendary 3,016-carat Cullinan Diamond more than a century ago. The Great Star of Africa is now part of the British Crown Jewels.

Unearthed by Lucara Diamond Corp. at its Karowe mine in Botswana in 2015, Lesedi la Rona means "Our Light" in the Tswana language spoken by the Botswana people. Sotheby's is calling Lesedi la Rona "The Diamond of a Lifetime."

When we first wrote about Lesedi la Rona in November 2015, Lucara had reported its weight to be 1,111 carats. The new weight of 1,109 reflects a loss of 2 carats during the cleaning process, which is normal, a Sotheby's spokesperson told NationalJeweler.com.

According to the Gemological Institute of America, the Lesedi la Rona’s “top color and transparency exemplify the 'limpid' appearance commonly associated with Type IIa diamonds” – a rare and coveted subgroup which comprises less than 2% of all gem diamonds. Stones in this group are “the most chemically pure and often show extraordinary optical transparency."

Independent reports on the potential yield of the rough have stated that the Lesedi la Rona may have the potential to yield the largest top-quality diamond that has ever been cut and polished.

“The Lesedi la Rona is simply outstanding and its discovery is the find of a lifetime," commented David Bennett, Worldwide Chairman of Sotheby’s Jewelry Division. "It is a huge honor for Sotheby’s to have been entrusted with its sale. Every aspect of this auction is unprecedented. Not only is the rough superlative in size and quality, but no rough even remotely of this scale has ever been offered before at public auction.”

The Lesedi la Rona will be on view at Sotheby’s London from June 18-28, ahead of its auction in the evening of June 29.

Credits: Donald Bowers/Getty Images for Sotheby's.

Music Friday: Teardrops Turn Into Precious Gems in Kelita's Inspirational Song of Inner Healing, 'Tears'

Welcome to Music Friday when we often bring you uplifting songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Canadian recording artist Kelita performs "Tears," an inspirational song about inner healing and overcoming adversity.

In this song, Kelita compares herself to a sparrow with broken wings. But, instead of accepting her fate of never being able to "fly," she describes how the Holy One will take away the pain by cradling her teardrops and transforming them into precious stones.

She sings, "Shimmering diamonds, rubies of red / Bright as the blood that my dear Savior shed / Emeralds of green, sapphires of blue / He’ll take away your teardrops / Turn them into jewels."

"Tears" first appeared in 2000 on Kelita's Naked Soul album, a work that earned a nomination for a Juno Award (Canada's version of a Grammy) for Best Gospel Album. Kelita also included the song as the final track of her Heart of a Woman album in 2010.

Born Kelita Haverland in Alberta, Canada, the singer/songwriter/actress/comedian draws her strength from having overcome a series of seemingly insurmountable life challenges. As a child, she suffered sexual abuse at the hands of her sibling. Her alcoholic father committed suicide and then her mother died from cancer. Her abusive sibling later died from a heroin overdose, and Kelita nearly lost her own life in a terrible auto accident.

Kelita's official website explains that the artist writes, sings and speaks what is gleaned from her own life experiences. From a relentless life of tragedy to triumph, the lessons are shared with a transparency and honesty that engages, encourages and inspires. Her ability to touch and penetrate the hearts of audiences is what drives her success.

Kelita is credited with giving the first break to an aspiring 19-year-old singer name Eileen Twain. The teenager from Timmins, Ontario, sang backup on Kelita's hit song, "Too Hot to Handle." Today, that up-and-coming young singer is known as Shania Twain.

We know you will enjoy the audio clip of Kelita singing "Tears." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Tears"
Written and performed by Kelita Haverland.

Tiny little sparrow fell from the tree
Sometimes I feel that little wounded sparrow is me
Tiny broken wings that never will fly
I wonder does her little heart know how to cry

Chorus:
Does her heart know how to cry
Are her tears gently falling inside
Crying tears she’s been trying to hide
Does her heart know how to cry like mine

Warm velvet words poured like sweet honey from his tongue
Until tonight I’d never heard the Holy one
He said that he would cradle every teardrop in His hand
He’d take away their pain and turn them into precious gems

Jesus knows the tears that you've cried
And he has seen them falling inside
Crying tears you've been trying to hide
Jesus knows the tears that you've cried like mine

Bridge:
Shimmering diamonds, rubies of red
Bright as the blood that my dear Savior shed
Emeralds of green, sapphires of blue
He’ll take away your teardrops
Turn them into jewels

Jesus knows the tears that you've cried
And he has seen them falling inside
Crying tears you've been trying to hide
Jesus knows, Jesus knows, Jesus knows the tears that you've cried like mine

Credit: Promotional image via www.kelita.com.

Smithsonian's 75-Carat Hooker Emerald Was Once Mounted Into a Sultan's Belt Buckle

One of the world's most spectacular examples of May's official birthstone is the 75.47-carat Hooker Emerald, an historic gem that was once mounted into the belt buckle of an Ottoman sultan.

Today, it is beautifully displayed in a platinum brooch adorned with 109 brilliant-cut diamonds weighing approximately 13 carats. When Janet Annenberg Hooker donated the piece in 1977 to the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., it was valued at $500,000. Based on inflation alone, today it would be worth $2.03 million.

If the name Janet Annenberg Hooker sounds a bit familiar, it may be because the renowned philanthropist and publishing heiress was the principal benefactor of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. Her cash donation to the museum of $5 million allowed for the construction of a fabulous gallery, which was named the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals.

The emerald brooch designed by Tiffany & Co. is an open-ended circular band of platinum. The two ends of the band curl outward into scrolls and are connected by a large round brilliant-cut diamond. Spokes cross the band and converge in the center, forming the setting for the Hooker Emerald.

The emerald was mined in Colombia in the 16th or 17th century and was sent to Europe by Spanish conquistadors to be cut and polished. The gem was sold to the ruling family of the Ottoman Empire and became part of the crown jewels during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II (1876-1909). The sultan reportedly wore the emerald mounted into his belt buckle.

In 1908, the emerald was smuggled to Paris on behalf of the sultan, who hoped the proceeds from its sale would ensure him a comfortable life in exile should he be dethroned by a revolution. The sultan never received the anticipated windfall. The money raised by the sale of the gem went to the succeeding government.

The massive emerald had been auctioned to Tiffany & Co, which initially set it in a tiara. Despite its beauty, the tiara remained unsold for decades. In 1950, the emerald was re-set into a brooch that included matching earrings. Five years later, the brooch was purchased by Hooker. In 1977, she donated it to the Smithsonian.

The Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals that was named in her honor was officially opened in September of 1997, just three months before she passed away at the age of 93.

Lush green emeralds have excited legions of gem admirers for thousands of years. The first emerald mines were in Egypt, and Cleopatra was known to favor this, the most famous member of the beryl family. The name "emerald" comes indirectly from the ancient Greek word for green, “smaragdos.” Ancient Romans believed emerald could relieve eyestrain, and the grass-green emerald was said to be one of the four precious stones given by God to King Solomon.

Besides being the birthstone for the month of May, it's also the official gemstone for 20th and 35th wedding anniversaries.

Credit: Hooker Emerald by Chip Clark, courtesy Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History; Sultan Abdul Hamid II (public domain).