Diamonds dazzle with pink and green hues

SOTHEBY'S AUTUMN SALES will feature 400 diamond, gemstone and jadeite pieces of jewellery estimated to fetch more than HK$300 million.

The most eye-catching will be a pair of pear-shaped, fancy intense purple-pink diamond earrings of 5.43 and 5.13 carats, estimated to sell for HK$27 million to HK$30 million. 'Pink diamonds of intense saturation and sized at more than five carats are extremely rare in the market. Finding a matching pair is even rarer,' a Sotheby's spokesman said.

A ring featuring a 1.6-carat diamond with a rare green-blue hue is expected to sell for more than HK$4.3 million. A vivid yellow diamond ring of 10.92 carats is valued at HK$7.1 million to HK$8 million. A 31.92 carat unmounted D-flawless briolette diamond is estimated to sell for HK$$8.35 million to HK$9.5 million. Matching 6.01 and 6.26 carat diamond earrings are expected to sell for HK$7.3 million to HK$8.5 million.

Among the coloured gemstones are a Burmese ruby and diamond ring with an oval 'pigeon-blood red' ruby of 8.64 carats, and a pair of highly translucent, imperial green jadeite pendant earrings shaped like peapods, the Chinese symbol of wealth and abundance. The set is valued at more than HK$3.8 million.

There is also a jadeite bead necklace set with 35 translucent emerald beads in diameters of 12.29mm to 16.68mm (HK$7.2 million to HK$8 million).