Auction house Bonhams sparkles as rare gemstone is expected to fetch around £200k

By DAILY MAIL CITY & FINANCE REPORTER

Source: thisismoney.com

Auction house Bonhams is hoping to tap into the resurgence of coloured stones with the sale of a rare £200,000 gemstone that has not been put up for auction in a century.

The 50.13 carats octagonal-cut stone the size of a small plum is called the Hope Spinel and was part of the collection owned by wealthy merchant banker Henry Philip Hope.

Expert Tobias Kormind, managing director at 77 Diamonds, said: ‘As the number of ultra-wealthy are on the rise, investors and collectors are looking further afield than the obvious white diamond to the rare spectrum of coloured diamonds and gemstones including lesser known ones like spinel.’

Gemfields extends transparency efforts in new emerald operation

Source: luxurydaily.com

Colored-gemstone miner Gemfields has announced its controlling interests in two emerald projects located in Colombia.

Gemfields sources many of the precious gemstones used in high jewelry, with brands such as Graff Diamonds and Bulgari as clients. Recently, due to the environmental impact of and social risks involved in mining, Gemfields has pledged transparency and has consistently used its social media accounts to share brand happenings and projects.

The first project Gemfields has acquired interest of, at 70 percent, is the Coscuez Emerald Mine. In operation for more than 25 years, the Coscuez Emerald Mine has produced some of the country’s finest emeralds.

Gemfields also shared the preliminary geological due diligence studies that were conducted between October 2013 and August 2014 for the Coscuez Emerald Mine. Sharing this information furthers Gemfields’ openness in its operations and the mines it supports.

Gemfields’ second project is an exploration prospect currently held by Isam Europa S.L. The acquisition agreement of 75 percent and 70 percent interests in two Colombian companies with mining rights has been approved and issued. The contract covers approximately 20,000 hectares where minor mining operations have been conducted amid the greenery.

Both of the Gemfields projects are located in the Boyacá state of Colombia.

On its social media accounts, Gemfields also shared a word from its CEO, Ian Harebottle. In his statement, Mr. Harebottle said, “Gemfields is delighted to announce its entry into Colombia, home to some of history’s most legendary emerald mines and a country with tremendous potential. The proposed acquisitions will require further work and additional exploration before any meaningful production commences but they are clearly in line with our strategy of expanding Gemfields’ global footprint in a considered yet cautious fashion.

“Transparency, responsibility, marketing, collaboration and teamwork have been key tenets of what Gemfields has been able to deliver within the Zambian emerald sector and more recently with our ruby deposit in Mozambique.”

In another message of transparency Gemfields shared details of its operation of sapphire mines in Sri Lanka, rounding out its sources of the gemstone industry’s “big three”.