Million-dollar diamonds up for auction in Geneva

(13 May 2024)
SWITZERLAND JEWELS

SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS

RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

LENGTH: 3:23

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Geneva, Switzerland - 13 May 2024

1. Various of Allnatt diamond, a 101.29 carat, Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond, mounted as a brooch by Cartier, with an estimate of 5.6 M to 6.5 million Swiss Francs ($6.1 M - $7.1 M)
2. Allnatt diamond in hands of Catharine Becket, head of sales of Magnificent Jewels at Sotheby's
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Catharine Becket, head of sales of Magnificent Jewels at Sotheby's:
"What I’m holding here is the wonderful Allnatt diamond mounted by Cartier in 1952. We call it the Allnatt because the first known owner of the stone was a Major Ernest Alfred Allnatt, a British sportsman, collector of Old Master paintings and philanthropist. He brought this stone to Cartier in 1952, where they put together this beautiful flower-inspired mount."

4. Close of Allnatt diamond
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Catharine Becket, head of sales of Magnificent Jewels at Sotheby's:
"The stone itself weighs 101.29 carats, is fancy vivid yellows, the very top color, and is VS-2 clarity -- so a high clarity. What's particularly notable about this stone is the high crown, if you may see it here, it's an older cutting style."

6. Tracking shot of potential clients walking to the Allnatt diamond on display
7. Pull focus of the Allnatt diamond
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Catharine Becket, head of sales of Magnificent Jewels at Sotheby's:
"So this piece is in our sale for just over $6 million U.S, and it is definitely the star of the season for us."

9. Various of a model handling the magnificent diamond, a round-cornered square brilliant cut diamond weighing 37.61 carats, another star of the auction, estimate 1,460,000 CHF – 2,370,000 CHF ($1.6 M - $2.6 M).
10. Pull focus from Sotheby’s lettering to the diamond
11. Close pull focus of the diamond
12. Various of jewellery on display, people looking at the items
13. Wide of the Mandarin hotel, where the auction will take place
14. Wide of the entrance with auction’s posters
15. Tilt down from a the auction lettering to a picture of the main topic of the auction, the Allnatt diamond
STORYLINE:
LEADIN:

A huge diamond with an estimate of over $7 million will go on sale in Geneva this week.

The 101 carat sparkler will be auctioned by Sotheby's.

STORYLINE:

Diamonds might be a girl's best friend, but she'll need deep pockets for this one.

Sotheby's estimates it will sell for 5.6 M to 6.5 million Swiss Francs ($6.1 M - $7.1 M).

Weighing over 100 carats, the Fancy Vivid Yellow Cartier diamond brooch will be auctioned in Geneva on 14 May.

It's known as the Allnatt diamond.

"I'm holding here is the wonderful Allnatt diamond mounted by Cartier in 1952. We call it the Allnatt because the first known owner of the stone was a Major Alfred Ernest Allnatt, a British sportsman, collector of Old Master paintings and philanthropist. He brought this stone to Cartier in 1952, where they put together this beautiful flower-inspired mount," says Catharine Becket, head of sales of Magnificent Jewels at Sotheby's.

The stone is believed to have been mined in South Africa more than 100 years ago.

It is of such importance that it has appeared in international exhibitions, including at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC.

This is the first time it's been up for sale in almost 30 years.


The Allnatt is not the only big money jewel on sale at the Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels Sale.


In total, there are around 120 lots, many with six or seven figure estimates.


AP video shot by: Boris Heger


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