Online auction dedicated entirely to gemstones set to begin May 7 More than 675 gemstones from a single-owner lifetime collection will be offered without reserve (everything sells, regardless of price) in an Internet-only auction slated to begin May 7 at 2 p.m. (CST
News-Antique.com - May 01,2012 - (NORTHBROOK, Ill.) – More than 675 gemstones from a single-owner lifetime collection will be offered without reserve (everything sells, regardless of price) in an Internet-only auction now online and slated to begin at 2 p.m. (CST) on Monday, May 7. It is the first-ever gemstones-only auction ever conducted by UniversalLive.com, based in Northbrook, Ill.
Bidding is already underway, through LiveAuctioneers.com and iCollector.com. About 180 lots are posted, but many are in multiples (to include “trays” -- cased displays of 13-25 gemstones offered as a single lot). Up for bid are diamonds, green and blue emeralds, sapphires, topaz, citrine, garnet, alexandrite and more. All are cataloged and displayed in plastic cases.
While the auction is absolute, each lot does carry a modest opening bid – often as low as $30. “This is an extraordinary opportunity for bidders to acquire beautiful, authentic gemstones for 50 percent less than even the wholesale price,” said Martin Shape of UniversalLive.com. “To see opening bids of less than $100 for some truly dazzling stones is really quite extraordinary.”
He cited as an example of a potentially fantastic buying opportunity the first item up for bid: a 2.16-carat fancy round-cut diamond, gray in color and with a clarity grade of I-3. The stone has an opening bid of $500. “That diamond would easily wholesale for between $1,000 and $1,500,” Mr. Shape remarked. “This is what I mean. The deals in this sale are outrageous.”
And the $30 opening bid figure is no aberration. Stones with a $30 opening bid include a whopping 6.39-carat pink kunzite gemstone, clarity ungraded; and a nearly as large 6.25-carat oval blue sapphire with VVS clarity. Also, a 1.23-carat tanzanite violet cushion gemstone has an opening bid of just $45, while a tray of 15 tsavorite green oval gemstones opens at a low $55.
One lot that will appeal to gemologists and collectors alike is the set of four gemstone identification kits, with over 150 stones in all. Each gem features a polished version, as well as one in matrix (its raw form). Each identification kit (or tray) is identified with a label, and set in individual compartments. The lot has an opening bid of $750 and should fetch $1,500-$2,300.
Diamonds will feature a 1.03-carat natural round-cut white diamond with I-2 clarity and graded H overall (OB: $250); a 2.72-carat round-cut loose black diamond, color enhanced and opaque, A-1 for clarity (OB: $150; “Just try getting a black diamond that size, even wholesale, for $150,” Mr. Shape stated); and a .80-carat fancy-grade gray diamond, SI-2 clarity (OB: $180).
Emeralds will include a 6.69-carat bright glowing green emerald, oval in shape, with S-1 clarity (OB: $325); and a 27.29-carat ametrine purplish yellow emerald gemstone, ungraded but with an opening bid of just $70. Also sold will be a 24.02-carat citrine top orange emerald-cut gemstone, VVS clarity (OB: $60) and a 20.82 citrine yellow round stone, ungraded (OB: $50).
The trays are certain to attract keen interest. Examples include a group of 25 sapphire gemstones
