Leibish & Co. to present fancy vivid purplish pink diamond at Hong Kong show

Fancy color diamond firm Leibish & Co. will be showing a 2.02-carat, Fancy Vivid purplish pink SI2 diamond at the March 5-9 Hong Kong International Jewellery Show.

The diamond comes from a 4.96-carat rough stone and the cushion-shaped diamond has been named the Leibish Pink Promise.

Prices of fancy color diamonds are continuously rising due to robust demand, the firm said. Sotheby's sold a 0.51-carat Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink VS2 for $338,500 or $663,725 per carat in February.

“Given the impressive price performance of both the important diamonds sold in the auction houses as well as smaller diamonds traded among the general public, colored diamonds are becoming much sought after investment options,” said Yossi Polnauer, CEO of Leibish & Co.

The rough diamond was uncovered at Kao in South Africa, and Leibish & Co. bought the rough stone at the Kao tender in Antwerp in November 2012. The firm took four months to evaluate it and decide on how to cut and polish it.

Company principal Shmulik Polnauer said the company mulled turning the stone into a round or heart shape, but eventually decided that a cushion shape provided the best yield.

“By cutting a heart shape, we had fair chance to finish [with] a 1.80-carat, with VS2 clarity. We did not want to compromise on the color saturation and wanted to keep the stone over two carats,” Polnauer said.

“We expect many investors to show interest in this diamond due to its rarity and ability to appreciate in value over time," he added.