DISCOVER THE LARGEST PINK DIAMOND AVAILABLE IN CANADA

Toronto Rare Jewellery Auction on October 3 Features a Collection of Precious and Sought-After Gems

TORONTO, Sept. 22 /CNW/ - CIRCA Auctions, a leading international auction house of fine jewellery based in Toronto, has announced that its upcoming Toronto sale and auction of jewels will feature the most valuable and rarest pink diamond ever available in Canada. Weighing a spectacular 10.11 carats, this conflict-free gem, discovered in the Argyle Diamond Mines of Australia, is among the most important collectibles ever offered in this country.

"This stone is the most impressive pink diamond I have ever seen at auction, and a rare opportunity for a Canadian to own a significant piece of history," explains Duncan Parker, BA, FGA, FCGmA, President of the Canadian Gemmological Association and vice-president, director of research, appraiser and gemmologist at Harold Weinstein Ltd., Canada's foremost gemmological laboratory. "Although coloured diamonds have enthralled connoisseurs for centuries, their dramatic increase in cultural and commercial popularity over the last several years is unprecedented."

Rare and Exceptional

The 10.11-carat Pink Diamond is as rare as it is exceptional. Natural pink diamonds, which represent one-tenth of one percent of all diamonds mined, are among the rarest and most highly sought-after colours in which diamonds occur. Since most found are under three carats, this extraordinarily large stone is of particular interest to gem collectors around the world. The diamond is also significant for its intense and distinctive orangish-pink hue, which carries the official classification of "fancy intense" by the Gemmological Institute of America (GIA). The fact that only one in 100,000 diamonds possesses a colour deep enough to qualify as 'fancy' again underscores the absolute rarity of this gem.

The nature of the colour and the size of the diamond make it nearly impossible to find an exact comparable or arrive at a single fair estimate value. Given auction results of significant pink diamond sales and auctions over the last decade, Harold Weinstein Limited Gemmological Laboratory has estimated that a current value might range from CDN$8 million to CDN$12 million.

Exclusive Naming Rights

It is traditional that large pink diamonds are bestowed a name by their first owners, a title which stays with the gem throughout history. Given that this particular stone has never before been made available to the public, full naming rights are included with this extraordinary purchase. Like the Hope Diamond, the Agra Pink, and the historic Darya-i-noor & Nur-al-ain stones, the owner can select a lover's name, a family name or mark a specific occasion in perpetuity.

About Pink Diamonds

Pink diamonds enjoy exceptional investment value. A recent Hong Kong auction of a five-carat pink diamond set two global records: for the most expensive diamond per carat ever sold at auction, and the most expensive pink diamond ever sold.

A favourite of royalty and the celebrity set, interest in pink diamonds rose exponentially when Ben Affleck proposed to Jennifer Lopez with a six-carat pink diamond ring in 2002. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Victoria Beckham and Portia de Rossi all wear pink diamond engagement rings.

Additional Attractions on Auction

Along with the spectacular pink diamond, CIRCA Auctions will also be presenting some of the rarest and most sought-after loose and set stones available this season. These include a suite of eight fancy green diamonds, a four-carat fancy pink diamond, a 5.65-carat fancy-Intense Yellow internally-flawless diamond, as well as signed original vintages and antiques by Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany's, Bulgari, Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Chopard.

The auction will take place on October 3, 2010, Sunday, at the Toronto Park Hyatt Hotel. To view the entire catalogue of items available, or to learn more about the jewellery, please visit http://circaauctions.ca

About CIRCA Auctions

CIRCA Auctions is a leading international auction house of fine jewellery based in Toronto with offices in Montreal, London and Hong Kong. CIRCA was created by a team of gemmologists along with leading jewellery auctioneers to provide dealers and the public with exceptional quality items at exceptional value. CIRCA also provides unique solutions to owners and executors of jewellery inventories by matching them with its worldwide network of jewellery buyers.

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For further information: For more information, to schedule a time to view this extraordinary pink diamond or to set up an interview with Duncan Parker, President of the Canadian Gemmological Association, please contact: Jeffrey Spivock, Alexandra Zourntos, NATIONAL Public Relations, 416-586-1914, 416-848-1488, [email protected], [email protected]