A rare occasion is almost upon us. The famous 50.13 carat ‘Hope Spinel’ will be up for auction at Bonham’s London Fine Jewelry Sale on September 24, 2015. It is very rare to see a gem of this quality and origin on the open market and many buyers around the world will be eager to get in on the bidding. It is expected that the Hope Spinel will sell for a price anywhere between US$ 240,000 and $310,000, but it could go for even higher.
The Hope Spinel is known as one of the world’s greatest gems. It has not been available for sale in 98 years and probably won’t be up for sale again for a very long time, so this really is a narrow window of opportunity for gemstone enthusiasts.
The reason the Hope Spinel is considered an exceptional treasure is because of its incredible transparency and perfect cut. It is set within brilliant and rose-cut diamond claws and is framed by larger brilliant cut diamonds that add up to 6.50 carats. The piece is mounted in a silver and gold pendant and a handwritten note stating that it is a spinel-ruby from the Hope collection is also included in the case.
The last time the Spinel was sold was in 1917, when it fetched around US $1,600, which is the equivalent of around US$120,000 today.