By Cara Sulieman
A COLLECTION of loose diamonds worth thousands of pounds are set to go under the hammer later this week.
Auction house Lyon and Turnbull are hoping that the rare gems will appeal to both collectors and private buyers who could have them made up into jewellery.
Four of the lots contain unusual coloured diamonds including yellowish gray, yellowish green and purplish pink, all of which are over a carat in size.
The oval cut purplish pink diamond alone is expected to reach at least £1,800 in the auction on Friday.
Natural colours in diamonds are caused by the presence of additional elements in the make up of the stone.
They are very rare as most diamonds are slightly tinted when they are mined, and coloured diamonds are worth more than the colourless variety.
Also going up for sale are a purplish pink spinel, raspberry red bixbite, green demantoid garnet and Tanzanites.
Colin Fraser from the auction house said: “Loose gemstones seldom appear in jewellery auctions at Lyon & Turnbull so close attention will be paid to the private collection, comprising ten lots of unmounted gems, coming up for sale on Friday 16th July.”
Diamonds are the hardest natural material which makes them popular for industrial use and jewellery.
Lyon and Turnbull has had the stones tested and each will come with a certificate of authenticity.
