Selina Denman rounds up some of the most important precious stones – loose and mounted – that have come to the market in recent times.
La Gloria
At a whopping 887 carats, La Gloria is one of the largest rough emeralds in the world, overtaking the 857-carat Gachalá displayed in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. The stone's blue-green hues and small surface calcite matrix lend evidence to its museum-quality provenance. La Gloria comes from Colombia's Muzo mine, producer of some of the largest and finest emerald crystals in South America. La Gloria is part of the acclaimed Marcial de Gomar Collection, part of which is being auctioned off by New York-based Guernsey's on April 25. Also included in the rare-emeralds auction are 20 loose stones (cut and rough) and 13 pieces of jewellery. These include the Marcial de Gomar Star, perhaps the first-ever double-sided star emerald; and the Tears of Fura, a pair of matching teardrop-shaped gems. The auction is also going to display the largest assemblage of cut emeralds recovered from the wreckage of the Spanish ship Nuestra Señora de Atocha, which sank in 1622 off the Florida Keys. Manuel Marcial de Gomar is the founder of Emeralds International, which offers top-quality rough and cut emeralds from Colombia, Brazil, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Afghanistan – both loose and incorporated into de Gomar's designer settings.
Eyes of the Dragon
Part-owner by Gemfields, the Montepuez Ruby Mine (MRM) in Mozambique is one of the most significant ruby deposits to have been discovered in recent times, and offers up rubies that are up to 500 million years old. One of the most significant finds so far is a matching pair of rough rubies with a combined weight of 45 carats. The gems were acquired by Veerasak Gems of Thailand and subsequently named the Eyes of the Dragon. “Looking at them makes me tremble,” said one of Veerasak’s founders. After the successful sale of these matching rubies, and in keeping with its commitment to ethical mining practices that support local communities, MRM made a commitment to support the Niassa Lion Project in the Niassa Reserve in northern Mozambique, an area of profound importance for the global conservation of African wildlife, particularly lions, wild dogs and elephants.
Peacock Pearl
The Robert Wan group has spent more than 40 years developing and harvesting Tahitian pearls. Today, the brand’s pearls are recognised for their quality and lustre, and the range of colours on offer, which include blue-green peacock hues, and shades of grey and cherry. “Peacock, our rarest colour, is a symbol of protection and guidance, as believed by native Tahitian people,” Wan notes. But Wan’s creations are perhaps most remarkable for their size, which is often 13 millimetres and above. The peacock pearl pictured here, for example, measures 17mm and took a decade to harvest. “As nature is very unpredictable, this pearl owes its rarity to its smooth surface, its magnificent peacock colour and its perfect round shape,” Wan explains. “Round pearls represent a maximum of three per cent of the total harvest. It was kept in my personal collection for several years, waiting for the perfect creation that will embrace its value.” The opportunity finally arose in the form of the Enso necklace, which was unveiled at the Doha Jewellery & Watches exhibition this year. Inspired by Japanese calligraphy and priced at US$3.5 million (Dh12.85m), Enso was created in collaboration with French designer Arnaud Flambeau. The three-strand necklace consists of 23 meticulously matched, cascading Tahitian peacock pearls, as well as 101 carats of brilliant diamonds, with this 17mm peacock pearl, paired with a 10-carat diamond, sitting at its centre. Notably, all of the diamonds were cut and polished in Dubai.
The Pink Star
Described as “a true masterpiece of nature, beyond characterisation with human vocabulary” by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), The Pink Star diamond was auctioned off for record US$71.2 million (Dh261 million) on April 4, as part of the Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels sale in Hong Kong. The 59.60-carat, oval, mixed-cut pink diamond is the largest internally flawless fancy vivid pink diamond that the GIA has ever graded – and is more than twice the size of the Graff Pink, a 24.78-carat fancy intense pink diamond that formerly held the world auction record for any pink diamond. The Pink Star was mined by De Beers in Africa in 1999, and in its rough state weighed 132.5 carats. It was meticulously cut and polished over a period of two years, and made an impromptu two-day visit to Dubai last month, where it was showcased in the new Sotheby’s gallery and office space in Dubai International Financial Centre. “This is an extraordinary stone, on every level,” says David Bennett, worldwide chairman of Sotheby’s jewellery division, when we meet him in Dubai. “Pink is, for most people, the most attractive colour of diamond, and this is the biggest and it is flawless. If you have one that’s 10 carats, that’s amazing; to have 60 carats is just phenomenal. We thought we’d bring it to Dubai because it’s something that most people will have never seen and will probably never see again.”
The Stotesbury Emerald
This gem has been in the possession of some of history’s most avid jewellery collectors, and will be looking for a new owner when it goes on sale on April 25 at the Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels auction in New York. Weighing about 34.40 carats, the Stotesbury Emerald is expected to fetch between US$800,000 and $1.2 million (up to Dh4.4m). The hexagonal-shaped, classic Colombian emerald has been owned by three very different women, who wore the stone in three different ways. The initial owner was American mining heiress Evelyn Walsh McLean, the ill-fated owner of the Hope diamond. She enlisted Pierre Cartier to have the emerald mounted as a pendant. The second owner was Eva Stotesbury, second wife of the prominent American investment banker Edward Stotesbury, who had the gem incorporated into a suite of emerald jewellery. This was subsequently acquired by Harry Winston, who is responsible for the emerald’s current iteration: as an oversized ring encircled by diamonds. May Bonfils Stanton bought the ring from Harry Winston and sold it in a Sotheby’s sale in 1971. The gem’s whereabouts were a mystery from 1971, and it has only recently resurfaced.
Mountain Star Rubies
Star rubies have fired the imaginations of collectors for centuries – for their resplendence and rarity alike. As the name suggests, these are gems that contain needle-like rutile fibres under their surface, with six, evenly proportioned rays being the most desirable. When fishing guide Jarvis Wayne Messer, from North Carolina, stumbled upon a haul of four star rubies in 1990, experts labelled it the finest collection in the world, all the more astounding for its North American origins, so far away from the stone’s usual haunts in Sri Lanka and Myanmar. The Mountain Star Ruby collection collectively weighs in at 342 carats and includes: the 139.43-carat Appalachian Star (pictured, left); the 64.16-carat Promise Star; the 52.36-carat Misty Star; and the 86.56-carat Smokey Mountain Two Star Ruby (pictured, right), which features stars on both the front and back of the stone. The Mountain Star Ruby Collection will be sold together as one lot through Guernsey’s auction house, with a date for the sale due to be announced imminently.
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
Fight card
1. Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) v Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK)
2. Featherweight: Hussein Salim (IRQ) v Shakhriyor Juraev (UZB)
3. Catchweight 80kg: Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Khamza Yamadaev (RUS)
4. Lightweight: Ho Taek-oh (KOR) v Ronald Girones (CUB)
5. Lightweight: Arthur Zaynukov (RUS) v Damien Lapilus (FRA)
6. Bantamweight: Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) v Furkatbek Yokubov (RUS)
7. Featherweight: Movlid Khaybulaev (RUS) v Zaka Fatullazade (AZE)
8. Flyweight: Shannon Ross (TUR) v Donovon Freelow (USA)
9. Lightweight: Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Dan Collins (GBR)
10. Catchweight 73kg: Islam Mamedov (RUS) v Martun Mezhulmyan (ARM)
11. Bantamweight World title: Jaures Dea (CAM) v Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
12. Flyweight World title: Manon Fiorot (FRA) v Gabriela Campo (ARG)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
Tomb Raider I–III Remastered
Developer: Aspyr
Publisher: Aspyr
Console: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, PC and Xbox series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Full Party in the Park line-up
2pm – Andreah
3pm – Supernovas
4.30pm – The Boxtones
5.30pm – Lighthouse Family
7pm – Step On DJs
8pm – Richard Ashcroft
9.30pm – Chris Wright
10pm – Fatboy Slim
11pm – Hollaphonic
SPEC SHEET: SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FLIP5
Display: Main – 6.7" FHD+ Dynamic Amoled 2X, 2640 x 1080, 22:9, 425ppi, HDR10+, up to 120Hz; cover – 3/4" Super Amoled, 720 x 748, 306ppi
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 4nm, octa-core; Adreno 740 GPU
Memory: 8GB
Capacity: 256/512GB
Platform: Android 13, One UI 5.1.1
Main camera: Dual 12MP ultra-wide (f/2.2) + 12MP wide (f/1.8), OIS
Video: 4K@30/60fps, full-HD@60/240fps, HD@960fps
Front camera: 10MP (f/2.2)
Battery: 3700mAh, 25W fast charging, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless
Connectivity: 5G; Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC (Samsung Pay)
I/O: USB-C
Cards: Nano-SIM + eSIM; no microSD slot
Colours: Cream, graphite, lavender, mint; Samsung.com exclusives – blue, grey, green, yellow
In the box: Flip 4, USB-C-to-USB-C cable
Price: Dh3,899 / Dh4,349
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: SmartCrowd
Started: 2018
Founder: Siddiq Farid and Musfique Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech / PropTech
Initial investment: $650,000
Current number of staff: 35
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Various institutional investors and notable angel investors (500 MENA, Shurooq, Mada, Seedstar, Tricap)
A QUIET PLACE
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Djimon Hounsou
Director: Michael Sarnoski
Rating: 4/5
SPECS
Engine: 2-litre direct injection turbo
Transmission: 7-speed automatic
Power: 261hp
Torque: 400Nm
Price: From Dh134,999
Why the Tourist Club?
Originally, The Club (which many people chose to call the “British Club”) was the only place where one could use the beach with changing rooms and a shower, and get refreshments.
In the early 1970s, the Government of Abu Dhabi wanted to give more people a place to get together on the beach, with some facilities for children. The place chosen was where the annual boat race was held, which Sheikh Zayed always attended and which brought crowds of locals and expatriates to the stretch of beach to the left of Le Méridien and the Marina.
It started with a round two-storey building, erected in about two weeks by Orient Contracting for Sheikh Zayed to use at one these races. Soon many facilities were planned and built, and members were invited to join.
Why it was called “Nadi Al Siyahi” is beyond me. But it is likely that one wanted to convey the idea that this was open to all comers. Because there was no danger of encountering alcohol on the premises, unlike at The Club, it was a place in particular for the many Arab expatriate civil servants to join. Initially the fees were very low and membership was offered free to many people, too.
Eventually there was a skating rink, bowling and many other amusements.
Frauke Heard-Bey is a historian and has lived in Abu Dhabi since 1968.
Dubai Women's Tour teams
Agolico BMC
Andy Schleck Cycles-Immo Losch
Aromitalia Basso Bikes Vaiano
Cogeas Mettler Look
Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
Hitec Products – Birk Sport
Kazakhstan National Team
Kuwait Cycling Team
Macogep Tornatech Girondins de Bordeaux
Minsk Cycling Club
Pannonia Regional Team (Fehérvár)
Team Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Team Ciclotel
UAE Women’s Team
Under 23 Kazakhstan Team
Wheel Divas Cycling Team
The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre
How to avoid getting scammed
- Never click on links provided via app or SMS, even if they seem to come from authorised senders at first glance
- Always double-check the authenticity of websites
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for all your working and personal services
- Only use official links published by the respective entity
- Double-check the web addresses to reduce exposure to fake sites created with domain names containing spelling errors
Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 190hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 10.9L/100km
Price: From Dh119,900
On sale: Now
Disturbing facts and figures
51% of parents in the UAE feel like they are failing within the first year of parenthood
57% vs 43% is the number of mothers versus the number of fathers who feel they’re failing
28% of parents believe social media adds to the pressure they feel to be perfect
55% of parents cannot relate to parenting images on social media
67% of parents wish there were more honest representations of parenting on social media
53% of parents admit they put on a brave face rather than being honest due to fear of judgment
Source: YouGov
Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
Bloomsbury Academic
Company Profile
Name: HyveGeo
Started: 2023
Founders: Abdulaziz bin Redha, Dr Samsurin Welch, Eva Morales and Dr Harjit Singh
Based: Cambridge and Dubai
Number of employees: 8
Industry: Sustainability & Environment
Funding: $200,000 plus undisclosed grant
Investors: Venture capital and government
TWISTERS
Director:+Lee+Isaac+Chung
Starring:+Glen+Powell,+Daisy+Edgar-Jones,+Anthony+Ramos
Rating:+2.5/5