Newport jeweler unveils 30-carat diamond ring Around Disney (blog)
Lugano Diamonds’ latest creation is not so much a rock as it is a boulder.
The Newport Beach jeweler has just unveiled a 30-carat diamond ring and already has customers, including some who are local, interested and able to fork over the $1.85 million asking price for it.
“People are just mesmerized by it,” Lugano president Moti Ferder said.
Ferder designed the statement piece from a rough 65-carat stone.
“Creating a ring for a 30-carat diamond is not easy,” he said. “You want it to be elegant and not over the top.”
The featured stone is set between 2.86 carats of baguette and round diamonds on a platinum ring. It has a J color, VS 2 clarity and a cut, polish and symmetry that are considered excellent by the Gemological Institute of America.
The 30.08-carat diamond comes from South Africa and is certified to be conflict-free by the Kimberley Process . To purchase it, Lugano entered a bidding process that involved placing a bid inside a sealed envelope and having the highest bid when the envelopes were opened.
Lugano, which takes each stone from its rough form to cutting, polishing, design and sale, has its headquarters in Ferder’s native Israel. The artisans who carry out Ferder’s design vision are based in Los Angeles.
As one might expect, the new 30-carat diamond ring is well protected. Rather than in a retail center, Lugano is located in an office building adjacent to Fashion Island where its parking lot is gated.