Larisa Popova (gemologist)

Last updated
Larisa Popova
555.55 carat Enigma Black Diamond Larisa Popova.jpg
BornMay 20, 1975
NationalityItalian
Occupation(s)Gemologist, appraiser, jeweler
Parent(s)Valentina Popova (mother); Yuriy Popov (father)

Larisa Popova (born May 20, 1975) is an Italian gemologist, appraiser and jeweler.

Contents

Early life

Larisa Popova was born on May 20, 1975, to Valentina Popova and Yuriy Popov.[ citation needed ]

Education

Larisa enrolled in a study program at Moscow University of Commerce and acquired her bachelor's in commerce. She earned her gemologist degree from HRD Antwerpen, which included courses on gemology, pearls, diamond grading, and diamond polishing. [1] She then became a jewelry professional at the Gemological Institute of America. She has also attended a Color Stones Grading and Evaluation course from the International Gemological Institute. [2] Later, she got her Personal Property Appraisal from the Insurance Institute of Jewelry Appraisal and joined the Perity Association of Italy for her jewelry appraisal for the court.

Career

In 2016, Popova evaluated the 32-carat Koi Diamond, an orange and white diamond that is shaped like a pear and resembles a Japanese Koi fish. The diamond belongs to Emmanuel Abramchuk, the partner of Eddy Elzas. [3] [4]

In January 2017, she graded and evaluated Natural Rough Spinel of 185.22 carats. The unique stone had distinguished marks shown clearly in the middle of the stone at two hours, 3 and 9 o'clock. The written marks were in Arabic with "Allah, Mercy, and Suleiman" inscribed.

In January 2019, she made a Guinness World Record by grading and evaluating 555.55-carat Natural Black Diamond, a giant polished diamond. The diamond was sold out in February 2022 in Sotheby's auctions.

From February 2019 to January 2020, she represented the owner in several auction houses for the sale process.

Popova has also developed the Lotus cut, a precision diamond cut with more than 105 facets. [5]

Personal life

Eddy Elzas has only partnered with Larisa Popova in his life. [3] [6] Before his death in November 2021, they had an office in the Diamond Bourse building in Hovenierstraat 2, Antwerp, Belgium. [7] They have worked with royal families, princesses, sultans, and various actors.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gemstone</span> Piece of mineral crystal used to make jewelry

A gemstone is a piece of mineral crystal which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. However, certain rocks and occasionally organic materials that are not minerals are also used for jewelry and are therefore often considered to be gemstones as well. Most gemstones are hard, but some soft minerals are used in jewelry because of their luster or other physical properties that have aesthetic value. Rarity and notoriety are other characteristics that lend value to gemstones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sapphire</span> Gem variety of corundum

Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminium oxide (α-Al2O3) with trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, vanadium, or magnesium. The name sapphire is derived via the Latin "sapphirus" from the Greek "sappheiros", which referred to lapis lazuli. It is typically blue, but natural "fancy" sapphires also occur in yellow, purple, orange, and green colors; "parti sapphires" show two or more colors. Red corundum stones also occur, but are called rubies rather than sapphires. Pink-colored corundum may be classified either as ruby or sapphire depending on locale. Commonly, natural sapphires are cut and polished into gemstones and worn in jewelry. They also may be created synthetically in laboratories for industrial or decorative purposes in large crystal boules. Because of the remarkable hardness of sapphires – 9 on the Mohs scale (the third hardest mineral, after diamond at 10 and moissanite at 9.5) – sapphires are also used in some non-ornamental applications, such as infrared optical components, high-durability windows, wristwatch crystals and movement bearings, and very thin electronic wafers, which are used as the insulating substrates of special-purpose solid-state electronics such as integrated circuits and GaN-based blue LEDs. Sapphire is the birthstone for September and the gem of the 45th anniversary. A sapphire jubilee occurs after 65 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruby</span> Variety of corundum, mineral, gemstone

A ruby is a pinkish red to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum. Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapphires. Ruby is one of the traditional cardinal gems, alongside amethyst, sapphire, emerald, and diamond. The word ruby comes from ruber, Latin for red. The color of a ruby is due to the element chromium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gemology</span> Science dealing with natural and artificial gemstone materials

Gemology or gemmology is the science dealing with natural and artificial gemstone materials. It is a geoscience and a branch of mineralogy. Some jewelers are academically trained gemologists and are qualified to identify and evaluate gems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diamond clarity</span> Relating to the appearance of internal and surface defects in diamond

Diamond clarity is the quality of diamonds that relates to the existence and visual appearance of internal characteristics of a diamond called inclusions, and surface defects, called blemishes. Clarity is one of the four Cs of diamond grading, the others being carat, color, and cut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diamond color</span> Color of diamonds

A chemically pure and structurally perfect diamond is perfectly transparent with no hue, or color. However, in reality almost no gem-sized natural diamonds are absolutely perfect. The color of a diamond may be affected by chemical impurities and/or structural defects in the crystal lattice. Depending on the hue and intensity of a diamond's coloration, a diamond's color can either detract from or enhance its value. For example, most white diamonds are discounted in price when more yellow hue is detectable, while intense pink diamonds or blue diamonds can be dramatically more valuable. Of all colored diamonds, red diamonds are the rarest. The Aurora Pyramid of Hope displays a spectacular array of naturally colored diamonds, including red diamonds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gemological Institute of America</span> Research institute in Carlsbad, California

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is a nonprofit institute based in Carlsbad, California. It is dedicated to research and education in the field of gemology and the jewelry arts. Founded in 1931, GIA's mission is to protect buyers and sellers of gemstones by setting and maintaining the standards used to evaluate gemstone quality. The institute does so through research, gem identification and diamond grading services and a variety of educational programs. Through its library and subject experts, GIA acts as a resource of gem and jewelry information for the trade, the public and media outlets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Gem Society</span> American trade association

The American Gem Society (AGS) is a trade association of retail jewelers, independent appraisers, suppliers, and selective industry members, which was founded in 1934 by Robert M. Shipley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Winston</span> American jeweller (1896–1978)

Harry Winston was an American jeweler. He donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958 after owning it for a decade. He also traded the Portuguese Diamond to the Smithsonian in 1963 in exchange for 3,800 carats of small diamonds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diamonds as an investment</span>

Diamonds were largely inaccessible to investors until the recent advent of regulated commodities, due to a lack of price discovery and transparency. The characteristics of individual diamonds, especially the carat weight, color and clarity, have significant impact on values, but transactions were always private. With the standardized commodity as an underlying asset, several market traded financial instruments have been announced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cut (gems)</span> Shaping a gemstone for use in jewelry

A gemstone desired to be used in jewelry is cut depending on the size and shape of the rough stone, as well as the desired piece of jewelry to be made. As a general rule, a cut gemstone will reduce the mass by about 50%.

The Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences (AIGS) is a private gemological school and gemological laboratory based in Bangkok, Thailand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiffany Yellow Diamond</span> One of the largest yellow diamonds ever discovered

The Tiffany Yellow Diamond is one of the largest yellow diamonds ever discovered. Its carat weight was originally 287.42 carats in the rough when discovered in 1878 in the Kimberley mine in South Africa. It was cut into a cushion shape of 128.54 carats with 82 facets—24 more than a traditional round brilliant—to maximize its brilliance. The facet pattern features eight needle-like facets pointing outward from the culet (bottom) facet. Jewelry and diamond historian Herbert Tillander refers to this as a "stellar brilliant cut", and lists the gem in his book, Diamond Cuts in Historic Jewelry – 1381 to 1910 (1995), among other such diamonds: the Cullinan Diamond, the Koh-i-Noor, the Polar Star, the Wittelsbach, and others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diamond (gemstone)</span> Gemstone

Diamond is one of the best-known and most sought-after gemstones. They have been used as decorative items since ancient times.

International Gemological Institute (IGI) is a diamond, colored stone and jewelry certification organization. IGI is headquartered in Antwerp and has offices in New York City, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Bangkok, Tokyo, Dubai, Tel Aviv, Toronto, Los Angeles, Kolkata, New Delhi, Surat, Chennai, Thrissur, Ahmedabad, Shanghai, and Cavalese. Established in 1975, IGI is the largest independent gemological laboratory worldwide. It also runs Schools of Gemology in several locations around the globe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nassak Diamond</span> 43.38 carats (8.676 g) diamond originated from India

The Nassak Diamond is a large, 43.38 carats (8.676 g) Golconda Diamond that originated as a larger 89 carat diamond in the 15th century in India. Found in Golconda mines of Kollur and originally cut in India, the diamond was the adornment in the Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple, near Nashik, in the state of Maharashtra, India from at least 1500 to 1817. The British East India Company captured the diamond through the Third Anglo-Maratha War and sold it to British jewellers Rundell and Bridge in 1818. Rundell and Bridge recut the diamond in 1818, after which it made its way into the handle of the 1st Marquess of Westminster's dress sword.

Richard T. Liddicoat, Jr. was an American gemologist. Liddicoat was an educator in gemology, who also made contributions in the area of diamond quality grading and gem identification. Liddicoat was the Chairman of the Board of Governors at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

The Princie Diamond is an approximately 34.65 carat cushion-cut fancy intense pink diamond discovered 300 years ago in the Golconda mines. Christie's say that the Princie Diamond is believed to be the fourth largest pink diamond in the world, after the Daria-i-Noor, the Noor-ol-Ain - which are both part of the Iranian Crown Jewels; both were cut, according to experts, from one single c. 242 carat pink diamond, - and the Pink Star, a diamond weighing 59.60 carats.

The Winston Blue is the name given to what was the largest flawless vivid blue diamond bought by Harry Winston, Inc. on May 15, 2014, from an anonymous person for $23.8 million at Christie's Geneva Magnificent Jewels sale. The approximately $1.8003 million per carat price paid for the 13.22-carat diamond is a world record for a blue diamond. Harry Winston, Inc. had also bought a 101.73-carat colorless diamond named Winston Legacy at Christie's Geneva jewelry auction in 2013. The American luxury jeweler had then paid $26.7 million for the colorless diamond, which is a world record for the highest price paid per carat for a colorless diamond.

References

  1. "HRD Antwerp". hrdantwerp.com.
  2. "Diamonds.net - IGI Launches in the Heart of the Diamond Industry". 2010-04-15.
  3. 1 2 "Eddy Elzas: King of coloured diamonds". gulfnews.com.
  4. "Edi Elzas". www.youtube.com.
  5. "ABOUT US – Gems Expertise".
  6. "Diamonds.net - Colorful 'Rainbow Man' Eddy Elzas Dies". www.diamonds.net. December 12, 2021.
  7. "OUR PARTNERS & CUSTOMERS – Gems Expertise".