Diamond Exhibition Closes Early Because of Robbery Threats

A major diamond exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London was closed early after the organizers were warned of a potential robbery plot. Scotland Yard reported public safety was at risk if the exhibition stayed open for another three months as planned.

One of the major attractions at the event was the De Beers Millennium Star - a stunning 203 carat Pear Shape diamond. The Millenium Star was once the target of thieves during the famous Millennium Dome heist in 2000.

Scotland Yard sources said the most substantial difference between the two robbery plans was that in 2000, detectives were following the gang and were able to isolate the area of the Dome when they struck. The robbers were caught red-handed. This time the police did not know the time or details of the planned robbery.

"At the Dome we were always in control," a Yard source said. "But if we don't know the time or method, we can't take the gang out at our agreed and controlled location. There is therefore an unacceptable risk. We would be very strongly criticised if we had let it happen and, say, a child died in the cross-fire. We can watch everyone entering but we don't know whether the next one will be a robber. We could have had a hostage situation."

Cheap Diamonds – How To Find the Best Deal On A Diamond Online

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Diamond Prices Update - 11/04/2005

Diamond prices moved slightly lower this week, 9 price points in our index fell representing just under a 1% drop.

We still believe prices will rise as we move closer to the holidays, but this small drop is encouraging and will reward those who start shopping early.

Our loose diamonds search engine has now reached a new inventory milestone. We have over 200,000 diamonds available to search in our comparison database. As this number continues to grow, this tool will become invaluable to consumers interested in buying a diamond or engagement ring online.

Breathtaking Diamonds Auctioned at Christie's

Christie's recent "Magnificent Jewels" auction net approximately $36 million in sales. Among the most notable transactions, the "Rose of Dubai", a Pear shape 25.02 carat Fancy Pink diamond which sold for more than $6 million. With fierce competition among 4 bidders, the diamond realized a staggering $240,000 per carat price. The winner of this bidding competition was Amer Radwan of Dubai.

Among other top items was a Pear shape 33.11 carat D Flawless diamond which sold to diamond jeweler Laurence Graff for $2.48 million, and an Oval 4.24-carat Fancy Vivid Blue, Internally Flawless diamond ring by Harry Winston, which went for $1.8 million to an anonymous buyer.

Loose Diamonds Search Engine Launches for 2005 Holiday Shopping Season

(PRWEB) November 1, 2005 -- As more people embrace shopping online, especially for higher priced luxury goods such as diamonds and jewelry, a need has been filled to provide consumers with an easy to use tool to compare diamond inventories from jewelers around the web. Until now, large shopping aggregation sites have been the only option when comparison shopping online. While these sites prove a useful resource for some products, for diamonds they lack the detailed information needed to form an accurate comparison.

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The loose diamonds search engine gives consumers control over the factors that are important to them and to compare over 150,000 diamonds from around the web.Research has shown that most purchases made from online jewelers are from repeat visitors. Consumers are not likely to part ways with several thousand dollars the first time around. To facilitate those return visits, the loose diamonds search engine provides a personal comparison list feature which can be saved to visitors computers or sent via email to themselves or friends. The comparison list is created without asking for any personal information such as names, locations or email addresses thereby assuring a private and peaceful experience.

Estimates show that nearly 30% of engagements in the U.S. take place during the months of November and December. As more and more couples see the value and potential savings in purchasing diamonds online this holiday season, the loose diamonds search engine will become an essential tool in the research and buying process.