Hennig Tendering Yellows from S. Africa, Ellendale

Hennig Tenders is hosting a sale of single rough stones from the Superkolong diamond tailings plant in Kimberley as well as diamonds from the now-closed Ellendale mine in Australia.

Michelle Graff michelle.graff@nationaljeweler.com

Hennig will be tendering a number of yellow-colored diamonds this week in New York, including this 112.22-carat piece of rough. It originated in Kimberley, South Africa, an area known for producing yellow diamonds.

Antwerp, Belgium--Hennig Tenders is hosting two tenders this month that include rough diamonds of yellow color from both South Africa and Australia.

First, Hennig will tender a selection of single rough stones from Batla Minerals SA’s Superkolong diamond tailings plant in Kimberley, South Africa.

The viewings for the Superkolong stones will begin Tuesday (May 10) in New York. The sale will include a 112.22-carat rough diamond of yellow color, as well as other yellow diamonds ranging in size from 3 to 50 carats.

The Superkolong rough will be available for viewing in New York until Thursday (May 12), before moving on to Ramat Gan, Israel (May 15 to 19) and Antwerp, Belgium (May 23 to 26.)

Originally mined by De Beers, Kimberley is an area of the world known for producing yellow diamonds.

Hennig also will be hosting a tender of more than 17,000 carats of rough diamonds sourced from the now-closed Ellendale diamond mine in northwest Australia.

Ellendale was operated by Kimberley Diamonds Ltd. and was one of the world’s leading sources of yellow diamonds, even once signing a now-defunct deal to supply Tiffany & Co. with its stones.

The mine shut down abruptly last year, leaving more than a hundred people out of work and owed back pay and a line of creditors who were owed millions.

Kimberley Diamonds placed the subsidiary company that operated the mine into voluntary administration, and Sydney-based insolvency firm Jirsch Sutherland was brought in to liquidate the mine.

Since then, the future fate of the site, which once produced almost half of the world’s yellow diamonds, has remained tied up in court. And, according to news reports, the former head of Kimberley Diamonds, Russian mining magnate Alex Alexander, was arrested in September 2015 for allegedly misleading the stock market about the price Tiffany would pay for his mine’s yellow diamonds.

The now-closed Ellendale diamond mine in northwest Australia. Hennig will host a tender of more than 17,000 carats of rough diamonds from the site.
Hennig Tenders’ Saul Singer said the legal owners of the mine’s inventory approached them about a tender, and it’s the owners who will receive the proceeds from the sale.

The diamonds in the tender are in all sizes up to 6 carats and represent a “very nice selection of rough stones including fancy colored stones of yellow color.”

“It really is quite a buying opportunity

Banner will be right here …

given that Ellendale rough hasn’t been available on the global markets for a while now,” Singer said.

Viewing for that tender will take place in Antwerp between May 17 and 20. They are by appointment only to pre-approved buyers. The tender will close on May 23.

For more information and to arrange viewings or make appointments, email tenders@ihennig-tenders.com.

Hennig Tenders is part of the I. Hennig & Co. Group.

Michelle Graffis the editor-in-chief at National Jeweler, directing the publication’s coverage both online and in print.