Meet the Pink Star: the most precious cut diamond to be ever auctioned
Sourced by De Beers in South Africa, the incredible stone is expected to sell over 60 million dollars at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong on April 4.
When the Oppenheimer Blue diamond made its appearance, last May at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva, the whole world of jewellery lovers stood open-mouthed in front of the largest Vivid Blue ever to come to auction. The incredible diamond, auctioned by Christie’s and sold for 57.5 million dollars (a record-breaking sum), officially entered the history of jewellery auctions. But now, another diamond of a different color might even beat that record.
A model poses with a 59.60-carat mixed cut diamond known as "The Pink Star", the largest Internally Flawless Fancy Vivid Pink diamond ever graded by the Geological Institute of America (GIA), ahead of being auctioned in Hong Kong next month by Sotheby's which said it could fetch upwards of $60 million (GBP £48.4 million) to make it the most expensive diamond of its kind ever sold, in London, Britain, March 20, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melville
We’re talking about the Pink Star, the largest Internally Flawless, Fancy Vivid pink diamond ever graded by GIA, which will be auctioned by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong on April 4th. With an amazing weight of 59.6 carats, this diamond – the most valuable cut stone ever offered at auction - is projected to sell for over 60 million dollars. But where does this magnificent stone come from? The Pink Star was originally cut from a rough diamond of 132 carats, sourced by De Beers in South Africa in 1999. In 2013, Sotheby auctioned the diamond in Geneva, and even sold it for a whopping 83 million dollars to Isaac Wolf, a diamond-cutter from New York. Wolf, though, subsequently failed to make the payment, so the incredible stone went back to the auction house’s inventory. With its clarity, purity and richness of colour, the Pink Star surpasses any pink diamond in the world. An achievement confirmed by its Type IIa classification, which means the stone is chemically pure and belongs to a special club made by less than 2% of all gem-quality diamonds.
