On 10 November, Christie’s is to present the largest cushion-shaped Fancy Vivid Pink diamond ever to be offered at auction, continuing a long tradition of presenting the most extraordinary jewels in the world. With an estimated value of US$23-28 million, the 16.08-carat stone is to be one of several pieces featured in the inaugural Magnificent Jewels auction in Geneva.
The diamond is set in a ring, and is surrounded by a double row of pavé white diamonds, highlighting the main stone, with a third row of small pink diamonds underneath. The band is comprised of small circular-cut white diamonds set in platinum — a delight for both the serious diamond connoisseur and those seeking a stand-out addition to their jewellery collection.
In the realm of natural coloured diamonds, those of a distinct pink hue are the most sought after among gem connoisseurs — regularly achieving record auction prices that are as extraordinary as the diamonds themselves. While most pink diamonds exhibit a colour modifier, like purple, orange, brown or grey, the 16.08-carat stone to be offered at Christie’s shows no trace of secondary colour, making it both attractive and exceptionally rare.
The stone’s even colour distribution, combined with a balanced saturation and tone and straight pink hue, qualify the 16.08 carat pink for the coveted ‘Fancy Vivid’ colour grading from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). That only one in one hundred thousand diamonds possesses a colour deep enough to qualify as ‘Fancy’ underscores its absolute rarity.
In the Fancy Vivid pink range, diamonds of even five or six carats are rarely encountered in the sale room and those over ten carats are virtually unheard of. In fact, fewer than 10 per cent of pink diamonds weigh more than one-fifth of a carat. In almost 250 years of auction history, only three pure vivid pink diamonds of over ten carats have appeared for sale.
A delight for both the serious diamond connoisseur collector and those seeking a stand-out addition to their jewellery collection
‘As large and rare coloured diamonds of this calibre become increasingly hard to locate, this 16.08 carat Fancy Vivid pink diamond comes to market at a time when great gems are mirroring prices achieved for masterpieces in the world of fine art. Collectors are looking to jewels as savvy investments that are both beautiful and can appreciate considerably in value over a relatively short period of time,’ notes Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International Head of Jewellery.
Some of the world’s most famous and historic gems have been pink diamonds, including the ‘Darya-i-Nur’, part of the Iranian Crown Jewels; the ‘Hortensia’, formerly part of the Crown Jewels of France and today to be admired at the Louvre; and the ‘Williamson’, belonging to Her Majesty the Queen of England.
An historic level was reached in the international diamond market on 1 December 2009 when Christie’s Hong Kong sold The Vivid Pink, a cushion-shaped fancy vivid pink diamond of 5.00 carats for an astounding U$2,155,332 per carat that established and remains to date the world auction record price per carat for any pink diamond.
The diamond is set to feature in a global tour, which will see pieces from Magnificent Jewels sale presented in Hong Kong, New York, and Geneva.
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