The most valuable diamond to ever be offered at auction is expected to fetch in excess of £37million.
Described as one of “Earth’s greatest natural treasures”, the Pink Star will go under the hammer at Sotheby’s in Geneva, Switzerland, on November 13.
The oval-cut 59.6carat jewel is the largest flawless or internally flawless, fancy vivid pink diamond that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has ever graded.
It is more than twice the size of the Graff Pink – the 24.78carat fancy intense pink diamond which established a world auction record for a diamond or any gemstone or jewel when it sold for £28million at Sotheby’s in 2010.
Chairman of Sotheby’s Switzerland, David Bennett, said: “I have had the privilege of examining some of the greatest gemstones in the world over the past 35 years, and I can say, without hesitation, the Pink Star diamond is of immense importance. Its exceptional richness of colour – graded as ‘vivid pink’ by the GIA – combined with its extraordinary size, are characteristics that surpass those of any known pink diamond in state, royal, or private collections.
“It is difficult to exaggerate the rarity of vivid pink diamonds weighing only five carats, so this 59.60carat stone is off any scale, and passes into the ranks of Earth’s greatest natural treasures.”
Select highlights from the Magnificent Jewels auction will be on exhibition at Sotheby’s locations in Hong Kong, Zurich, London and New York ahead of November’s sale.