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- The 59.60-carat Pink Star to go under the hammer again
Today Sotheby’s London revealed what it billed as “the most valuable cut diamond ever offered at auction” and we were there for the official unveiling.
20 March 2017 by MARIA DOULTON
The Pink Star is the largest Internally Flawless Fancy Vivid pink diamond ever graded by the GIA. Unveiled at Sotheby’s in London today, it is heading to the auction block at Sotheby’s Hong Kong on 4April with a pre-sale estimate in excess of $60 million.
David Bennett, Worldwide Chairman of Sotheby’s Jewellery Division, says: “At a time of unprecedented demand for the finest in coloured diamonds, I am delighted to be bringing this magnificent stone back to the market. The extraordinary size of this 59.60-carat diamond, paired with its richness of colour, surpasses any known pink diamond recorded in history.”
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The 59.60-carat Pink Star sold for $71.2mat Sotheby’s HongKong sale on 4 April 2017, making it the world's most expensive diamond.
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The Pink Star is the largest Fancy Vivid Pink diamond ever graded by the GIA, making it one of the largest of its kind in the world.
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Behind the scenes at Sotheby’s London, where press from around the world gathered for their moment in the spotlight with the Pink Star.
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The proud new owner of the the Pink Star diamond, the most expensive gem stone in the world is Hong Kong jeweller Chow Tai f*ck that paid $71.2 million for the 59.60-carat stone. The company chairman has christened the jewel the CTF Pink after the company's initials.
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The 59.60-carat Pink Star achieved a winning bid of $83 million in 2013 at Sotheby’s Geneva but the buyer failed to complete the purchase.
Some of you will have picked up on the fact that Bennett refers to “bringing the stone back to the market”. This is the same Pink Star that went under the hammer in 2013 at Sotheby’s Geneva, achieving a new world record of $83 million. However, the buyer failed to complete the purchase andSotheby’s sensed the time is now right to once again finda new home for this diamond.
Mined in 1999 by De Beers in Africa, the 132.50-carat rough was carefully cut over a period of almost two years. Today, the oval-cut pink diamond is currently set into a ring.
The current record holder forthe most valuable pink diamond is held by the Graff Pink, a 24.78-carat emerald-cut Fancy Intense Pink diamond that sold atSotheby’s Geneva for $46.2 million ($1.8 million per carat). Though half the size of the Pink Star, its Fancy Intense Pink colour helped achieve the record-breaking price. However, the most expensive diamond ever sold per carat is the Blue Moon of Josephine, with each of its 12.03 carats worth over $4 million.
All eyes will be on the Pink Star on 4 April as the highlight of Sotheby’s Hong Kong sale. Expect to hear sighs of relief if the diamond passes its previous value of $83 million.
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After many years as a freelance journalist and editor specialising in watches and jewellery, together with Christine Pasquier, Maria founded The Jewellery Editor. Maria’s work appears in a wide variety of notable publications, including the Financial Times, Intelligent Life, Telegraph ...
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- Record Breaking Diamonds
- Pink Diamonds
- Sotheby'S
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