The 118.28-carat D-Flawless diamond (click on image to enlarge).
The biggest diamond ever sold at auction achieved a world record at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong on October 7. The 118.28 carat D-Flawless diamond sold for $30.06 million US. Afterwards Quek Chin Yeow, deputy chairman, Asia and chairman, International Jewellery, Asia, said : “We are thrilled to achieve a new world record for a white diamond at auction when a 118.28-carat D-Flawless diamond sold for of HK$238.68 million / US$30.06 million. We are also extremely happy to achieve the highest total for a sale of jewellery in Asia at HK$744,693,750 / US$95,473,557, a befitting occasion for Sotheby’s 40th anniversary in Asia. The top two jadeite lots were highly contested for by several Asian collectors, resulting in excellent prices, particularly the double-strand jadeite bead necklace which sold for HK$42.68 million / US$5,471,795. Overall the auction was very well attended with many bidders on the phone from all over Asia and beyond.”
The Pink Star, the most valuable diamond ever to be offered at auction, comes up at Sotheby’s in Geneva on November 13 and is estimated to make more than $60 million.
(See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for September 25 and September 4, 2013).