Sotheby’s sells 100-carat brilliant-cut diamond to secret buyer for record price
The purest white diamond ever discovered has been sold by Sotheby’s for a record-breaking amount.
The brilliant-cut diamond has been sold to an anonymous buyer for an undisclosed sum, but the price per carat was revealed to have far exceeded the current auction record.
Given that the record is $260,252 (£185,260) per carat, this means that the 102.34 carat diamond will have sold for at least $26.6m, but the grand total is likely to be considerably more.
Patti Wong, founder and chairman of Sotheby’s Diamonds, said: “When the new custodian of this stone first beheld it, they were – like everyone else who has seen it – completely captivated.”
It follows a period during which the diamond, which has perfect colour, clarity, cut and carat, went on display for the public in London.
Following its sale, Sotheby’s Diamonds has sourced two smaller white diamonds which will go on sale in Geneva this May.
Each weighs over 50 carats and both have perfect colour and clarity.
“Diamonds like these have always captivated collectors and connoisseurs alike and continue to do so today,” said David Bennet, worldwide chairman of Sotheby’s International Jewellery Division.
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