Alrosa’s “Spirit of the Rose Diamond” an oval modified brilliant-cut, 14.83-carat, fancy-vivid-purple-pink, internally flawless, type II stone, derived from the largest pink crystal ever mined in Russia, weighing 27.85 carats, achieved the highest price ever for any purple-pink diamond, sold at an auction, selling to an anonymous bidder for nearly $27 million at Sotheby’s Geneva, Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels Sale, held on Wednesday, November 11, 2020. The diamond realized a price-per-carat value of US$ 1.8 million which exceeded the previous price-per-carat value record set by 59.60-carat CTF Pink Star diamond of US$ 1.3 million.
The record price-per-carat set by the 14.83-carat “Spirit of the Rose Diamond, significantly comes immediately after the recent closure of Rio Tinto’s Argyle mine in Australia, which produced more than 90% of the world’s pink diamonds. With the main source of pink diamonds in the world eliminated, jewelry experts believe that the prices of the much-coveted pink diamonds will soar many folds in the future, if alternative sources of such diamonds are not discovered.
Benoit Repellin, head of the Sotheby’s Geneva Magnificent Jewels auction, commenting on the staggering performance of the pink diamond, said, “The Spirit of the Rose caught the imagination of everyone who had the chance to see it With its size, beautiful color, perfect cut and oval shape, it is a wonder of nature, steeped in Russia’s century-long diamond tradition and cultural heritage. It fully deserves the price achieved tonight, which is also testament to the growing appreciation and awareness of the great scarcity of pink diamonds around the world.”
Sotheby’s reported, a total of US$ 52.2 million was realized at the Wednesday’s auction, which also registered strong prices for white diamonds, most of them selling much above their upper estimates. A cushion-shaped, 18.03-carat, D-color, flawless, type IIa diamond ring, assigned Lot No. 191 and titled IMPORTANT DIAMOND RING fetched US$1.9 million, which is much above the higher estimate of US$1.5 million.
Another diamond ring assigned Lot No. 193 and titled ATTRACTIVE DIAMOND RING, set with a cut-cornered step-cut, D-Color, VVS1-Clarity diamond weighing 17.22 carats and a presale estimate of USD 767,000 – 1, 100,000 was sold above the upper estimate of US$ 1.1 million for US$ 1.3 million.
LOT 202 – HARRY WINSTON IMPORTANT DIAMOND RING, CIRCA 1970 – set with an E-Color, VVS2-Clarity, pear-shaped diamond weighing 20.00 carats, flanked by tapered baguette diamond shoulders sold for USD 885,000 which is much above the upper estimate of USD 659,000
Even colored diamond lots did quite well at the auction. LOT 194 – IMPORTANT DIAMOND PENDANT – Claw-set with a pear-shaped, Light Brown Colour, VVS2-Clarity diamond weighing 102.41 carats, sold for USD 1.3 million, above the upper estimate of USD 1.1 million
LOT 121 – FANCY DEEP BROWN-YELLOW DIAMOND RING – sold for USD 249,000, above the upper estimate of USD 209,000. The ring is claw-set with a pear-shaped, fancy deep brown-yellow, VS2-Clarity diamond weighing 29.85 carats, the mount pavé-set with brilliant-cut diamonds.
LOT 154 – FANCY INTENSE YELLOW DIAMOND RING – sold for USD 263,000, above the upper estimate of USD 176,000. The two-tone gold mount of the ring is claw-set with a rectangular step-cut, fancy intense yellow, VVS1-Clarity diamond weighing 15.11 carats.
Among the Colored Stone Lots that did well at the auction are Lots 118, 195, 189, 139. 135, and 199.
LOT 118 – RUBY AND DIAMOND RING – Claw-set on yellow-gold with an oval-cut Burma ruby weighing 3.05 carats, flanked on either side with triangular-cut colorless diamonds set on the shoulders. The ruby is of Burmese origin, having the pigeon-blood-red color with no indications of heating. The Lot sold for USD 346,000 above the upper estimate of USD 181,000.
LOT 195 – FINE SAPPHIRE RING – Claw-set on 18k white gold with a cushion-shaped Kashmir blue sapphire weighing 6.65 carats, sold for USD 415,000 which was much above the upper estimate of USD 132,000.
LOT 189 – SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND RING – Of toi et moi design, is claw-set with a rectangular step-cut, D-Color, VS1-Clarity diamond weighing 5.33 carats and a similarly cut Ceylon blue sapphire weighing 8.89 carats. The Lot sold for USD 263,000 which was much above the upper-estimate of USD 165,000.
LOT 139 – CARTIER SPINEL, EMERALD AND DIAMOND RING – Set with a cushion-shaped Tanzanian pink spinel weighing 20.18 carats, between calibré-cut emerald and brilliant-cut diamond shoulders sold for USD 242,000 above the upper estimate of USD 148.000.
LOT 135 – VAN CLEEF & ARPELS EMERALD AND DIAMOND RING – set with a step-cut Colombian Emerald weighing 8.38 carats, framed with brilliant-cut diamonds, sold for USD 110,000 above the upper estimate of USD 87,800.
LOT 199 – ATTRACTIVE EMERALD AND DIAMOND RING – Set with an oval-cut emerald weighing 8.47 carats, the mount enhanced with single-cut diamonds sold for USD 194,000 above the upper estimate of USD 66,000.
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