Stunning pink diamond could fetch more than $21 million at auction

Auction house Sotheby’s said Wednesday that a dazzling pink diamond, said to be one of the world’s purest, could fetch more than $21 million when it goes under the hammer in Hong Kong in October. said.

This 11.15 carat cushion-shaped gem is called the “Williamson Pink Star” after two other pink diamonds.

One is the “CTF Pink Star,” a 59.60 carat oval mixed-cut diamond that sold for a record $71.2 million at auction in 2017.

The other is the “Williamson” stone, a 23.60 carat diamond given to Queen Elizabeth of England as a wedding gift by Canadian geologist John Thorburn Williamson. It was worn by the monarch in a Cartier brooch and was found in his mine in Tanzania.

The “Williamson Pink Star” is also derived from that mine.

“[Pink diamonds]are very rare in nature…” Christian Spofors, head of Sotheby’s jewelry division, told Reuters at a news conference.

“Then add elements such as 10 carats and above, intact inside, type IIA, and you quickly reach the apex,” he added, referring to the most chemically pure subgroup of diamonds. rice field.

Top-quality colored stones are highly prized by the ultra-high net worth, and Spofforth said he expects a lot of bids when the gem goes up for sale in a single auction on Oct. 5.

“We have found that through the lockdown crisis and the COVID-19 crisis, there is always a demand for rare and beautiful things in the world. I think people will come together,” he said.

Prior to the auction, the ‘Williamson Pink Star’ will tour Dubai, Singapore and Taipei before arriving in Hong Kong.