Diamonds aren’t just a girl’s best friend; they’re also an auctioneer’s favourite, if prices achieved in recent years are anything to go by
At Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite sale in Hong Kong last week, an unmounted, 88.22-carat oval white diamond fetched a price of HK$108 million. Now, while that amount seems stratospheric, it’s nowhere near the record-busting prices achieved by the world’s most valuable jewels. These are the 10 gemstones—all of them diamonds, as a matter of fact—that deserve their own heist movie. Here’s why.
Sweet Josephine
CHF 28.7 million (S$38.8 million)
Christie’s Geneva, Nov 11, 2015
Joseph Lau is not your typical doting father. Aside from being one of the richest men in Hong Kong, Lau’s claims to fame include being a convicted felon, a wanted man in Macau, and buying record-breaking diamonds for his children. His then-seven-year-old daughter Josephine was the recipient of this 16.08 ct cushion-shaped Fancy Vivid pink diamond, which he renamed the “Sweet Josephine” after winning the bid.