Set your sights on an extremely rare diamond that is going under the hammer at Sotheby's Hong Kong next month
A jaw-dropping 88.22-carat, flawless D-colour diamond is set to lead Sotheby’s Hong Kong Sale of Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite on April 2. It’s estimated to fetch a staggering HK$88-100 million (S$15-17 million), and is one of only three oval diamonds that weigh over 50 carats to appear at auction in living memory.
(Related: Tiffany & Co Ushers In A New Era For Punk-Luxe High Jewellery)
“When you think that one ton of mined earth yields less than a carat of diamond, and that high-quality diamonds over 10 carats are a rarity, the discovery of a 242-carat rough, of gem quality and exceptional size, is nothing short of a miracle,” says Patti Wong, chairman of Sotheby’s Asia, before adding that the oval gem is “a wonder of nature, a masterpiece resulting from man’s ability to shape the hardest material on earth into an object of ultimate beauty”.
Finding a rough diamond that’s big enough to fashion a stone of over 80 carats is extremely rare. Originally a 242-carat rough gem from Botswana, this dazzling piece was worked on for months before being cut into 88.22 carats—the number eight is a symbol of perfection, often associated with prosperity, in Asian culture.
Other auction highlights include a 20-carat diamond ring, with an estimated value of S$1.9-2.7 million, and a ruby and diamond bracelet weighing a total of 40 carats.
Keep reading for Tatler’s edit of the most notable diamonds sold at recent auctions.
