18-Carat 'Fortune Pink' diamond sells for more than $28.5 mn

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
9 Nov 2022 10:12
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The jewel is the largest pear-shaped "fancy vivid pink" diamond ever sold at an auction, weighing 18.18 carats, as per Christie's auction house.

At 18.18 carats, the gem is the largest pear-shaped 'fancy vivid pink' diamond ever sold under the hammer (AFP)

The Fortune Pink diamond, an extremely rare large gemstone, sold for more than $28.5 million to a private Asian buyer at an auction in Geneva on Tuesday.

The jewel is the largest pear-shaped "fancy vivid pink" diamond ever sold under the hammer, weighing 18.18 carats, as per Christie's auction house.

With the buyer's premium applied, the sparkling diamond earned a hammer price of 24.5 million Swiss francs ($24,615,150), rising to 28,436,500 Swiss francs ($28,570,150).

The auction began at 17 million Swiss francs and was a three-way war between telephone bidders, with the winner eventually capturing the gem by increasing the bid by half a million.

"The buyer is happy. It's a dream come true," the Christie's employee taking the winning telephone bid said as quoted by AFP, while maintaining the buyer's anonymity.

The Fortune Pink, which was mined in Brazil, was expected to fetch between $25 million and $35 million. Christie's remarked that the carat weight, 18.18, is a lucky number in Asia, where it represents "certain wealth," giving the diamond its moniker.

It is worth noting that Pink diamonds are only found in a few regions, and only about 10% of them weigh more than a sixth of a carat.