A15.81-carat gem, dubbed “The Sakura,” fetched $29.3 million in Hong Kong to become the most expensive purple-pink diamond ever to sell at auction.It is the most valuable jewel sold at auction in 2021.
Named after the Japanese word for cherry blossom, it is the largest diamond of its kind to go under the hammer, according to Christie’s, the auction house behind the sale.
The stone, which is set on a simple platinum ring, has been classed as internally flawless, meaning that any blemishes are only visible under close magnification. It is also classified as “fancy vivid,” a measure of intense color achieved by only 4% of pink diamonds, the auctioneer said.
In a press statement, chair of Christie’s jewelry department, Vickie Sek, described sale as an “important chapter in jewelery auction history.”
The Sakura is the largest diamond of its kind ever to appear at auction.
. Credit: Christie’s Images Ltd.
Prior to the sale, Sek said in a phone interview that the stone is “exactly” the shade of cherry blossom. She added that it is “very rare” for pink diamonds to be classified as internally flawless, as they usually contain “a lot of graining.”
The gemstone’s size also made it an unusual find, with Christie’s noting that fewer than 10% of pink diamonds weigh more than 0.2 carats.
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