The Rock, the world’s largest white diamond, was auctioned for 18.6 million Swiss francs ($18.8 million), significantly less than the previous record for such a gem. Christie’s auction house in Geneva sold the 228.31-carat stone, which was larger than a golf ball. The Rock had high aspirations of breaking the global record for a white diamond, which stands at $33.7 million for a 163.41-carat rock sold in the Swiss city in 2017.
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Key Points:
- The bidding began at 14 million francs and ended at 18.6 million francs after two minutes, however the price will rise after taxes and the buyer’s premium are factored in.
- The estimated pre-sale value was between 19 and 30 million Swiss francs.
- The Rock, a flawlessly symmetrical pear-shaped diamond, belonged to an unidentified North American owner. Following the events at the Hotel des Bergues, it was purchased by a telephone bidder.
- Only a few diamonds of equal size and quality exist, according to Max Fawcett, head of the jewels department at Christie’s auction house in Geneva.
- The huge diamond was discovered in a South African mine in the early 2000s and has been on display in Dubai, Taipei, and New York before being sold in Geneva.
- An historic bright yellow diamond associated for more than a century with the Red Cross will be auctioned off later in the Magnificent Jewel auction.
- The Red Cross Diamond is a 205.07-carat cushion-shaped canary diamond.
The Red Cross Diamond is a cushion-shaped, 205.07-carat canary yellow gem with a price range of $7.09 to $10.13 million Swiss francs.
History of “The Rock”:
- The original raw stone, estimated to weigh roughly 375 carats, was discovered in a De Beers mine in South Africa in 1901.
- Its pavilion, which is naturally shaped like a Maltese cross, is a distinctive feature in addition to being one of the world’s largest diamonds.
- Christie’s in London first offered the stone for sale on April 10, 1918. It was donated to the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St John by the Diamond Syndicate.
- The Red Cross Diamond was sold for £10,000, or around £600,000 ($740,000) today. S.J. Phillips, a London jeweller, purchased it.
- Christie’s in Geneva sold it again in 1973, for 1.8 million Swiss francs.
- Christie’s sold it again in Geneva in 1973 for 1.8 million Swiss francs, and it is now being offered for a third time by the auction house.
- A tiara that belonged to Princess Irma of Furstenberg (1867-1948), a member of one of the Habsburg Empire’s most illustrious aristocratic families, is also up for sale.
- It’s expected to sell for between 400,000 and 600,000 Swiss francs.
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