【Geneva, Swit】Diamond “The Rock”: Largest White Gemstone to be Auctioned

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Editor’s Note

A pair of extraordinary diamonds, including the 228-carat white diamond “The Rock” valued at up to $30 million, are heading to auction. This brief offers a glimpse into the rarefied world of high-stakes gem sales.

Wandernde Kunstwerke
A Giant Diamond for Sale

A giant diamond is set to be sold. Too large for a ring finger, the diamond “The Rock” is valued at 20 to 30 million dollars, weighs 228 carats, and is now scheduled for auction. For those for whom that is not enough: the auction house has another 200-carat stone on offer, albeit a yellow one.

The Record-Setting Stone
2,9 Millionen Euro für eine Mona-Lisa-Kopie
“This is truly one of the largest, no, the largest white diamond ever to be auctioned. I have been here for 25 years. Christie’s has existed for 256 years. In all that time, this is the largest stone of this color tone that we have offered for sale.”

Rahul Kadakia, Head of Christie’s Jewelry Department, made this statement. The imposing gemstone was mined and cut in South Africa over two decades ago. Not only its size but also its teardrop shape is extraordinary. The diamond will be auctioned on May 11 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Geneva. It will be sold alongside another stone, which is already being offered for sale for the third time.

A Rare Pair at Auction
Wandernde Kunstwerke
“It is quite unusual to have two 200-carat diamonds in one auction. The ‘Red Cross’ diamond weighs 205 carats, was also mined in South Africa in 1901, and was auctioned at Christie’s London in 1918 at the Red Cross auction.”

Its yellow color comes from nitrogen atoms. The estimated selling price is between seven and ten million dollars. Parts of the proceeds will be donated to the International Red Cross. Kadakia views the auction with optimism.

“I think the current situation in the stock market gives investors the opportunity to buy art and important diamonds to hedge against current developments and hope that the prices for rare art and objects will continue to rise, perhaps to sell them at another time. Who knows? Maybe we’ll see the stones again in 10 years.”
Wiedergeburt der Kunst aus dem Geiste der neuen Bundesländer
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⏰ Published on: May 03, 2022