Editor’s Note
This article highlights a standout piece from Heritage Auctions’ upcoming Holiday Fine Jewelry Signature Auction—the “Angelina,” a 6.17-carat fancy pink diamond with a pre-sale estimate of $1.2 million to $1.8 million.
As Dallas-based Heritage Auctions gears up for its annual Holiday Fine Jewelry Signature Auction on Dec. 3, one jewel in particular is making headlines: a 6.17 ct. fancy pink diamond known as “the Angelina,” estimated at $1.2 million to $1.8 million.
The newly surfaced oval-cut gem—set in a ring of 18k white and rose gold with approximately 1 ct. t.w. full-cut near colorless diamonds encircling the center stone and along the band—comes from the estate of Willa Dean Lyon (1931–2024), a Texas native and Orange County, Calif., philanthropist whose jewelry collection also included notable pieces by David Webb.
Named for Lyon’s granddaughter, the Angelina pairs significant provenance with extraordinary rarity. Less than 0.01% of all mined diamonds display natural pink coloration, and those exceeding 5 carats with deep saturation are among the most coveted stones in existence.
Formed through a rare distortion in crystal structure, natural pink diamonds bend light in ways that create their distinctive blush. Few survive intact.
According to the Fancy Color Research Foundation, pink diamonds have appreciated by more than 115% over the past decade—outpacing all other fancy color categories—as global supply tightens. The 2020 closure of Australia’s Argyle mine, once responsible for up to 90% of the world’s pink diamonds, has only intensified demand.
Prior to the auction, the Angelina will be exhibited at Heritage’s galleries in Beverly Hills (Nov. 12–15), New York (Nov. 19–22), and Chicago (Dec. 1 and 2).
