Ruhi Gilder
Want to look pretty in pink? It will only cost you about $38 million. Christie’s puts up the world’s largest pink-purple flawless Fancy Vivid 15.81 carat diamond ring for auction. The ring is part of the auction house’s Magnificent Jewels live auction in Hong Kong on 23 May. Estimated to fetch around HK$195 million – 300 million or US$25 million – 38 million, it could very well become one of the most expensive purple-pink diamonds to sell at an auction. Known as the Sakura diamond, its moniker is derived from the Japanese word for cherry blossom, on account of its similar hue. The ring is set in platinum and gold, with two half-moon diamonds sandwiching the enormous stone.
The Sakura diamond is considered a miracle of nature, as according to Christie’s, fewer than 10% of pink diamonds weigh more than 1/5 of a carat, and this one measures up to nearly 80 times that size. Moreover, any pink colouration in diamonds is caused by the distortion of the molecular lattice, which happens at random, making pink diamonds extremely challenging to cut from their rough form. According to GIA (Gemological Institute of America), only 4% of pink diamonds possess a colour deep enough to qualify as ‘Fancy Vivid’, the Sakura being one of them, thanks to its brilliant saturation. It is graded flawless clarity, which is a rarity in any pink diamond. They usually are Slightly Included (SI) and a little hazy.
Vickie Sek, Chairman, Department of Jewellery, Christie’s Asia Pacific, says in a press release, “This season we are very honoured to continue this fine tradition by presenting The Sakura Diamond in Hong Kong. This exceptionally rare and magnificent wonder of nature represents a unique expression of identity and mesmerising beauty through its enthralling purple-pink hue, that will undoubtedly capture the hearts of discerning connoisseurs and collectors worldwide.”
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These pink-hued rocks have a history of going under the gavel for exorbitant rates at auctions. The “Pink Legacy,” which weighed almost 19 carats, was sold by Christie’s for US$50,660,000 in 2018. In 2017, a 59.6-carat pink diamond sold for a record $71.2 million at Sotheby’s Hong Kong. This diamond, also known as the Pink Star, was purchased by Hong Kong jewellers Chow Tai Fook remains the most expensive polished diamond of any colour to sell at auction. The current record for largest purple-pink diamond to sell at auction held by “The Spirit of the Rose,” a 14.8 carat beauty that fetched almost $27 million at Sotheby’s last year.
Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction also includes The Sweet Heart, a 4.19 carat fancy vivid pink heart-shaped diamond, up for sale alongside its impressive counterpart, The Sakura.
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