“It is a perfectly symmetrical pear shape and… one of the rarest gemstones ever sold at auction,” enthused Max Fawcett, head of the jewelry department at Christie’s in Geneva, when asked. by Reuters Monday, May 9. On Wednesday, May 11, the largest white diamond ever sold at auction will be sold by Christie’s. Dubbed “The Rock”, the stone is roughly the size of a golf ball. It should sell for up to 30 million dollars, or 28 million euros, said the auctioneer, interviewed by the press agency.
A pear-shaped diamond just over 228 carats, known as ‘The Rock,’ is going up for auction at Christie’s. It was mined and polished in South Africa more than two decades ago and will lead the Geneva Magnificent Jewel’s sale, part of Christie’s Luxury Week pic.twitter.com/TJ5F88yGiI
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 3, 2022
The diamond was exhibited at the end of March in Dubai, said France 24 in an article dated March 25, before passing through Taipei, New York and ending up in Geneva, for the auction. The gemstone had been mined and polished in South Africa in the early 2000s. It was worn by its former owner on a Cartier necklace.
Could The Rock become the most expensive white diamond ever sold? The record was so far held by a 163.41-carat white diamond sold in 2017 for $33.7 million, specifies euro news on May 9, i.e. nearly 32 million euros. However, the pear-shaped diamond could break all records since it is 228 carats, and that in addition, “it is perfectly symmetrical… I expect fireworks on Wednesday”, declared Max Fawcett to our colleagues from Euronews. It belongs to a person from North America who wishes to remain anonymous.
