An extremely rare, purple-pink diamond mined in Russia, which Sotheby’s described as “a true wonder of nature”, auctioned for $26.6 million Swiss francs.
Sotheby’s had estimated that the flawless oval gem, “The Spirit of the Rose,” could fetch $23 millon-$38 million at the Geneva sale. Bidding opened at $16 million and climbed to the final hammer price of $21 million, plus commission. It was bought by a telephone bidder who chose to remain anonymous.
The stone weighing 14.83 carats was the largest pink diamond with that colour grading to go on the block. The diamond was named after a ballet performed by the Ballets Russes and its legendary dancer Vaslav Nijinsky in 1911.
Coloured stones have been greatly valued as an asset class by the super rich in recent years with top-quality pink diamonds especially prized. Naturally coloured diamonds occur because they possess a particular lattice structure that refracts light to produce coloured, rather than white, stones.
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