‘Pink Star’ diamond sells for record $71.2mn at Sotheby’s auction

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMmDEbB80QHQ2emjw7ilGjTTE1Jgsczsg4Fs0ygc3zPfzJ8fQHi-kmHM_dMWcaoRFA5cd6xDZlVLgso1uIaj8XoOjr7dCk2prQWdeirarCwT1Dkx_OGpZT6zcXd6kIp6ue_ax0KhV1Zs/s1600/diamond+++Pink+Star++diamond+sells+for+record+%252471.2mn+at+Sotheby%25E2%2580%2599s+auction++59.60-carat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMmDEbB80QHQ2emjw7ilGjTTE1Jgsczsg4Fs0ygc3zPfzJ8fQHi-kmHM_dMWcaoRFA5cd6xDZlVLgso1uIaj8XoOjr7dCk2prQWdeirarCwT1Dkx_OGpZT6zcXd6kIp6ue_ax0KhV1Zs/s1600/diamond+++Pink+Star++diamond+sells+for+record+%252471.2mn+at+Sotheby%25E2%2580%2599s+auction++59.60-carat.jpg" /></a></div> A model poses with a 59.60-carat mixed cut diamond known as "The Pink Star" © Toby Melville / Reuters <br /> <br /> <div class="article__summary summary "> A rare 59.6 carat pink diamond described as “one of the world’s great natural treasures” has become the most expensive jewel ever sold, going for more than $71 million at auction in Hong Kong. </div> Bidding for the gem, which was found by De Beers at a mine in Africa in 1999, began at $56 million.<br /> According to the Sotheby's auction house, the precious stone, which is the size of a plum, was bought after just five minutes' bidding. It was acquired by local jewelry retailer Chow Tai Fook.<br /> <blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pretty in pink! Catch the record-breaking <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PinkStar?src=hash">#PinkStar</a> in action! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SothebysJewels?src=hash">#SothebysJewels</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZbvfuLCpw5">pic.twitter.com/ZbvfuLCpw5</a></p>— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sothebys/status/849294263577972736">April 4, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <em>"We're very happy,"</em> Sotheby's Asia Chairwoman Patti Wong said as cited by Associated Press. <em>"I know there was a lot of talk about the economy in China not being as positive as it was a few years ago,"</em> but the results from its jewelry auction Tuesday, which included nearly 200 other lots, were very strong, she added.<br /> Sotheby's worldwide chairman for international jewelry David Bennet, who presided over the auction, called it a <em>"historic sale."</em><br /> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Biggest diamond for sale in century fails to find buyer at Sotheby's auction <a href="https://t.co/1Zdzw76Dwz">https://t.co/1Zdzw76Dwz</a></p> <a href="https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/748455892203487232">June 30, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <br /> The Pink Star’s sale comes three years after it had apparently fetched $83 million at another Sotheby's auction in Geneva. That deal collapsed because buyer, diamond cutter Isaac Wolf failed to pay, and Sotheby's had to reclaim the stone.<br /> <strong><br /></strong> The oval-shaped diamond dethroned the “Oppenheimer Blue” diamond, which was sold for $58 million in May at Christie's.<br /> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Firestone Diamonds just unearthed an 110 carat light yellow diamond <a href="https://t.co/FvLhM2Rrv1">https://t.co/FvLhM2Rrv1</a> <a href="https://t.co/2SHF5PPD3b">pic.twitter.com/2SHF5PPD3b</a></p>— Bloomberg (@business) <a href="https://twitter.com/business/status/849741269479960576">April 5, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> The Pink Star is the largest flawless fancy vivid pink diamond ever graded by the Gemological Institute of America. The previous world auction record for a pink diamond was $46.2 million for the 24.78 carat "Graff Pink" in 2010.<br /> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">5 surprising facts about Africa’s Diamonds The World Should Know <a href="https://t.co/6J7flO1Ubo">https://t.co/6J7flO1Ubo</a> <a href="https://t.co/wJG5T7wf2g">pic.twitter.com/wJG5T7wf2g</a></p>— ATC Team (@alltypescancer) <a href="https://twitter.com/alltypescancer/status/849547283427414021">April 5, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <br /></div>

‘Pink Star’ diamond sells for record $71.2mn at Sotheby’s auction

A model poses with a 59.60-carat mixed cut diamond known as "The Pink Star" © Toby Melville / Reuters ...

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