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HONG KONG (AP) — The largest diamond ever auctioned off in Asia — a sparkling, 101.27 carat gem about the size of a pingpong ball — fetched more than $6.2 million at Christie’s in Hong Kong.
Cut from a 460-carat rough, the shield-shaped gem boasts 92 brilliant facets. While internally flawless, the stone has a slight imperfection on the surface that is imperceptible to the human eye, the auction house said.
The stone sold Wednesday to a private buyer for $6.21 million, it said.
It is the largest colorless diamond to appear on the auction market in the last 18 years, Christie’s said. Only three colorless diamonds of more than 100 carats have appeared at auction. All were sold in Geneva.
Naming rights were granted to the new owner.
An exceedingly rare diamond of 101.27 carats set in a tiara is displayed in a private viewing booth before its auction bidding at Christie’s auction house in Hong Kong, China, Wednesday, May 28, 2008. This gem, with an estimated value of HK$60 million (US$7.5 million), is the largest colorless diamond to appear on the auction market in the last 18 years. The stone sold Wednesday to a private buyer for $6.21 million, the auction house said. (AP Photo/Wally Santana)
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