Sotheby’s unveils a pink diamond in a stratosphere of its own: The Eternal Pink. At 10.57 carats, the cushion-cut Internally Flawless Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink Diamond is the most vivid pink diamond ever to come to market – and with an estimate in excess of $35 million – the stone carries the highest price per carat estimate ever placed on any diamond or gemstone ($3,311,258).
Picture courtesy of Sotheby’s
Pink diamonds of any size or depth of color have always maintained a special allure and reputation, but this diamond truly stands above them all. Considered as the quintessential pink, the gem possesses an unparalleled color and brightness that is thoroughly captivating and enchanting, with an aura that has been described by experts as glowing to the human eye. The Eternal Pink is synonymous with the pinnacle of excellence in every aspect.
The ultra-rare gem comes to the market as the most valuable purplish pink diamond ever to appear at auction. It will also challenge the price per carat record for any diamond or gemstone sold at auction, set by The Williamson Pink Star, a 11.15 carat Fancy Vivid Pink Internally Flawless diamond, which sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in October 2022 for $5,178,124 per carat.
Officially unveiled and on view in Hong Kong (1 – 7 April) to coincide with the 50th anniversary celebrations of Sotheby’s presence in Asia, the gem will then travel on a global world tour with exhibitions scheduled in Dubai, Singapore, Shanghai, Taiwan, and Geneva (full dates will be released in due course).
Following the traveling exhibitions, The Eternal Pink will anchor Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels auction in New York on 8 June.
Picture courtesy of Sotheby’s
“This color is the most beautiful and concentrated shade of pink in diamonds that I have ever seen or has ever come to market. Sotheby’s is honored to behold this exceptional jewel and present it to the world this June, as it makes its grand debut on the auction block, joining the ranks of the most important diamonds in history. The Eternal Pink’s immense presence and great rarity make it comparable to ultimate masterpieces of art – far rarer than a Magritte or a Warhol. Combined with its exceptional clarity, it is not surprising that it would command the highest per-carat pre-sale estimate for any diamond to date.”
Quig Bruning, Head of Sotheby’s Jewelry, Americas
The 23.78 carat rough which yielded The Eternal Pink was mined by De Beers at the Damtshaa mine in Botswana, and was meticulously fashioned into an exquisite cushion cut – over a period of six intense months – by Diacore’s team of artisans, maximizing the diamond’s electric “bubblegum” color to full potential.
Among the 4C’s of diamond valuation – Carat, Color, Clarity and Cut, color is of paramount importance and prevails over other criteria in the valuation of colored diamonds. Of all the diamonds submitted to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), less than 3% are classified as colored diamonds. Within these colored diamonds, pink is one of the rarest to occur naturally in diamonds. Curiously, what gives pink diamonds their coveted color remains a mystery. Whereas other diamonds take their hue from specific trace elements, such as nitrogen for yellow diamonds, or boron for blue diamonds – the cause of the pink hue is still not fully understood by experts. It is thought that the color is caused during the stone’s formation process deep within the earth.
Of all the existing grades of color, “Fancy Vivid”, as manifested by this beautiful 10.57-carat stone, is the highest possible for a colored diamond. The modifying color of purple often results in the most charming and vibrant feminine hue that is the dream of many. Polished as a cushion-cut, this gemstone boasts an attractive combination of facets that enhances the pink to be ‘sweeter’ to one’s eyes. The present stone, combining Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink color and Internally Flawless (IF) clarity, is indeed a treasure of nature.
Given their rarity, it is unsurprising that the value of pink diamonds has increased considerably over the centuries, and the rarity of a natural diamond like the 10.57 carat Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink is difficult to exaggerate. In decades of research on pink diamonds, the GIA has encountered vanishingly few gemstones that are categorized as Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink, a testament to The Eternal Pink’s uniqueness. Not only has the diamond received the highest color and clarity grades, it has also been found to be part of the rare subgroup comprising less than 2% of all gem diamonds – known as Type IIa. Stones in this group are chemically the purest of all diamond crystals and often have extraordinary optical transparency.
Picture courtesy of Sotheby’s
