Sotheby’s sets world record for yellow diamond at auction
GENEVA, November 17, 2011 – Sotheby’s Geneva on November 15 set a world auction record for a yellow diamond when it sold the Sun-Drop Diamond for CHF 11,282,500 ($12,361,558). Weighing 110.03 carats, this exceptional stone ranks as the largest known pear-shaped fancy vivid yellow diamond in the world.
The sale concluded with a total of CHF 64,048,000 ($70,173,551), against the pre-sale estimate of CHF 65-93 million ($72-102 million).
Throughout the day the sale room was packed and there was very active bidding which contributed to an extremely high sell-through rate of 82 percent by lot and one of Sotheby’s highest totals ever for a sale of jewellery.
David Bennett, Chairman of Sotheby’s Jewellery Department in Europe and the Middle East and Co-Chairman of Sotheby’s Switzerland, said: “We are thrilled with the price achieved by this spectacular daffodil yellow diamond. It is one of the most impressive I have had the pleasure of selling
“Today’s strong sell-through rates are a reflection of the continued strength and resilience of the international jewellery market.”
