Sotheby's has unveiled a stunning diamond, dubbed The Eternal Pink, which is set to become the most significant pink diamond to ever be offered at auction. The 10.57 carat cushion-cut Internally Flawless Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink Diamond is considered to be the most vivid pink diamond ever to come to the market, and is expected to achieve in excess of $35 million. Sotheby's will hold an auction in New York on 8th June 2023 to feature the rare gem, and it will be exhibited at Sotheby's Dubai in the DIFC in May 2023. The stone carries the highest price per carat estimate ever placed on any diamond or gemstone, with an estimate of $3,311,258.
Pink diamonds are highly prized and valued as one of the rarest gems in the world. The Eternal Pink is regarded as the quintessential pink, possessing an unparalleled color and brightness that is thoroughly captivating and enchanting, with an aura that experts have described as glowing to the human eye.
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. The Williamson Pink Star, an 11.15 carat Fancy Vivid Pink Internally Flawless diamond, set the current record at $5,178,124 per carat, selling at Sotheby's Hong Kong in October 2022.
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.
Of all the diamonds submitted to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), less than 3% are classified as colored diamonds, with pink being one of the rarest to occur naturally in diamonds. The cause of the pink hue remains a mystery to experts, unlike other diamonds that take their hue from specific trace elements. It is thought that the color is caused during the stone's formation process deep within the earth.
Among the 4Cs 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 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.
According to Quig Bruning, Head of Sotheby's Jewelry, Americas, "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."
The Eternal Pink will be officially unveiled and on view in Hong Kong from April 1-7, to coincide with the 50th-anniversary celebrations of Sotheby's presence in Asia. After Hong Kong, the gem will then travel on a global world tour with exhibitions scheduled in Dubai, Singapore, Shanghai, Taiwan, and Geneva, with the full dates yet to be announced.
