A rare pink diamond was sold in Hong Kong for almost 58 million. USD (€60 million), the highest price per carat ever paid at auction for any diamond or gemstone, Sotheby’s said.
The 11.15-carat Williamson Pink Star fetched $453.2 million on Friday, according to the auction company. HK is the second highest price ever paid for a gem at auction.
The winning bid, submitted by an undisclosed buyer from Boca Raton, Florida, more than doubled the estimate of $21 million. USD (EUR 21.6 million) sale price of the gem.
It is the second largest pink diamond sold at auction. These diamonds are the rarest of precious stones and the most sought after in the market.
The world record was set in 2017 when a stone known as the CTF Pink Star was sold in Hong Kong for $71.2 million. USD (72.9 million EUR).
The Williamson Pink Star was named after two other pink diamonds: the record holder CTF Pink Star and the Williamson Stone, a 23.6-carat diamond given to Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding gift in 1947.
Tobias Kormind, chief executive of UK gem retailer 77 Diamonds, said the stunning deal proved that high-quality diamonds can still command a premium despite economic uncertainty.
“An asset like world-class diamonds has historically held up well even in volatile times,” he said.
