Christie’s will auction an “extraordinary pear-shaped perfect diamond weighing 101.73 carats” in Geneva on May 15.
Rahul Kadakia, head of jewellery Christie’s Switzerland and Americas, said the diamond “is in its scale, quality, and rarity one of the most beautiful ‘white’ diamonds Christie’s has ever had the honour of offering for sale”.
He said the diamond meets every criteria of perfection as it has been graded by the Gemological Institute of America with the best colour, D, and the best clarity, Flawless.
“Its absolute symmetry is a tour-de-force, demonstrating the exceptional skills needed to achieve such a perfect gem,” he said.
“It also benefits from rare brilliance and inner limpidity that is only to be found in the chemically pure Type IIA diamonds, which account for less than 2 per cent of the world’s diamond production.”
Kadakia said that the diamond started its life as a 236 carat rough found at the Jwaneng Mine in Botswana.
“Out of a total annual worldwide diamond production in excess of 100 million carats, the Gemological Institute of America estimates there are no more than 600 diamond crystals that finish as polished stones between one and two carats and that are D color, flawless clarity,” he said.
“Above ten carats this figure decreases dramatically, at 101.73 carats it is not only an exceptional rarity but a grand event in the world of gems and jewellery.”