Christie’s Geneva Magnificent Jewels auction will offer the Spectacle diamond for sale in May. The 100.94 ct, D colour, internally flawless diamond from Russia is expected to fetch between USD $13 million and $19 million.
The gem has been featured on the auction house’s Instagram where it details the stone’s story. Unearthed by miner Alrosa in 2016 in northeast Russia, it started life (above ground) as a 207.29 ct piece of rough. The preparation and cutting process took 20 months in the Diamonds of Alrosa cutting factory in Moscow.
The emerald cut was chosen to present what Alrosa calls “the perfect geometry of the diamond.”
“Emerald cut is incompatible with any imperfections, as it allows the observer to gaze endlessly into the clear, unobstructed depths of the gem,” said a statement from Christie’s. “It requires the initial diamond to be perfect.”