Image credit: 1stDibs
An 8.03-carat GIA-certified rare and exceptionally white Golconda diamond was sold online for almost $1.5m recently, according to a report on idexonline.com.
The diamond was sold for the asking price of $1,485,000 on the 1stDibs antiques and artefacts e-commerce. Sellers had described the Type IIa IF marquise-cut gem as ‘a full two shades whiter than the whitest diamond’.
Not surprisingly, the extraordinary stone was recovered at the famed Golconda mines, in India, which is home to many such famous diamonds in the world.
Golconda mines, which operated in the 16th and 17th centuries, is known to have given the world diamonds of exceptional quality. The clarity and whiteness are attributed to the absence of nitrogen in the gemstone.
1stDibs said: "Golconda diamonds are universally accepted as the finest diamonds in the world. The reason is that they hail from only one mine in the ancient region of Golconda. These perfect stones are exceptionally rare in comparison to any other diamonds. Incidentally, Golconda mines ceased production hundreds of years ago.”
The diamond was set in a platinum ring and flanked by tapered white diamond baguettes totalling 0.72 carats graded D colour and VS1 clarity.
Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished
