Image credit: Christie's
A 228-carat pear-shaped white diamond recovered in South Africa about 20 years ago is projected to sell between $20 million and $30 million at Christie’s in Geneva next May, according to media reports.
Bloomberg reports that the stone, which is the largest white diamond ever to come to auction, had until now been put up for public sale.
The stone was initially sold privately to a collector.
"Right now there is a great appetite in the market for diamonds," Rahul Kadakia, the international head of jewellery at Christie’s was quoted as saying.
"With the market the way it is — in 2021 there was a huge resurgence both in the art market and the jewellery market—the second owner approached us and said, 'How would you feel about marketing this for us at public auction?'"
Christie’s previously sold a 102-carat white stone in 2013 for $26.7-million.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
