De Beers Millennium Jewel beats Asian records
05.04.16
The world’s most expensive diamond ever sold at an auction was a 12.03 carat fancy vivid blue diamond named Blue Moon; which was sold for a whopping $48.4 in Geneva last November.
Today, De Beers Millennium Jewel 4 sets a new record in Asia.
The flawless, vivid blue 10.10 carat oval diamond was sold for $31.8 million at Sotheby's in Hong Kong. It is the highest price paid for a gemstone at an Asian auction.
The event had lasted for just minutes before an anonymous bidder purchased the jewel over the phone.
"Very few gemstones have ever been sold for more than that, and it's setting the record price here in Asia for a gemstone in auction,” said David Bennett, Sotheby's worldwide chairman of the international jewellery division.
The diamond was mined in South Africa; and today it was named the largest Oval Fancy Vivid blue diamond to ever appear at auction.
In 2002, the stone was first unveiled in London as part of the Millenium Jewels exhibition. There was an attempt to robbery; the thieves would have run off with gemstones worth $300 million in total. If the robbery had been successful, it would have been the biggest diamond heist in history.
Image: CNN
