The largest fancy vivid orange diamond ever offered for sale at auction, weighing in at 14.82 carats, was sold at Christie’s in Geneva on November 12 for a record $35,540,612, or $2.4 million per carat.
The sale of the rare gem set a world record price per carat for any diamond sold at auction, as well as a world record price for an orange diamond.
Christie’reported that its Magnificent Jewels auction raised a record $125,360,131, selling 89 percent by lot and 96 percent by value.
The jewelry collection of French fashion figure Hélène Rochas was 100 percent sold, generating a total of $2.3 million.
François Curiel, International Head of Christie's Jewellery Department, said: “Time and again, a stone will appear on the market that is truly a miracle of nature. The 14.82-carat orange diamond is one such a stone, a rare gem, which will perhaps only be seen once in a lifetime. It soared far above all previous records for any orange diamond ever sold at auction, placing The Orange amongst the greatest pinks and blues, which are traditionally the most appreciated colored diamonds.”
