Categories: Asia News

Martian Pink diamond sold for $17.4 million at Hong Kong auction

Rare pink diamond Martian Pink has been auctioned for $17.4 million – far higher than expected – after six minutes of frenzied bidding in Hong Kong.

Auctioneers Christie’s say that the diamond – the biggest of its kind ever to be sold – was bought by an anonymous telephone bidder.

The Martian Pink diamond is extremely rare. Its owner believed it would fetch the best price in Hong Kong.

The diamond had been expected to sell for between $8 million and $12 million.

“The bids were very competitive… there was a lot of excitement… when it finally did come up for sale the buzz in the room was sensational,” said Christie’s auctioneer Rahul Kadakia.

 

Rare pink diamond Martian Pink has been auctioned for $17.4 million

The 12-carat gem got its name in 1976 when it was sold by US jeweller Harry Winston. It was the same year the US sent a satellite to Mars, and the gem was named for the colour of the planet.

“It comes from Harry Winston, who was so impressed that the Americans had landed on Mars in 1976 that he looked at his inventory and he found a rough diamond which probably could come out as pink,” said Francois Curiel, from Christie’s jewellery department.

“So he cut it, and he cut it in such a way that the intensity of the thing was larger than any of the other things that he had ever cut before.”

The current American owner had wanted the diamond to be sold in Hong Kong, Francois Curiel said.

“He had studied the market pretty well and seen that all the top prices recently were obtained in Hong Kong because of the presence of the Chinese, and several other countries from South East Asia were very, very keen on diamonds,” he said.

The most famous pink diamond in the world belongs to Queen Elizabeth II.

The Williamson Pink was given to the British queen for her wedding in 1947 – the cut, 23.6-carat round stone was later set in a brooch.

 

Diane A. Wade

Diane is a perfectionist. She enjoys searching the internet for the hottest events from around the world and writing an article about it. The details matter to her, so she makes sure the information is easy to read and understand. She likes traveling and history, especially ancient history. Being a very sociable person she has a blast having barbeque with family and friends.

Recent Posts

Donald Trump and Elon Musk Celebrate Election Victory at UFC 309

Image source: Wikimedia Commons President-elect Donald Trump celebrated his election victory at the Ultimate Fighting…

4 days ago

White House 2024: Donald Trump Wins, Kamala Harris Calls Him to Concede Election

Millions of voters across the US chose to return Donald Trump to the White House…

2 weeks ago

Who Won? Donald Trump Declares Victory as He Addresses Jubilant Supporters in Florida

Donald Trump declares victory in the US election as he addresses jubilant supporters in Florida.…

2 weeks ago

Stocks Soaring as Donald Trump Closes in on US Victory

Stocks around the world are rising as Donald Trump appears to be on the cusp…

2 weeks ago

Who Won? Kamala Harris Cancels Election Night Party as Path to Victory Narrows

Donald Trump has won Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia and taken a lead over Kamala…

2 weeks ago

Quincy Jones Dead at 91

Quincy Jones, the celebrated musician and producer who worked with Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Ray…

2 weeks ago