Who will buy $15 m ‘Sun-Drop’ diamond?
“When we show it around the world, people say, ‘oh,
my god’ ”:
SWITZERLAND: For anyone with $15 million (11 million euros) to spare,
a dazzling 110-carat pear-shaped jewel known as the Sun-Drop Diamond
will go to auction next week.
Said to be the largest diamond of its kind, the gem known as a ‘fancy
vivid yellow pear-shape’ was discovered in South Africa in 2010 and
wowed visitors to London’s Natural History Museum where it was displayed
earlier this year and also in Hong Kong.
Now the jewel approximately the size of a women’s thumb is looking
for an owner.
Auction house Sotheby’s, who will sell the rock in Geneva,
Switzerland, on November 15, said the “sublimely rare” lot has attracted
interest from all over the world.
David Bennett, head of jewellery for Europe and the Middle East,
said: “It’s the largest vivid yellow pear-shape known at 110 carats it’s
absolutely huge.
“Everytime we’ve shown it around the world, people have gone ‘oh my
god’.”
“It has huge presence and bags of character I’ve sort of fallen in
love with it.” Following its discovery the gem was cut in New York by US
diamond company Cora International and spent a number of months on
public display before being consigned to Sotheby’s who estimate its
value at $11-15 million. “It has never been owned so the buyer will be
the first person to wear it,” said the expert.
“It’s a difficult sale to predict and we’ve had interest from all
over the world.
“But I think it’s a spectacular stone and it’s obviously sublimely
rare so we’re optimistic.”
Yellow diamonds take their colour from traces of nitrogen in their
carbon makeup. AFP |