Lot 550
  • 550
Estimate
27,000,000 - 38,000,000 CHF
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Description

  • Accompanied by GIA report no. 2115100354 stating that the diamond is Fancy Intense Pink, Natural Colour, VVS2 Clarity, together with an additional GIA worksheet stating that the diamond may be Potentially Flawless after repolishing.

    Further accompanied by a GIA type classification report ,stating that this stone is a Type IIa pink diamond. ' Type IIa pink diamonds are very rare in nature, often have relatively few inclusions and are noted for their mostly homogenous colour in the rough (..).'

The fancy intense pink round-cornered rectangular step-cut diamond weighing 24.78 carats, set between shield-shaped diamond shoulders, in platinum, as a ring, size 55½.

Literature

The Romance of Pink Diamonds

By Ian Balfour

 

Historically, the most famous pink diamonds have come from India. Of these, pride and place must be given to the rectangular, step-cut 'Darya-i-Nur' (Sea of Light), one of the great diamonds of history. The 'Darya-i-Nur' is estimated to weigh between 175 and 195 carats. It is the principal gem in the Crown Jewels of Iran and together with the 'Nur ul-Ain' (Light of the Eye), an oval brilliant of around 60 carats, once constituted the major part of the 'Great Table' diamond. In 1642 Tavernier saw, and tried unsuccessfully to buy, this legendary stone from a merchant in Golconda.

 

Another historic Indian diamond is the 'Agra' which weighs just over 32 carats. Its early history links it with Babur, the first of the Mogul rulers. Later it came into the possession of the eccentric Duke of Brunswick, one of the 19th century's most important collectors of unusual diamonds: he paid 348,000 francs for the gem. Towards the end of the century Edwin Streeter, the London jeweller and author of several books on gemstones, acquired the 'Agra'. The Agra was sold at auction in London in 1990. 

 

The 'Hortense', weighing 20.53 carats, is a somewhat flat, rectangular-shaped diamond which was listed in the 1691 inventory of the Crown Jewels of France. The gem is named after Hortense de Beauharnais, the Queen of Holland and stepdaughter of Napoleon. It was one of the jewels stolen from the Garde-Meuble in Paris in 1792 but was recovered a year later. On account of its historic interest the 'Hortense' was among the items excluded from the sale of the French Crown Jewels in 1887. The stone is now in the Louvre collection

 

The cushion-cut 'Princie' diamond, weighing 34.64 carats, may formerly have been part of the State jewels of Turkey. In 1960 it was sold at an auction in London: shortly after the stone was christened 'Princie' in honour of the fourteen-year-old son of the Maharanee of Baroda whose pet family name was 'Princie'.

 

The most celebrated pink diamond is the 'Williamson'. The rough stone was found in the Williamson Mine, situated near Mwadui in Tanganyika (now Tanzania) in October 1947. Dr. John Williamson, the discoverer and owner of the mine, was an ardent Royalist so that he gave the diamond as a wedding present to the Queen, then Princess Elizabeth. Curiously the 'Williamson' proved to be an isolated find, no other pink diamond having come form this source. The stone was cut in London into a brilliant of 23.60 carats, which was later set in the centre of a flower spray brooch. It is rumoured that the Queen has a special affection for this jewel: evidence of this is supplied by the fact that Her Majesty wore the brooch at the wedding of the Duke of Kent in 1961 and that of the Prince of Wales twenty years later. Since millions of viewers watched the latter ceremony on television it is safe to assume that no famous diamond has ever been seen by so many people at the same time.

Condition

ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREAT DIAMONDS Stamped Pt950 for platinum. For further information on the diamond please refer to the GIA reports. Signs of normal wear to the mount, scratches consistent with use. In very good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Please note that colour, clarity and weight of gemstones are statements of opinion only and not statements of fact by Sotheby's. We do not guarantee, and are not responsible for any certificate from a gemological laboratory that may accompany the property. We do not guarantee that watches are in working order. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue, in particular to the Notice regarding the treatment and condition of gemstones and to the Notice regarding import of Burmese jadeite and rubies into the US.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

LA VIE EN ROSE

If I had to choose my favourite colour for a diamond it would undoubtedly be pink. There is something so exuberant, joyful, and intensely feminine about these rosy gems that makes them absolutely irresistible; as a result they have been prized by collectors and professionals ever since they were first discovered in the mines of India centuries ago.  
 
 It is difficult to exaggerate the rarity of fine pink diamonds weighing only five carats; but once they exceed 20 carats, and are of outstanding colour, they pass into the ranks of the world's greatest and rarest gems.
 
This absolute scarcity makes the appearance at auction of this sublime 24.78 carat stone an extremely exciting event. Its beauty has haunted me since the very first time I set eyes on it some years ago, and so it is a great honour to present this diamond to an international audience.
 
During my long career at Sothebys I have had the opportunity to examine some of the rarest and finest jewels, not only at auctions but also in private collections internationally. I can say without hesitation that this spectacularly beautiful stone is, quite simply, one of the most desirable diamonds I have ever seen.
 
David Bennett,
Chairman
International Jewellery Division
Europe and Middle East