“The Rock” is headlining the Magnificent Jewels sale at Christie’s Geneva this spring. It is the largest colorless diamond to be offered at auction.
Geneva—Christie’s is offering the largest white diamond to ever appear at auction at its Geneva Magnificent Jewels sale this spring.
The auction house will present the aptly titled “The Rock,” a 228.31-carat pear-shaped diamond, seen in the video below.
The Rock was discovered and polished in South Africa more than two decades ago, Christie’s said.
The GIA has issued a letter that accompanies the stone, stating it is the largest existing D-Z color pear-shaped diamond the institute has ever graded.
The stone is G-color, VS1 clarity. It is expected to sell for between $20 million and $30 million at the Magnificent Jewels sale on May 11.
It’s currently on a world tour prior to the sale, starting in Dubai through March 20, then heading to Taipei, and finally New York City April 29-May 1. It will be on view in Geneva at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues May 6-11.
Christies’s International Head of Jewelry Rahul Kadakia said in a statement: “The Rock will join the very best of legendary gemstones which have passed through Christie’s global salerooms since 1766. The market for diamonds is particularly vibrant, and we are confident that this sensational gemstone will capture the attention of collectors across the globe this spring season.”
Here, Christie’s International Head of Jewelry Rahul Kadakia showcases the 228-carat “The Rock” diamond.
The Rock beats Christie’s top five largest white diamonds ever sold by quite a bit.
The second most expensive white diamond Christie’s has sold was the “Winston Legacy” in 2013. The 101.73-carat diamond earned close to $27 million.
The No. 3 diamond was the 76.02-carat “Archduke of Joseph Diamond” in 2012, which earned $21.5 million, followed by the “La Legende” necklace by Boehmer et Bassenge at No. 4. The 92.15-carat diamond fetched $15 million in 2017.
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The No. 5 record holder for Christie’s is a 75.97-carat stone that sold for $14.5 million in 2014.
But the most expensive white diamond to ever sell at any auction house wasn’t the largest; instead, it boasted an incredible provenance.
In 2018, Sotheby’s sold the diamond and pearl pendant that originally belonged to Marie Antoinette in its “Royal Jewels from the Bourbon-Parma Family” auction. It fetched a cool $36 million.
While Christie’s “The Rock” is the largest colorless diamond to appear at auction, the largest fancy color diamond was the 555.55-carat black diamond called “The Enigma.”
