The pink diamond “Spirit of the Rose” was sold at Sotheby’s in Geneva for a record $ 26.6 million, the organizers of the auction reported. Sotheby’s noted that this is the largest pink diamond ever sold at auction. Also, the price was the world auction record for a purple-pink diamond.
The pink diamond was discovered and cut by the Russian diamond giant “Alrosa” and named after a legendary short ballet of the same name. The gem was created from a 27.85-carat rough diamond discovered three years ago at the Ebelyakh mine in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The rough stone was then cut and polished at the “Diamonds of Alrosa” cutting factory in Moscow.
According to the Gemological Institute of America that specializes in gem grading, it is defined as “Fancy Vivid Purple-Pink” and is the largest such diamond it has ever graded.
The buyer of the stone wished to remain anonymous, he participated in the auction by phone.
It seems that the price of assets, regardless they are stocks, paintings or diamonds, is getting higher and higher these days, maybe thanks to massive monetary easing in developed countries.