Graff Buys 50 Carat Diamond for Third Time at Christie’s New York Sale
December 11, 12
(IDEX Online News) – The top lot at Christie’s December 10 Magnificent Jewels sale was a 50.01 carats rectangular-cut, D-color, potentially flawless diamond. The item was purchased by Laurence Graff for $8.37 million or $167,400 per carat (p/c). This is the third time Graff has purchased the diamond.
The 50.1 Carat Diamond Bought By
Laurence Graff
Image: Christie's
The diamond was previously sold at Christie’s
“This is the third time that I have owned this beautiful diamond and I am as thrilled today as I was the first time,” said the noted trader. “Diamonds of this exceptional caliber have a life and legacy that carries on beyond us all. This is one of the finest D-color diamonds in the world and I am delighted to have it back again.”
The 300-lot sale realized a total of $32.5 million with strong sell-through rates of 84 percent by lot and 86 percent by value.
Other highlights of the auction included a new per-carat record for a Kashmir sapphire at auction, with the sale of an 8.91 carat sapphire for $1.37 million or $154,000 p/c.
The final lot of the season was an exceedingly rare fancy reddish-orange diamond of 3.15 carats. The unique stone is the largest reddish orange diamond ever graded at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
Exhibiting two of the rarest hues in the world of diamonds, this rarity soared beyond its low estimate of $700,000 to sell for just under $2.1 million, setting a new world auction record for a reddish-orange diamond and a new per-carat record price of $666,200.
For 2012, Christie’s New York jewels sales total more than $163 million. This includes 29 jewels over the $1 million mark, of which four items exceeded $7 million.