Ultimate Emerald-Cut Diamond Sells for $22.1 Million at Record-Breaking Sale

(IDEX Online News) – A 100.2-carat emerald-cut diamond topped the best seller list at Sotheby’s record-breaking Magnificent Jewels sale in New York. The sale totaled $65.1 million with the diamond selling for $22.1 million.

The D/IF type IIa diamond is the largest perfect diamond with a classic emerald-cut ever sold at auction; the first 100+ carat perfect diamond sold at auction in New York and also the highest price for any colorless diamond auctioned in New York.

This diamond is exceptional in every sense of the word, and we were thrilled to see it achieve such a strong result,” said Lisa Hubbard, chairman, North & South America, Sotheby’s International Jewelry Division.

Other sale highlights included a platinum and diamond ring with a D/IF oval-shaped 22.3-carat diamond, which was bought by an online bidder for $3.3 million and an 18-karat gold and platinum ring with an unmodified 6.24 carat pear-shaped Fancy Purplish Pink diamond, set with two cushion-cut Kashmir sapphires that sold for $2.4 million.

“It was encouraging to see the impact of private collectors throughout the day, including at the highest end of our sale: eight of our top ten pieces were purchased by private individuals,” said Gary Schuler, head of Sotheby’s Jewelry Department in New York.

“Our strong results spanned each of the categories that have driven the auction market in recent seasons: top-quality diamonds and gemstones, signed and historic jewels, and pieces with notable provenance. Online bidding and buying also contributed heavily to our record total.”