Largest purple-pink diamond sells for record price

Sotheby’s Geneva has announced the sale of a 14.83-carat pink diamond for $26m (£19.7m), a record price for a sale of its kind at an auction.

Named the Spirit of the Rose after a 20th Century Russian ballet, it is the largest purple-pink diamond to ever appear at auction, and cut from the largest clear pink rough in Russia.

The other stones in the collection include a yellow diamond, which was sold to Graff in December, and a third currently being manufactured by Alrosa.

Prior to being sold by Sotheby’s Geneva, the Spirit of the Rose was exhibited in Hong Kong, Taipei and Geneva.

Tobias Kormind, managing director of 77 Diamonds and auctioneer expert, said: “The buyer has made a smart investment move. 

“It’s an incredibly desirable stone and the fact it’s both Internally Flawless and Purple-Pink in colour adds to the rarity – it’s the icing on the cake.”

He added: “On the one hand, there have been quite a number of record-breaking diamond auctions in recent months, but on the other hand there remains some uncertainty around the timing and economic fallout of the pandemic.”