Christie’s Set to Break Auction Records With Extraordinary Pink Diamond
Discover The Eden Rose, a 10.20-carat Fancy Intense Pink Diamond at Christie’s Luxury Week auction on June 11.
In the ever-evolving world of high jewelry auctions, few offerings capture the imagination of collectors and connoisseurs like natural fancy-color diamonds. This year, Christie’s Luxury Week auction, set to take place on June 11, promises to be particularly captivating with the unveiling of The Eden Rose—a 10.20-carat Round Brilliant, Fancy Intense Pink Diamond. This exceptional gemstone is poised to be the crown jewel of the auction, estimated to fetch between $9,000,000 and $12,000,000.
Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International Head of Jewelry, says, “Christie’s excels in presenting our collectors with the highest level of quality, exemplified by The Eden Rose. Given its rarity, we are anticipating significant interest from around the world. Twelve years ago, collectors were captivated by The Martian Pink, a highly rare and covetable gemstone, sold during our Hong Kong sale in 2012. The stone surpassed its estimate to achieve a record price of $17 million, equating to $1.45 million per carat. The Eden Rose has never been offered at auction, and we are thrilled to be presenting a jewel of its unmatched caliber for the first time this June in New York City.”
The Eden Rose stands out not only for its impressive size but also for its pure and vivid pink hue. Unlike many natural pink diamonds that often exhibit secondary hues such as purple, orange, or grey, The Eden Rose boasts a pristine pink color without any secondary tones, making it exceptionally rare. This level of purity and color intensity is a hallmark of Type IIa diamonds, which represent less than 2% of all natural diamonds and are known for their extraordinary optical transparency.
What further distinguishes The Eden Rose is its round brilliant cut, a shape revered for its ability to maximize light reflection and enhance a diamond’s brilliance. The meticulous craftsmanship involved in cutting and perfecting the diamond’s dimensions is rarely seen in natural color diamonds because the cut is often secondary to maximizing the vibrance of the color and preserving as much of its carat weight as possible.
This auction comes on the heels of a historic event at Phillips’ Geneva auction, where records were shattered. Last week, Phillips achieved over $11.8 million for a 6.2-carat pink diamond and a staggering $4.2 million for the 1.56-carat “Argyle Phoenix” red diamond.
The Argyle Phoenix, the largest known round brilliant cut natural fancy red diamond, set new benchmarks for both total price and price per carat (approximately $2.68 million). Sourced from the famed Argyle mine in Australia, this rare gem was purchased by Laurence Graff, the founder of the legendary Graff Diamonds, further cementing its status in the annals of auction history.
The significance of these recent events cannot be overstated. The record-breaking sale at Phillips underscores the growing demand and appreciation for natural-colored diamonds, particularly those with unique hues and exceptional quality. The Eden Rose, with its unmatched characteristics, is poised to continue this trend and possibly set new records of its own.
From June 7 to June 10, the public will have the rare opportunity to view The Eden Rose at Christie’s Rockefeller Center in New York City. This exclusive display during Christie’s Luxury Week will allow collectors and enthusiasts to witness firsthand the extraordinary beauty of this gemstone, whose allure extends far beyond its aesthetic appeal. It embodies a remarkable chapter in the storied history of natural colored diamonds, serving as a testament to nature’s artistry and a symbol of rarity and beauty.
