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The top lot at its semi-annual Geneva sale, the stone weighs
9.14 carats and is graded fancy vivid pink, the highest possible
color grading. Its pre-sale estimate was 16 million Swiss francs
to 18 million.
"The pink diamond (went to) an Asian collector, a big mega Asian
collector," Rahul Kadakia, international head of jewelry at
Christie's, told reporters after conducting the sale.
In May, rival Sotheby's sold a pear-shaped vivid pink diamond of
15.38 carats for 30.8 million Swiss francs ($31.46 million at
the time), setting a world record.
Christie's, celebrating its 250th anniversary, netted nearly 97
million Swiss francs with 77 percent of 217 lots sold, against
110 million francs a year ago. Several major gems, including a
Colombian emerald and diamond ring by New York jeweller David
Webb, stalled on the block.
A pair of diamond drop earrings, "Miroir de l'Amour" (Mirror of
Love) by a new French boutique jeweller that has revived the
illustrious name and "same philosophy" of 18th Century jewellers
Boehmer et Bassenge, sold for 17.56 million Swiss francs after
more than 5 minutes of bidding. They had no reserve price, the
secret minimum set by the owner, which is rare at auctions.
"It made a great price for a really fabulous pair of diamonds.
Very healthy prices will give a great boost to the white diamond
market," Kadakia said. "Diamonds are bouncing back."
The auction house said the flawless white stones, weighing 52.55
and 50.47 carats, respectively, are the "the world's largest
perfect pear-shaped diamond drops ever to be offered at
auction". The pre-sale estimate was 20-30 million Swiss francs
for the earrings, whose buyer remained anonymous.
"The buyer is highly likely to be a newly minted Russian or
Chinese billionaire oligarch or business tycoon, who does not
shy from flaunting their wealth," Tobias Kormind, managing
director of London-based 77 Diamonds, said in a statement
earlier this week.
A Boehmer et Bassenge diamond and coloured necklace, offered on
the same terms, went for 8.047 million francs.
A white diamond ring by Bulgari, a rectangular stone weighing
32.33 carats, fetched 4.35 million francs, surpassing its
estimate of 2-3 million.
Christie's is owned by French retail magnate Francois Pinault's
holding company Artemis SA. At Sotheby's sale on Wednesday
night, the "Sky Blue Diamond" of 8.01 carats, is estimated at
$15-25 million.
(Reporting and writing by Stephanie Nebehay; additional
reporting by Marina Depetris; Editing by Bernard Orr)
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