The unmounted 28.86-carat brilliant cut stone sold for US$6.9 million (A$6.56 million), or US$239,352 per carat (A$227,504 per carat), at a recent Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong. The price topped its pre-sale estimate of US$5.8 million (A$5.5 million).
The diamond was part of Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite sale, which made a total of US$61.4 million (A$58 million).
Other high-selling items at the auction included a matched pair of 8-carat diamond pendant earrings that sold for US$2.8 million and a 3-carat heart-shaped fancy blue, pink and white diamond ring that sold for US$2.17 million.
While the majority of the auction’s top selling items were diamond pieces, favourable results were also achieved for jadeite, emerald, pearl and sapphire items, with most falling within pre-sale estimates.