Harry Winston was surely in the pink this Tuesday as the American luxury brand purchased the Pink Legacy diamond from Christie’s auction house in Geneva, for a record setting US$50 million.
Within five minutes at the auction, the 18.96-carat diamond known as the Pink Legacy became the world’s record holder for price paid per carat for a pink diamond.
The dazzling diamond is truly a rare find because it is singularly unique to find a pink diamond over 10 carats. Categorised as a “Fancy Vivid”, the Pink Legacy is of the highest grade of colour intensity, being 1 in 100,000 of its kind.
Soon to be renamed Winston Pink Legacy, the diamond is reported to be in good health and continues the trend of rising prices of pink diamonds.
Last April, Hong Kong became the city where the largest polished diamond the Pink Star – 59.6-carat stone – was auctioned off for a cool US$71.2 million at Sotheby’s.
Following the Pink Star was the cut and improved Pink Promise diamond that was auctioned off at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels Hong Kong auction. The 15-carat diamond sold for US$32.5 million, at the time a record-beating price at US$2.176 million per carat. At US$2.637 million per carat, the sale of the Pink Legacy has surpassed the once-infamous Pink Promise.
The Pink Legacy is undoubtedly exceptional as it set forth a major moment in auctioneering history. The popularity of pink diamonds is coming up roses.
Text: Bailey Atkinson
Images courtesy: Christie’s