84°F
weather icon Clear

Rare white diamond expected to fetch more than $33M at auction

LONDON — A white diamond billed as the largest and purest of its type to come to market is expected to sell for well over $33 million.

Sotheby’s auction house says the 102.34-carat gem mined from Botswana “is the only known round brilliant-cut diamond over 100 carats perfect according to every critical criterion” — carats, color, clarity and cut.

Sotheby’s diamond department head Patti Wong called it “over 100 carats of flawless perfection.”

The diamond went on display Thursday at Sotheby’s London showroom and is being offered for private sale. It’s expected to fetch a price “considerably higher” than the $33.7 million auction record for a white diamond.

The auction record for any diamond is held by the “Pink Star,” which sold for $71 million at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2017.

MOST READ
Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
Trump says he will meet Putin next Friday in Alaska

President Donald Trump said Friday that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday in Alaska to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, a potential major milestone after expressing weeks of frustration that more was not being done to quell the fighting.

Apollo 13 moon mission leader James Lovell dies at 97

It was during his last mission — immortalized by the popular film starring Tom Hanks — that he came to embody for the public the image of the cool, decisive astronaut.

What to know as Israel considers reoccupying Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering ordering the full reoccupation of the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli media.

Former ‘Superman’ actor says he’s joining ICE

In a recent post on social media, the 59-year-old shared his thoughts on America’s immigration system, as well as revealing the fact that he recently joined the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as an official ICE agent.

MORE STORIES