Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels auction in New York was held on 7 December 2022. A 303.1-carat Golden Canary fetched $12.4 million, becoming the third most valuable yellow diamond ever sold at auction.
According to Sotheby’s, the pear-shaped, fancy-deep-brownish-yellow stone is the world’s largest known internally flawless diamond. It is also the largest flawless or internally flawless diamond graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The auction house offered the piece without reserve, but predicted it would bring in more than $15 million.
The diamond was initially discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the early 1980s. Originally called the Incomparable Diamond, the stone was recut from its previous 407-carat shield shape to deepen the colour and brighten the hue.
“The Golden Canary captivated me from the moment I saw it — with its monumental size, golden hue and impeccable clarity — it is truly an extraordinary diamond with immense presence,” said Quig Bruning, Head of Jewels for the Americas at Sotheby’s.
Two blue diamonds from the eight-piece De Beers Exceptional Blue Collection went unsold in the sale. The first was a cushion-cut, 2.08-carat, fancy-intense-blue diamond with an upper price tag of $1.5 million. The other was a cushion brilliant-cut, 3.24-carat, fancy-vivid-blue, internally flawless diamond estimated at up to $8 million, which was pulled in advance.
These two came after a cushion brilliant-cut, 5.53-carat, fancy-vivid-blue diamond from the same collection, failed to sell at Sotheby’s Geneva Magnificent Jewels in November.
The auction house still plans to offer the remaining five blue diamonds at its spring 2023 Magnificent Jewels auctions. Those include a step-cut, 11.29-carat, fancy-vivid blue estimated at up to $50 million; a step-cut, 4.13-carat, fancy-intense blue expected to go for up to $3.5 million; and a cushion brilliant-cut, 3.1-carat, fancy-vivid-blue diamond with a high price of $5 million. (Photo courtesy: Sotheby’s)
14-12-2022
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