Rare pink diamond sells for $39.3 million at Christie’s auction
A model poses with a pink diamond during a Sotheby’s auction preview on November 10, 2010 in Geneva. A rare pink diamond
once owned by Indian royalty sold for $39.3 million at auction in New York on Wednesday.
A rare pink diamond sold for $39.3 million at a Christie's auction in New York City on Tuesday.
The 34.65-carat diamond was once owned by Indian royalty and the sale is notable because it was the second-highest price ever paid for a jewel at auction, the Associated Press reported.
Not surprisingly, neither the seller, nor the person who bought the diamond, have gone on the record with their names.
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The Wall Street Journal said an anonymous bidder on the telephone bought the piece in a record few minutes.
The "Princie," as the diamond is called, is 300 years old and previously belonged to Indian Prince Nizam of Hyderabad who originally sold it in 1960 at Sotheby’s auction house for 46,000 pounds.
In the last year, diamonds with a particular rare pink, or even, purplish hue have been selling well, according to the Journal.
In the spirit of competition, rival auction house Sotheby’s planned to auction off a rare 75-carat, pear-shaped diamond on Wednesday.
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