GENEVA.- Sotheby’s Spring sale of Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels will be led by the spectacular “Unique Pink”, a supremely rare and exceptional Fancy Vivid Pink diamond weighing 15.38 carats. In addition to receiving the highest possible colour grading for a pink diamond from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the “Unique Pink” has been found to be Type IIa, displaying “exceedingly pure structure”. The stone’s exquisite pear shape and brilliant cut accentuate its exceptional saturation, placing it in a rarefied category even among the world’s most beautiful diamonds. The “Unique Pink” will be offered at auction in Geneva on 17 May with a pre-sale estimate of $28-38 million (CHF 27.2m – 36.9m).

Announcing the sale of the “Unique Pink”, David Bennett, Worldwide Chairman of Sotheby’s International Jewellery Division, commented: “It is difficult to imagine a diamond that better illustrates the term Vivid Pink than this outstanding stone. The colour is simply astonishing and, for its size, it is in my experience truly unique.”

“THE DISTINCTION OF A TRULY EXCEPTIONAL GEM” GIA
The rough diamond which yielded the “Unique Pink” was cut and polished by Cora International, known worldwide for rare and unique diamonds of large sizes and vivid fancy colours. According to the GIA, “Although nature is largely to thank for the Unique Pink’s most striking and unusual attributes, the work of its cutter must not go unnoticed. The task of polishing the valuable rough crystal into the sparkling gem it is today required tremendous skill.”

The discovery of any gem-quality pink diamond is extremely rare. Of all diamonds submitted to the GIA each year, no more than 3% are classified as coloured diamonds, and less than 5% of those coloured diamonds are predominantly pink. Upon inspection by the institute, the hue, tone and saturation of the “Unique Pink” was determined to be Fancy Vivid Pink – the strongest saturation possible and described as “absolutely mesmerizing”.

“It is exceptionally rare for any natural diamond to reveal Fancy Vivid Pink color, but for one of 15.38 carats to exhibit such tone and saturation is astonishing.” GIA Monograph written for the “Unique Pink”, 2016