London:
“The Enigma”, the world’s largest known 555-carat cut diamond, went under the hammer in London on Wednesday for £3.16 million ($4.3 million), after being recently released for the first time. had been to see.
The rare black or carbanado diamond is believed to have formed when a meteorite or asteroid hit Earth more than 2.6 billion years ago.
The 555.55-carat, 55-faced diamond reached £3.16 million, excluding the buyer’s premium, in an online sale held by famed London auction house Sotheby’s.
Carbonados are usually found close to the Earth’s surface, suggesting an extraterrestrial origin.
“This particular type of black diamond is thought to have been created by meteoric impacts that caused natural chemical vapor deposition or of extraterrestrial origin — from supernova explosions that formed diamond-bearing asteroids that eventually collided with Earth,” the auction house said.
One of the most difficult materials to cut, the diamond had never been shown by its unnamed owner in the past 20 years.
It took experts three years to turn the rough diamond into a 55-faced gem, and it was recently exhibited in Dubai, Los Angeles and London.
The shape is inspired by the palm-shaped symbol of power and protection in the Middle East, the Hamsa, which is also associated with the number five.
“The price of the Enigma didn’t quite reach the intergalactic level. But what cannot be denied is that the Enigma is a diamond with unparalleled bragging rights,” said Tobias Kormind, director of Europe’s largest online jeweler, the Mayfair.
“The size, shape and provenance of the Enigma diamond make it groundbreaking and amazing,” he added. “Most diamonds are cut in one of the 10 popular shapes, but the Enigma’s shape resembles a hand.”
The Enigma is not a gem quality diamond and carbonados are not normally used in jewelry or sold at auction but have grown in popularity of late.
They are normally used in industrial drilling due to their extraordinary hardness.
Sotheby’s called the diamond a “cosmic wonder” prior to the sale, which also accepted bids on cryptocurrencies.
#AuctionUpdate “The Enigma”: This 555.55 carat Black Diamond sold for £3,161,000 / $4,292,322 today. The buyer has chosen to use cryptocurrency for the purchase. #SothebysJewelspic.twitter.com/ZuiL9SxET8
— Sothebys (@Sothebys) February 9, 2022
Last year, the diamond Key 10138 was sold in Hong Kong for $12.3 million, paid in cryptocurrency.
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