The largest white diamond ever to be auctioned could be worth up to $30 million

pear shape Diamond Which appears to be wider than a human thumb is up for auction – and is expected to fetch tens of millions of dollars.

The 228.31 carat diamond, dubbed ‘The Rock’, will be sold at Christie’s auction In Switzerland on May 11, 2022.

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The auction is titled Geneva Magnificent Jewels, and will be part of the British auction house’s largest “Luxury Week” sales event.

Kristi estimates the value of the rock between $20 million and $30 million.

The rare gemstone was mined and polished in South Africa more than 20 years ago and is said to be the largest white diamond ever offered for sale at auction, Christie’s claims.

“The Rock will join the finest, legendary gemstones that have passed through Christie’s global sales since 1766,” Rahul Kadakia, Head of Jewelery at Christie’s International, said in a statement.

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He continued, “The diamond market is especially lively, and we are confident that this exquisite gemstone will attract the attention of diamond collectors around the world this spring.”

The 228.31-carat pear-shaped diamond auctioned by Christie’s appears to be larger than a human thumb. (Christie’s Limited Pictures 2022)

Prior to the auction, the diamond will be displayed for viewing in various Christie’s theaters around the world.

First, it will be shown at Christie’s Dubai from March 26 to March 29; Then it will stop in Taipei and at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City from April 29 to May 1.

During Christie’s Luxury Week, the diamond will be on display at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva from May 6 to May 11.

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The rock has been classified by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). A letter of endorsement from the Gemological Institute and Laboratory comes with the diamond.

White diamonds are considered rare, and Christie’s estimates that the 228.31-carat pear gem up for auction could be worth $30 million. (Christie’s Limited Pictures 2022)

Christie’s previous auction record for the white diamond was a rectangular stone weighing approximately 163.41 carats, which sold for $33.7 million in November 2017.

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Unlike other diamonds on the market, white diamonds can range “from colorless (like a drop of pure water) to tints of light yellow, light brown, or gray,” according to the GIA website.

“The rarity, and therefore value, of these diamonds depends in part on how close they are to colorless.”