Art
World’s Biggest Pink Diamond Sells For Twice Auction Estimate In Hong Kong
The Martian Pink
The biggest pink diamond on record sold for $17.4 million in
a Christie’s Hong Kong auction yesterday, off an estimate of $8-
$12 million,
testament to the healthy appetite for trophy assets amongst the
super rich.
The Martian Pink, a 12.04 carat diamond with 57 facets, is
extremely
rare. Unlike most diamonds it shows no trace of another colour,
said
Christies.
Its high price may also be attributed to the fact it has not been
seen on the
market since 1976.
The hammer was brought down after 6 minutes of frenzied
bidding, sold to an anonymous telephone bidder.
The Martian Pink was previously owned by a private collector
and was named by US jeweller Ronald Winston in 1976, the year
that America sent
a satellite mission to Mars.
