Rare 555-carat black diamond to go under hammer in London
New York, Jan 17 (EFE).- An extremely rare black diamond weighing 555.5 carats will go under the hammer in February, Sotheby’s announced Monday.
With its 55-facet cut, the diamond, dubbed the Enigma, will become the largest of its kind to be put up for auction, according to the world-renowned British auction house.
Sotheby’s said the diamond, which was listed in the 2006 Guinness Book of World Records, will be sold to the highest bidder, expecting it to fetch between 3 to 5 million pounds sterling ($4.1 million – $6.8 million).
Nikita Binani, Sotheby’s head of sales, told Efe that the Enigma is a rare piece that cannot be easily compared to other diamonds, or even other black gemstones that went on the market in the past.
The rock’s origin remains a mystery as its current owner, who bought it more than two decades ago, wants to remain anonymous.
It is not known when and where the black diamond was discovered; however, the auction house pointed out that these types of gems are exclusively found in Brazil and the Central African Republic.
Black diamonds are believed to have come from an asteroid that may have hit Earth between two and three billion years ago
Although black diamonds are generally worth less than white ones, Binani explained that colored diamonds are beginning to gain appreciation, and the sale of the Enigma is expected to further boost the prices of this kind of stone.
The Enigma is first set to go on display at exhibitions in Dubai, Los Angeles and London before online bidding takes place between February 3 and 9.EFE
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