Natural pink diamonds have been the stars of many auctions in recent years. In 2016, pink diamonds are expected continue breaking records for price per carat. Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels sale will be held in Geneva in May of 2016, showcasing an impressive variety of colored diamonds, amongst other jewels.
Image Source Sotheby's
Pink Diamond Prices at Auction
The highlight of the auction is a rare and incomparable pear-shaped vivid pink diamond. The “Unique Pink” weighs 15.38 carats and is expected to fetch between $28 and $38 million. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) evaluated this diamond as a vivid pink, which its highest possible grading. In fact, its strong color makes the stone so rare that it is said to be the largest pear-shaped fancy vivid pink diamond ever offered at auction. Historically, fancy colored diamonds have sold for nearly $2 million per carat. This “Unique Pink” is a perfect example of the potential in diamond prices today. But it won’t be until May 17th when the diamond goes on the block that its final price is revealed.
Pink diamond prices have consistently appreciated over the years with the constant presence of high market demand, as pink diamonds are not only a great part of a jewelry collection, but also exceptional alternative investment. Despite the general economic slump, many investors continue to make a great deal of money outside of the stock market in alternative investments. Rare gemstones have long been at the top of investor’s lists due to their limited supply and steadily increasing value History has shown that the richest and most powerful people in the world have continually been attracted to great diamonds and jewels. They have assessed the value of these diamonds and collected the most rare of them all. This process is likely to continue with no end in sight, save for the dwindling supply of some of these diamonds.
Unfortunately, there is no mathematical formula to calculate the value of a diamond, but its attributes such as color, clarity, cut and carat weight will provide a guideline for what it is worth. For pink diamonds, the price is highly correlated to their history and color rarity. If a diamond has a legendary history of ownership, it is likely to sell for a higher price than its non-famous counterpart. Color also determines value and pink diamonds are perhaps the most mesmerizing of the fancy colored diamonds. Pink diamonds are so rare that only a very small number of them have been found in the thousands of diamonds that are mined each year. They are mainly discovered in Rio Tinto’s Argyle Mine in Western Australia, where pink diamonds comprised less than 0.1% of the mine’s total annual production.
With an end in sight as the Rio Tinto forecasts closure within the next 5-8 years, pink diamond prices are expected to continue to rise. Potential investors should keep their eyes on the auction block to keep track of the latest record sales of colored diamonds.
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Update
On May 17th, the Unique Pink exceeded many expectations and set a record for pink diamonds. The final sale price for the Unique Pink was $31.6 million. As is common with high dollar auctions, the new owner's identity was not disclosed.
For more reading on pink and colored diamond prices at auction, click the following links:
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