Huge flawless diamond could nab record-breaking price | World

The rare oval diamond is being offered without a reserve, meaning that it will be sold regardless of the size of the highest bid. Bidding will open online from September 15, with the sale concluding at a live auction in Hong Kong on October 5.

In the meantime, the item is set to go on display at appointment-only previews in Beijing, Shanghai, New York and Taipei.

Patti Wong, chair of Sotheby’s Asia, expressed confidence about the sale, despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, in what she called “deeply transformative months for the auction market.”

While white diamonds can attract huge bids at auction, pink and blue varieties have achieved even larger sums in recent years. In 2017, a 59.60-carat pink diamond known as the Pink Star became the most expensive jewel ever to sell at auction when it went for $71.2 million at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong.

Two years earlier, the 12.03-carat “Blue Moon” diamond sold for $48.4 million, also through Sotheby’s.

Take a look at photos of diamonds up for auction over the years.