A gigantic yellow stone fetched $16.3 million at the May 13 Magnificent Jewels sale in Geneva—in an auction that itself set a world record for an overall jewelry sale.
The 100.9 ct. daffodil-yellow diamond ring, known as the Graff Vivid Yellow, shattered the previous record paid for a yellow diamond, set by the $12.3 million gotten for the 110 ct. Sun Drop at Sotheby’s Geneva in Nov. 2011.
“100 carats is a magical number when it comes to diamonds,” said David Bennett, chairman of Sotheby’s Switzerland and chairman of the jewelry department for Europe and the Middle East, in a statement. “With its exceptional size and a superb daffodil color, the Graff Vivid Yellow is a truly extraordinary diamond with immense presence. These rare qualities led to the record price achieved tonight.”
The stone also set a record for a jewel by Graff.
The overall auction took in $141 million, a world record for a jewelry auction, besting the first sale of Elizabeth Taylor’s jewels, which took in $115 million.
Other sale highlights:
A 25.32 ct. D internally flawless sold for $5.5 million, or $246,710 a carat, a world record price per carat for a round colorless diamond.
A 12.07 ct. very fine marquise-shape fancy pink diamond ring sold for $6.04 million, or $601,228 a carat, a world record price per carat for a fancy pink.
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