Bulgari Pink 24-carat diamond heads to Christie's Geneva sale
A 24-carat pink diamond worn as a ring since the 1950s will go under the hammer in Geneva, Switzerland, on 10 November with an estimate of US$12 million to US$18 million. Forbes
The stone is called The Bulgari Pink. Christie's, the London-headquartered auction house holding the sale, says it is graded fancy intense pink, a laboratory term for a strong natural pink colour. Christie's
It has a rectangular step-cut, which means its flat surfaces are arranged in long, straight rows. The diamond is mounted as a ring made by Bulgari, the Italian jewellery house, in the 1950s. That history is part of the pitch. The name gives away the maker.
Christie's will offer the ring at its Geneva sale. The house presented the stone in early October, about a month ahead of the November auction. An estimate is the price range the auction house publishes before bidding starts. It is not a sale price.
The announcement follows another high-value pink diamond sold by the same house in the same city. The Fortune Pink weighs 18.18 carats and is pear-shaped, with a fancy vivid pink grade. Christie's offered it at its Geneva Magnificent Jewels sale on 8 November 2022 with a pre-sale estimate of up to US$35 million. Reuters
It sold for CHF28.4 million (US$28.8 million) on 8 November 2022. Reuters It was described at the time as the largest pear-shaped fancy vivid pink diamond ever offered at auction.
What sets the two stones apart is straightforward. The Bulgari Pink is heavier at 24 carats, with a different colour grade and a rectangular cut. The Fortune Pink is smaller in weight, with a brighter colour grade and a pear shape. Bidders in November will decide what that difference is worth.
