An anonymous buyer outbid four others for the rectangular pink diamond, dubbed ‘The Perfect Pink’ because of its clarity and colour.
The fancy intense pink diamond is flanked on either side by rectangular-shaped diamonds weighing 1.73 and 1.67 carats, and is mounted in 18-carat rose and white gold in a ring.
The type IIa diamond with a clarity of VVS2 had an estimated selling price of between $US14.2 million ($14.4 million) and US$ 19.4million ($19.6 million). It exceeded its estimated selling price by approximately $US4.3 million ($4.4 million).
The jewellery auction raised a total of $US78.9 million ($79.9 million), making it the highest total for such an auction in Asia and the largest at Christie’s worldwide.
Vickie Sek, director of the jewellery and jadeite department at Christie’s Asia, said, “The strength of the jewellery market was once again demonstrated in Hong Kong with a record $US78.9 auction.”
Sek said Burmese rubies, Kashmir sapphire and jadeite also fetched top prices at the auction.