Sotheby's Hong Kong spring sales continued to deliver strong performance today with two more items passing the key benchmark of HK$100m. One was a spectacular 88-carat oval diamond which sold for HK$107m (US$13.77m), accounted for over one third of the sale total HK$313m at Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite.
The diamond was acquired by a Japanese private collector who first saw the stone while on exhibit in Japan. Immediately after the sale, he named the precious stone, the ‘Manami Star’, after his eldest daughter.
The 88.22-carat diamond is in a similar size of pigeon egg
The focal point of the sale was the leading 88.22-carat oval diamond which has achieved the highest rankings under each of the four Cs. It weighs impressive 88.22 carats. The diamond is D colour, the highest grade for a white diamond. It is completely flawless, both internally and externally. The stone belongs to the rare subgroup comprising less than 2% of all gem diamonds, known as Type IIa*.
Jwaneng mine, Botswana
This exceptional large diamond was yielded from a 242-carat rough stone that was discovered in Botswana in the mine of Jwaneng, which was known for producing roughs of the highest quality.
The number 8 is a lucky number in Chinese. The series of 88 diamonds offered at the sale certainly brought luck to the sale as they took the top three spots. The second top lot was a 13.88-carat sapphire and diamond ring that realised HK$19.4m (US$2.47m) while a 10.88-carat was sold for HK$13.98m (US$1.78m).
Two 50-carat white diamonds fetched CHF 17.4m at Geneva Auction
A 51.71-carat round diamond
A 50.39-carat oval diamond
In May 2018, two white diamonds - a 51.71-carat round diamond and a 50.39-carat oval diamond - sold above their high estimate for US$9.3m and US$8.1m respectively.
Top three lots
88.22-Carat Oval Diamond
Lot no.: 1801
GIA report no.:2195631593
Carats: 88.22
Colour: D
Flawless
Estimate: HK$88,000,000 - 100,000,000
Hammer price: HK$93,000,000
Price realised: HK$107,993,000 (US$13,775,587)
A 13.88-Carat sapphire and diamond ring
Lot no.: 1800
SSEF report no. 18070121
Carat: 13.88 carats
Origin: Kashmir
Size: 6
Estimate: HK$14,000,000 - 18,000,000
Price realised: HK$19,375,000 (US$2,471,475)
10.88-carat brillint-cut diamond ring
Lot no.: 1799
GIA report no. 5141067685
Carats: 10.88
Colour: D
Internally Flawless
Size: 5.5
Estimate: HK$9,500,000 - 11,000,000
Price realised: HK$13,975,000 (US$1,782,651)
Auction summary
Auction house: Sotheby's Hong Kong
Sale: Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite
Sale date: 2 April 2019
Sale total: HK$313,760,500