Sakura Diamond sells for $37.7 million, smashing auction record
The 4.19 carat pink Sweet Heart diamond ring also sold at the weekend auction. Photo: ABC/Christie's Magnificent Jewels
A pink diamond named after the famous Japanese cherry blossom flowering trees of the same colour has sold at auction for a record price.
âThe Sakura Diamond,â a 15.81-carat fancy vivid purple-pink diamond ring set a world auction record price for a diamond with this rare colour combination, fetching $226 million Hong Kong dollars ($AU37.7 million) on Sunday.
The ring was sold by Christieâs Hong Kong. Bidding opened at $HK170Â million and climbed to the final hammer price of $HK226.275 million, plus commission.
It was bought by a telephone bidder.
âSakuraâ is the Japanese word for cherry blossoms that bloom for a very short period at the beginning of spring.
While it was the largest and most expensive, it wasnât the only pink diamond sold at the high-end auction.
The âSweet Heartâ diamond, shaped like a love heart, also sold for a far more modest price of $HK50 million ($8.3 million).
The previous price record for a purple-pink diamond is held by âThe Spirit of the Roseâ. The 14.83-carat stone sold at auction for more than $33.6 million at Sothebyâs Geneva in November 2020.
