New “Diamond Record”
$ 24,300,000. This is a new record sum which has ever been paid for a single diamond. The new world record was set during the Christie’s jewellery auction in London.
“The record-holder” is the legendary rare dark blue diamond Wittelsbach of an unusual oval 50-faceted cut. The Wittelsbach weighs 35.56 metric carats and measures 24.40 mm in diameter and 8.29 mm in depth. It is pure apart from a few surface scratches that were probably caused during removal from its setting. The diamond has been cut with 82 facets arranged in an unusual pattern - the star facets on the crown are vertically split and the pavilion has sixteen needle-like facets, arranged in pairs, pointing outward from the culet facet.
The first record of the Wittelsbach dates from the latter part of the seventeenth century. The king of Spain Philippe IV (1605 — 1665) included the gem into the dowry of his daughter infanta Margareta Teresa (1651 — 1673) when she was marrying the Emperor Leopold I of Austria in 1664. Then the diamond for a long period of time belonged to the treasury of Austrian and Bavarian monarchs.
Previously the diamond was sold in 1964 to a private collector for $180,000. Now the Wittelsbach has been bought by the head of the jewellery house of Graff — Lawrence Graff.
What Are the Gold Price Changes?
Comments
Leave a Reply