Fancy vivid yellow diamond known as the Sun Drop casts 'magical aura' at Sotheby's

In just over a week's time, Christie's is set to offer a fancy vivid yellow diamond with an intense hue, known simply as The Vivid Yellow. Weighing 32.77 carats, it is one of the finest examples of its kind in the world.

Not to be outdone, Sotheby's has announced that it is to offer the Sun Drop diamond, the largest known pear-shaped fancy vivid yellow diamond in the world.

"A diamond such as the 110.03 carat Sun-Drop can almost be said to exude a magical aura." notes a Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Monograph written on the Sun-Drop Diamond.

"Its magnificent colour combined with impressive size and uncommon cut make it a paragon in the world of diamonds"

 

At 110.03 Carats, the Sun-Drop Diamond has been graded Fancy Vivid Yellow, the highest colour grading for a yellow diamond, by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

This exceptional stone ranks as the largest known pear-shaped fancy vivid yellow diamond in the world, and has a purity of VVS1. The stone was exhibited earlier this year at London's Natural History Museum.

The rough for the Sun-Drop diamond was discovered in South Africa in 2010, and was cut and polished by Cora International, one of the world's leading manufacturers of exceptional diamonds, with its headquarters in New York.

This stunning diamond comes to the market with an estimate of $11-15m.

Sun drop fancy vivid yellow diamond
The Sun Drop - perhaps the finest fancy vivid yellow diamond ever?

Commenting on the forthcoming sale of the Sun-Drop Diamond, David Bennett, Chairman of Sotheby's Jewellery Department in Europe and the Middle East and Co-Chairman of Sotheby's Switzerland said:

"This stone has immense presence and is truly stunning. It is also one of the largest diamonds ever to have appeared at auction. It is an honour to have been chosen by Cora International to present it to the market."

It is remarkable that both of these diamonds have come to the market at the same time, especially following on from another world-class yellow diamond, The Golden Eye, which sold for $2.84m last month.

The records for yellow diamonds go back a little further, however.

The current world auction record for a fancy vivid yellow diamond was achieved by a marquise-cut fancy vivid yellow diamond weighing 13.83 carats (Property from the Estate of Julie V. Burden), which sold for $3,302,500 at Sotheby's New York in April 1997.

The current world auction record for a pear-shaped yellow diamond was achieved by the Golden Drop, a pear-shaped yellow diamond of 18.49 carats which sold for $3,762,000 at Christie's London in June 1990.

Could both of these be about to be broken?  Check back here soon to find out.


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