A diamond known as the Clark Pink has set a new auction record for a pink diamond sold in the US, at Christie's.
The 9.0 carat cushion-cut fancy vivid purplish-pink diamond ring was the highlight of the Huguette M Clark sale at Christie's New York on April 17.
The diamond sold for $15.7m, up 96.2% on its $8m high estimate, an indication of the ongoing buoyancy of the investment-grade jewellery market.
Produced by French jeweller Dreicer & Co, the diamond is mounted in a Belle Époque setting.
The stone was originally set circa 1910 and is understood to have belonged to Ms Clark's mother, the former Anna Eugenia La Chapelle. It was later handed down to Huguette.
 The most expensive pink diamond ever sold in the US |
Huguette M Clark is regarded as being one of the last great heiresses of America's "Gilded Age". Her remarkable estate collection is believed to have been stored in a bank vault since the 1940s.
The new owner is Brett Stettner of Stettner Investment Diamonds.
A rectangular cut, 44.09 carat D colour IF diamond also performed well, selling for $7.4m.
"The entire collection, which has fascinated collectors and press worldwide, achieved a total of $20.8m against a presale estimate of $9m," commented Rahul Kadakia, the head of jewellery at Christie's Americas.
"This is the second most valuable private collection sold in the US in the last decade, just behind the legendary jewels of Elizabeth Taylor."
Jewellery collectors can look forward to Christie's auction of the Lily Safra jewellery collection on May 14. Paul Fraser Collectibles will bring you all the news from the sale.
