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The 5 carat Vivid Pink diamond is expected to sell for $5 to $7 million U.S.

Vivid Pink Diamond

Rare pink diamond comes up for auction

Vivid pink diamonds are among the rarest and most sought after in the world. Even more remarkable is that the geological process that results in pink diamonds remains a mystery. Previously assumed to be the result of the element manganese in the atomic structure, it is now thought to be the consequence of an alteration in the atomic lattice.

But we won’t bore you with science.

Regardless of how pink diamonds obtain their colour, their beauty mesmerizes collectors the world over and their rarity results in auction prices as extraordinary as the diamonds themselves.

So it is with great anticipation that Christie’s announces the upcoming auction of the largest Fancy Vivid Pink Potentially Flawless diamond ever.

The extremely rare 5 carat cushion-cut stone from an esteemed private collection is estimated to sell for $5 to $7 million U.S. at Christie's Hong Kong on Dec. 1, 2009.

The stone is set in a ring by leading international jeweller Graff, who is known for handling some of the world's most important gems such as The Begum Blue, The Golden Star and The Star of Lesotho.

While the vast majority of natural pink diamonds exhibit a colour modifier like purple, orange or grey, ‘The Vivid Pink’ shows absolutely no trace of a secondary colour, making it exceedingly rare, both commercially and naturally.  Its even colour depth and distribution, combined with a balanced saturation and tone of the straight pink hue, qualify ‘The Vivid Pink’ for the coveted Fancy Vivid colour grading from the GIA.  That only 1 in 100,000 diamonds possesses a colour deep enough to qualify as ‘Fancy’ underscores its absolute rarity.  This highly-coveted straight pink, along with its Potentially Flawless clarity combine in a diamond that will be among the most sought-after by collectors this year.

The current world record price for a pink diamond sold at auction is $7,421,318 U.S. for a rectangular fancy pink VVS2 diamond of 19.66 carats. The gem was sold at Christie’s Geneva sale in November 1994.

Other pink diamonds of note:

The Agra Diamond, a Fancy light pink cushion-shaped diamond of 32.24cts (VS1) sold at Christie’s London in June 1990 for $6,959,780, U.S., the second highest price for a pink diamond at auction.

The Mouawad Pink, a Fancy pink cushion-cut diamond of 21.06cts (VS1 potential) sold at Christie’s Geneva in May 1989 for $6,053,254 U.S.

The Rose of Dubai, a Fancy pink pear-shaped diamond ring of 25.02cts (IF, Type IIa) sold at Christie’s New York in October 2005 for $6,008,000 U.S.

The Vivid Pink Diamond embarks on a world tour prior to the sale. Click here for a list of cities.