HONG KONG (AP) – A stunning 59.6 carat diamond known as the “Pink Star” sold for $71.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction Tuesday in Hong Kong, setting a new world record for any diamond or jewel, according to the auction house.
The oval mixed-cut diamond smashed the $60 million pre-sale estimate set by Sotheby’s when it went on the block.
The crowd in the packed auction room applauded when it was sold for a hammer price of $63 million, not including the buyer’s premium. Sotheby’s Asia Chairwoman Patti Wong said the winning bidder was Hong Kong jeweler Chow Tai Fook.