The Pink Star Diamond is a remarkable gemstone known for its size, color, and rarity. It weighs 59.60 carats and is rated as Fancy Vivid Pink by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The diamond was mined by De Beers in 1999 in South Africa, and it weighed 132.5 carats in its rough state. The Pink Star is the largest known diamond to have been rated Vivid Pink.
The diamond was meticulously cut and polished over a two-year period by the Beny Steinmetz Group, transforming it into a flawless vivid pink diamond. The Pink Star was first unveiled to the public in Monaco in 2003.
The Pink Star Diamond has a fascinating history. It was first sold at a Sotheby’s Geneva sale in 2013 for $83 million to New York diamond cutter Isaac Wolf. However, Wolf defaulted on the payment, and Sotheby’s, which had a guarantee of $60 million on the diamond, was forced to acquire it.
In April 2017, the Pink Star was sold at an auction in Hong Kong for $71.2 million to Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, setting a record for the most expensive diamond or jewel sold at auction. The diamond was renamed the CTF Pink Star after the company’s initials.
The Pink Star Diamond is considered a “total freak of nature” due to its size and quality. According to Tom Moses, executive vice president of the GIA, it is unlikely that we will see another diamond of similar quality and size.
