Cover The eight D colour Internally Flawless or Flawless white diamonds is over 100 carats and is to be sold at auction this October. (Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's)

The highly important and exceedingly rare diamond weighs over 100 carats and will be offered in a single-lot auction on October 5, 2020

One of earth's rarest and most coveted wonders will be offered for sale on Sotheby's this autumn––the highly important 102.39-carat D Colour Flawless Oval Diamond. This is the eight D colour Internally Flawless or Flawless white diamond over 100 carats to be sold at auction.

In an unprecedented move, the diamond will be offered 'without reserve'––meaning that the winning bid will be the highest bid, regardless of its amount or the intrinsic value of the diamond itself. This marks the first time in auction history that a diamond of this calibre or any art of object of this importance and inherent value has been offered this way.

"Diamonds of this calibre attract interest well beyond the traditional pool of collectors. This innovative sale seems to us the best way to introduce this exceptional diamond to the world in the current circumstances where travel is restricted and act as a great indicator of the vitality of the demand," says Patti Wong, the Chairman of Sotheby's Asia.

The 102.39-carat diamond will be offered in a stand-alone, single lot live auction on October 5, 2020 while the bidding will start online from September 15. The auction will be preceded by a series of previews in Beijing, Shanghai, New York, Taipei, and Hong Kong, available by appointment only.

Tatler Asia
Above The 102.39-carat diamond is the second largest oval diamond of its kind to be offered at auction (Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's)

100-carat diamonds are exceedingly rare and thus, have achieved a mythical status. Out of the only seven other D colour Internally Flawless of Flawless white diamonds over 100 carats that have appeared at auction, Sotheby's has sold five. The 102.39-carat diamond is the second largest oval diamond of its kind to be offered at auction.

The diamond is classified D-colour, the highest grade for a white diamond, of exceptional clarity as it is completely flawless, both internally and externally, and has excellent polish and symmetry, which is the most sought-after grading for the oval shape category. It's also worth noting that the gem belongs one of the rarest categories of diamonds in the world known as Type IIa, which comprises less than 2% of all gem diamonds.

“This stunning diamond is the best of the best when it comes to exceptional white diamonds and it is difficult to overstate its rarity and beauty. Never before has the appreciation for world-class diamonds been so acute in the world and more and more people have come to understand that something billions of years old and of the size of a lollipop can store as much value a Rembrandt self-portrait or a Basquiat," says Gary Schuler, Worldwide Chairman of Jewelry.

"The wider comprehension that as the hardest material on earth, this wonder of nature will outlive us for millions of more years, is certainly another factor for the strength of the demand,” he adds.

See also: At US$2.1 Million, This Is The Most Expensive Diamond Ever Auctioned Online