Hongkonger pays record HK$254.6m for blue diamond at auction
A mystery Hong Kong collector has paid more than HK$250 million for a 9.75-carat blue diamond at a New York auction, setting a new record for precious gemstones.
A mystery Hong Kong collector has paid more than HK$250 million for a 9.75-carat blue diamond at a New York auction, setting a new record for precious gemstones.
The pear-shaped fancy vivid diamond went under the hammer in a frantic 20-minute race involving seven bidders.
It eventually sold to the Hong Kong collector for the equivalent of HK$254.6 million (US$32.65 million), including buyer's premium - more than double the pre-sale estimate of US$15 million, which did not include the buyer's premium.
The buyer named the stone "The Zoe Diamond". Auctioneer Sotheby's did not disclose the buyer's identity.
The total price smashed the previous auction record for a blue diamond, of US$24.3 million, set in 2008 by Christie's in London.
The sale also achieved a per-carat price of US$3,348,205, a new auction record for any diamond.
The previous record was held by a 14.82-carat fancy vivid orange diamond, which fetched US$2,398,152 per carat at a Christie's sale in Geneva last year.
Hong Kong collectors are known to be among the most active in the world jewellery market, but only a few have made themselves known.
In 2009, Hong Kong property tycoon Joseph Lau Luen-hung bought a rectangular 7.03-carat fancy vivid blue diamond for US$9.5 million, or US$1.35 million per carat, at a Sotheby's auction in Geneva.
Lau won the bid by telephone and then named the stone "Star of Josephine".
Hong Kong will see another week of art auctions from Sunday, with auctioneers Bonhams and Christie's hosting their autumn auctions.
