“The Glowing Rose,” weighing 10.08 carats, is a type IIa, cushion-cut, fancy vivid pink diamond that was mined in Angola in 2023.
Geneva—Sotheby’s will offer a 10.08-carat fancy vivid pink diamond at its November high jewelry sale in Geneva, where it is expected to achieve around $20 million.
The diamond, which is type IIa—meaning it is chemically pure—has a wonderfully saturated color, very high clarity, and, at just over 10 carats, a “fabulously rare” size for a pink diamond of this quality, Sotheby’s said.
“The Glowing Rose” is only the third vivid pink cushion-cut diamond weighing more than 10 carats to come to market in the last decade, the auction house said.
The cushion shape is often chosen to showcase a diamond’s color saturation and brilliance, with rounded corners and facet arrangements that the auction house said amplifies the depth and warmth of its hue.
“The Glowing Rose” is set in a ring designed by Boodles. It is made in platinum and Single Mine Origin pink gold with accents of Argyle pink diamonds and baguette- and brilliant-cut white diamonds.
Pink is one of the rarest colors to occur naturally in diamonds.
Less than 3 percent of all diamonds submitted to the Gemological Institute of America are classified as colored diamonds, and of those, less than 5 percent are considered predominantly pink.
Those with a saturation worthy of a fancy vivid pink color grade, most of which weigh less than 1 carat, are estimated to make up a fraction of the 0.0001 percent of the world's diamond supply, according to Sotheby's.
In addition to its quality, the size of The Glowing Rose puts it in the company of prominent pink diamonds that have set records at international auctions.
These include the 11.15-carat “Williamson Pink Star,” which sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2022 for $57.7 million, and the 10.57-carat “Eternal Pink,” which sold at Sotheby’s New York in 2023 for $34.8 million.
The offering follows Sotheby’s sale of The Mediterranean Blue, which garnered $21.5 million at its May auction, making it the most valuable diamond or gemstone sold at auction this year.
“With the current high global demand for rare colored diamonds, the chance to offer The Glowing Rose, a superb and extremely rare colored diamond, makes this auction moment truly exciting,” said Jessica Wyndham, head of high jewelry at Sotheby’s Geneva.
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The Glowing Rose was cut from a 21-carat rough extracted in 2023 from a mine in Angola. Sotheby’s said the stone was “responsibly mined” and traded under the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.
It is set in a ring designed by British heritage jeweler Boodles.
The presentation mount features a geometric star pattern on the collet, rising up from the finger and accented with Argyle pink diamonds, which are set in Single Mine Origin pink gold.
The platinum band features baguette- and brilliant-cut white diamonds flowing away and around the finger. A subtle chevron of pink diamonds at the end of the row of white diamonds acts as a nod to the geometry of the collet, Boodles said.
“Boodles is delighted to partner with Sotheby's in bringing our distinctive design and exquisite setting to this most spectacular and important of vivid pink diamonds,” said Jody Wainwright, managing director at Boodles Ltd.
“This is a high watermark in a longstanding relationship we have both enjoyed over very many years.”
The Glowing Rose will headline Sotheby’s high jewelry sale at the Mandarin Oriental in Geneva on Nov. 12.
Prior to the sale, it will be exhibited in Singapore from Oct. 17-18 and in Taipei from Oct. 23-24
