AuctionsMar 18, 2026
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26-Carat Diamond Tops $1M at Auction
The historic stone, which sold at Elmwood’s in London, is the largest white diamond to be offered on the U.K. market in more than a decade.
The diamond, which Elmwood’s said combines “rarity, technical perfection, and the enduring allure of one of nature’s most remarkable creations,” had a pre-sale estimate of around $1 million.
London—A rare white diamond weighing more than 26 carats garnered more than $1 million in a historic sale in London.
The 26.27-carat diamond—which features VVS1 clarity, I color, no fluorescence, and a triple X grade from GIA—is the largest to come to the U.K. market in more than a decade.
It sold for £1 million ($1.3 million), in line with its pre-sale estimate of £800,000-£1 million ($1 million-$1.3 million), in Elmwood’s Fine Jewellery auction on March 17.
Elmwood’s said there was competitive bidding both on the telephones and the internet for the stone, which was set as a solitaire in a simple platinum ring.
Ultimately, it sold to a private British individual, as a gift for his wife, to much applause.
Joe Kendrick, head of sale at Elmwood’s auctioneers, said the auction house is delighted with the outcome for the “truly exceptional” diamond.
“This is an extraordinarily rare stone. Its combination of impressive size, VVS1 clarity, and triple excellent cut is seldom encountered on the U.K. market,” he said.
“Diamonds of this caliber appear perhaps once in a decade, and this remarkable solitaire is a spectacular example of why the finest white diamonds continue to captivate collectors worldwide.”
The stone represented “the pinnacle of technical craftsmanship,” Elmwood’s said.
The last comparable sale in the U.K. was a 26.29-carat diamond ring Sotheby’s London offered in 2017, which sold for £656,760 (more than $800,000).
Related stories will be right here …
The 26.27-carat diamond—which features VVS1 clarity, I color, no fluorescence, and a triple X grade from GIA—is the largest to come to the U.K. market in more than a decade.
It sold for £1 million ($1.3 million), in line with its pre-sale estimate of £800,000-£1 million ($1 million-$1.3 million), in Elmwood’s Fine Jewellery auction on March 17.
Elmwood’s said there was competitive bidding both on the telephones and the internet for the stone, which was set as a solitaire in a simple platinum ring.
Ultimately, it sold to a private British individual, as a gift for his wife, to much applause.
Joe Kendrick, head of sale at Elmwood’s auctioneers, said the auction house is delighted with the outcome for the “truly exceptional” diamond.
“This is an extraordinarily rare stone. Its combination of impressive size, VVS1 clarity, and triple excellent cut is seldom encountered on the U.K. market,” he said.
“Diamonds of this caliber appear perhaps once in a decade, and this remarkable solitaire is a spectacular example of why the finest white diamonds continue to captivate collectors worldwide.”
The stone represented “the pinnacle of technical craftsmanship,” Elmwood’s said.
The last comparable sale in the U.K. was a 26.29-carat diamond ring Sotheby’s London offered in 2017, which sold for £656,760 (more than $800,000).
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