Feast your eyes on this 100.94 Carat D Color, Internally Flawless masterpiece
Type IIa
In addition to earning the highest grades in color and clarity, Spectacle is among fewer than 2% of all gem-quality diamonds which fall into the exceptional Type IIa classification, the most chemically pure of all natural diamonds. Celebrated for their exceptional transparency, Type IIa diamonds are also referred to as Golconda Diamonds, for the region in India where such specimens were first discovered.
The Largest Diamond ever Cut in Russia
The Spectacle diamond was fashioned from a rough crystal weighing 207.29 carats, unearthed in 2016 at the Zarnitsa deposit in the Republic of Yakutia. Coming full circle, Zarnitsa was the first diamond deposit ever discovered in Russia (the USSR at the time) by geologists Natalya Sarsadskikh and Larisa Popugayeva in August, 1954.
After extracting the rough crystal Alrosa also planned and cut the finished Spectacle, a process which took more than one and a half years. With a final weight of 100.94 carats, Spectacle has been declared the largest diamond ever polished in Russia. The emerald shape was chosen to emphasize the purity of the diamond’s D color and Internally Flawless clarity and to present (per Alrosa) “the perfect geometry of the diamond.”
According to Christie’s:
Emerald cut is incompatible with any imperfections, as it allows the observer to gaze endlessly into the clear, unobstructed depths of the gem. It requires the initial diamond to be perfect.
Sergey Ivanov, CEO of Alrosa commented:
We are delighted to present this long-awaited diamond from our eponymous collection, which includes two more exceptional pieces: the fancy bright yellow Firebird and the purple-pink Phantom of the Rose, which have already found their customers. The Spectacle is a real miracle of nature, cut by a human hand. Its impressive size combined with unmatched color and purity characteristics and a guarantee of flawless origin make its appearance a unique event.
Pre-Sale Viewings in Asia and Europe
Viewings will occur in Taipei and Geneva in early May. Estimated to command between $12 and $18 million, Spectacle will be offered for sale at the Geneva Magnificent Jewels auction on May 12.
Over the past 10 years, Christie’s has only sold outstanding D colorless diamonds of comparable size for sale twice, both times in Geneva as part of the Magnificent Jewels auction. The 101.73 carat Winston Legacy diamond was gaveled at $ 26.7 million in 2013 and the 163.41 carat Art of de Grisogono Creation I was sold for $ 33.7 million in 2017.
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