Egg size 118-carat diamond up for auction

[Hum]

NEW YORK (AP) ? A New York auction house is showing off what it calls the world's greatest white diamond on the block ? a 118-carat stone from Africa the size of a small egg.

The oval diamond glistened in its glass case Wednesday at Sotheby's Manhattan headquarters, not yet mounted after it was mined and cut two years ago. It will be auctioned in Hong Kong on Oct. 7 and has a pre-sale estimate of $28 million to $35 million.

In terms of size, quality, polish and color, "this is the greatest white diamond we've ever had the privilege to sell," said Quek Chin Yeow, deputy chairman of Sotheby's Asia and an international diamond expert.

The stone was discovered in 2011 as a 299-carat rough diamond in a southern African country whose name Sotheby's declined to disclose.

When asked why they could not give the exact source, auction house officials said the owner wishes to remain anonymous and that was the agreement.

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[Charisma Veteran]

Heh, I find it dodgy they refused to comment on how they got it. 100% chance it involves slave labour and probably theft. Hooray.

[Growled Member]

That is a beautiful stone. If only I had a spare $25 million. :D

[Hum]

I'll take two.

[Astra.Xtreme]

That must have been pretty uncomfortable sneaking it out of Africa.

[Roger H. Veteran]

Only 35 Million? Well guess it's a lil cheap so i'll have to pass. My wife only wears 120 carat stones and higher anyways /s :p

 

For something that size i'd expect 100 million prolly.

[Hum]

That must have been pretty uncomfortable sneaking it out of Africa.

The Sun-Don't-Shine Company took care of that. :laugh:

[Astra.Xtreme]

The Sun-Don't-Shine Company took care of that. :laugh:

:laugh: Didn't Mike Rowe do an episode of "Dirty Jobs" with them? (/s)