The Orange, a spectacular fancy vivid orange diamond, has become the most valuable example of its kind, having sold through Christie's in Geneva on November 12.
 The Orange is almost 10 carats heavier than the largest orange diamond to have appeared at auction previously |
The diamond sold for $35.5m. It now stands as the most valuable fancy vivid orange diamond ever sold at auction, as well as setting a world record price per carat for any coloured diamond at auction of $2.3m.
"Time and again, a stone will appear on the market that is truly a miracle of nature. The 14.82ct orange diamond is one such a stone, a rare gem, which will perhaps only be seen once in a lifetime," said Christie's Francois Curiel, international head of jewellery.
"In the sale, it soared far above all previous records for any orange diamond ever sold at auction, placing The Orange amongst the greatest pinks and blues, which are traditionally the most appreciated coloured diamonds."
Orange diamonds - sometimes known as fire diamonds - are incredibly rare, with the largest to have appeared at auction until this point weighing just six carats.
The current record for any diamond ever sold at auction is held by the 24.78 carat Graff Pink, which realised $45.7m at Sotheby's in November 2010.
Sotheby's looks set to top this record tomorrow with the Pink Star, the world's largest internally flawless vivid pink diamond.
In October, Sotheby's set a new world record for any white diamond at $30m.
