Exceptionally and Extremely Rare Fancy Red diamond ring

Claw-set with a modified rectangular-cut fancy red diamond weighing 1.92 carats, flanked by half moon-shaped diamonds, the shank partially set with brilliant-cut stones, mounted in platinum, size 52. Estimate 2,800,000—3,350,000 CHF - Unsold.

Accompanied by a duplicate of GIA report no. 11360842 stating that the diamond is Fancy Red, Natural Colour, VS2 Clarity.

NOTE: Rarest of them all.........

It began millions of years ago and hundreds of miles beneath the earths crust. Vast amounts of carbon, were transformed by a combination of intensely high heat and phenomenal pressure into one of the most sought after and highly coveted substances on Earth: diamonds.

It is widely recognized that the rarest colored diamonds in the world are red. Fancy red diamonds, without any secondary colours, such as purplish, are an extremely rare phenomenon. These stones rarely become available and when they do they are highly prized by collectors and traders alike. This supremely rare color is believed to be the result of unique features within the diamonds crystal lattice interspersed with small amounts of nitrogen. Not only are pure reds rare but they rarely exceed 1 carat in weight. Therefore this stone, weighing 1.92 carats, is both exceptional in size and colour.

Information regarding their production is scarce but South Africa, India, Borneo, Brazil, Venezuela and Australia are the most commonly mentioned worldwide sources.
One of the earliest recorded red diamonds was the Halphen-Streeter stone, weighing in the region of one carat, which was traded between Paris and London in the Late Nineteenth Century; its present location is unknown. Nowadays, only a few specimens are known to exist around the world, their prices are constantly breaking any new registered record level. So rare are these elite diamonds that only a very small group of specialised dealers ever have had the chance to lay their eyes on them. So coveted is their possession, that the very appearance of one of them on the market is an extraordinary event in itself.

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels. 19 Nov 08. Geneva. Photo courtesy Sotheby's. www.sothebys.com