Natural fancy colored diamonds are the most concentrated form of wealth on the planet and demand for these rare jewels is pushing prices to record breaking levels. With over 244 years of auction history here is a list of the highest prices paid (per carat) at public auction.
Champagne Diamonds (Brown Variations)
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Source:World's Luxury GuideDecember 2011
Elizabeth Taylor's Cognac (Champagne) diamond blows an estimated-price of $180,000.00 out of the water, achieving USD2.3 million – over 13 times the estimate -
Source:Steel OrchidsDecember, 2011
Taylor's 7.87 & 6.83 carat Champagne diamond earring s beat its $100,000- 150,000 estimate, after achieving $962,500.00. -
Demo from Rare Investment Diamond CollectionMay 1992
A 36.65 carat Oval Brilliant Yellowish-Brown diamond achieved $5,112 per carat at Sotheby's Geneva (lot 513) -
Demo from Rare Investment Diamond CollectionDecember 1986
A 4.02 Brown Diamond (Lot 311) achieved $4,925 per carat at Christies New York. -
Sample from Rare Invesment CollectionApril, 1987
An 8.91 carat Fancy Orangish-Brown Octagonal step cut diamond (lot 122) achieved $82,497 ($9,259 per carat). -
Sample from Rare Invesment CollectionOctober 1988
A 1.14 carat Reddish-Brown Round brilliant Fancy achieved $7,699 ($6,754/carat) at Christies New York -
Sample from Rare Invesment CollectionOctober 1988
A 9.84 carat Greenish-Yellow-Brown Pear shaped fancy diamond (lot 131) achieved $5,813 per carat at Christies New York.
Pink Diamonds
April, 17, 2012
The Clark Pink, a ring-set, 9 carat cushion-cut, fancy vivid Purplish Pink diamond estimated to achieve USD$6 million-$8 million set a new world record of USD$15.7 million at Christies.
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Source:ChristiesOctober 18, 2011
A 8.20 carat pear-shaped fancy purplish-pink diamond ring flanked on either side by a modified triangular-cut diamond and mounted in platinum (from Tiffany & Co.) was estimated to earn between $1.25 million and $1.8 million. It achieved $2,042,500 at Christie's New York, October 18, 2011. -
Source:ChristiesOctober 18, 2011
A 5.23 carat modified oval-cut fancy pink diamond VVS2 clarity achieved $932,500. It was set with a 2.28 carat fancy intense blue modified marquise-cut diamond, within a baguette-cut diamond surround, mounted in platinum, VVS2 clarity which achieved $914,500 Christie's New York. -
Source: ChristiesDecember 7, 2010
A 6.89 carat Fancy Vivid Purple-Pink diamond achieved US$ 6,914,500 ($1 million per carat) at Christie's Hong Kong. -
Source:Art Knowledge NewsDecember 1, 2010
A 5.00 carat cushion-shaped fancy vivid pink diamond ring set two world auction records at the Christie's Jewels sale in Hong Kong. The potentially flawless, type IIa vivid pink diamond sold for $10.78 million ($2.1 million per carat). It was the highest price paid per carat for a diamond at an auction and the highest price for a pink diamond. -
Source: ChristiesNovember 29, 2010
Christie's Hong Kong offered The Perfect Pink, a 14.23 carat Fancy Intense Pink diamond. It was offered with an estimate of million US$14-19 million (HK$110-150). It achieved $23.2 million ($1,627,967 per carat). In over 244 years of auction history, only 18 diamonds over 10 carats showing a distinct pure pink colour have appeared for sale and not one was graded a Fancy Intense Pink at the time. -
Source:Business InsiderNovember 16, 2010
Laurence Graff raised the auction stakes for natural color diamonds when he paid a world record price of $46.16 million for a 24.78-carat fancy intense pink diamond at Sotheby's. Renamed "the Graff Pink", this diamond is described as the "most fabulous" diamond [Graff] has seen in the history of his career. -
Source:FlareOctober 8, 2010
A rare 10.11-carat pink diamond achieved $2.3 million which is the highest price ever paid for a diamond at a Canadian auction. Most pink diamonds weigh less than three carats. The buyer-who remains anonymous-has naming rights to the diamond. The bid shattered the previous record of $250,000 for the most paid for a gem in Canada. -
Sample from Rare Invesment CollectionNovember 1995
A 7.37 carat Emerald Fancy Intense Purplish-Pink achieved $6,037,511 -
Sample from Rare Invesment Collection
April 1995 - A 4.92 carat Emerald Fancy Purplish Pink achieved $2,092,495 ($425,304/carat).
Yellow Diamonds
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Source:MirrorNovember 2011
The Sun Drop Yellow Diamond. A 110.3 carat natural fancy vivid yellow diamond- possibly the highest possible colour grading - achieved USD$11,070,437.80 (or £6.8m) at Sotheby's. This golden jewel was purchased by a bidder who chooses to remain anonymous. -
Source:ChristiesOctober 18, 2011
A 32.77 carat vivid natural yellow diamond achieved $6.6m (£4.1m) at auction by Christie's New York. -
Source:Bid4AssetsSept 9, 2011
A rare 43.51 carat Flawless Fancy Intense Yellow Diamond achieved USD $2,843,623. Courtesy of the United States Marshals Service, Northern District of Ohio Office. -
Source:ChristiesJune 3, 2011
A pair of modified square-cut fancy yellow VS1 and VS2 diamonds-17.77 and 17.80 carats each-sold for $722,500 at Christie's Hong Kong. -
Source:ChristiesApril 21, 2011
A ring centered by a 25.01carat fancy brownish-greenish-yellow diamond flanked by two shield-shaped diamonds weighing a total of 2.40 carats was sold for $410,500, well-above its pre-auction high estimate of 350,000 at Christie's Dubai. -
Source:ChristiesApril 14, 2011
The "bee" motif mounting design for the 11.13 carat VS2 clarity cushion-shaped Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond Ring, Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co, 1972 achieved $1,082,500 at Sotheby's New York (£661,837). The ring comes from a private collection. -
December 10, 2010
A 54.20 carat fancy vivid yellow, VS1 diamond ring achieved $2,322,500 at Sotheby's New York. -
Sample from Rare Invesment CollectionApril, 1997
A 13.83 carat Fancy Vivid Yellow Antique brilliant diamond achieved $3,302,493 ($238,792 carat). -
Source:iQuAnsJune 1990
The Golden Drop Diamond- a 18.49 carat Fancy Intense Yellow Pear brilliant diamonds achieved $3,761,993 ($203,461/carat).
Orange-Yellow Diamonds
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Source:Sotheby'sOctober 5 2011
This 4.19 carat cushion-shaped natural fancy vivid orange diamond ring achieved a record price for $2.96 million (HKD 23.06 million) or $705,587 per carat) at Sotheby's Hong Kong at the Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite Autumn Sale. -
Source:Sotheby'sApril 20, 2011
This 7.67 carat internally flawless rare fancy intense pinkish-orange diamond ring achieved $3.11 million USD at Sotheby's New York. -
November, 1990
A 4.77 carat Natural Fancy Intense Rectangular Orange-Yellow sold for ($821,803/carat) $3,920,000 -
October 1997
The Pumpkin Diamond- a 5.54 carat Natural Fancy Vivid Cushion modified brilliant Orange diamond achieved $1,322,497 ($238,718/carat). -
Sample from Rare Invesment CollectionMay 1988
A 8.93 carat Pear brilliant Fancy Intense Yellow-Orange achieved $1,885,239 ($211,113/carat).
Blue Diamonds
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Source:Sotheby'sOctober 5, 2011
A 6.01 carat oval vivid natural fancy blue diamond center flanked by two .90 carat pink diamonds achieved $10.1 million which was within the pre-sale estimate at Sotheby's Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite Autumn Sale. -
Source:ChristiesOctober 18, 2011
This 3.21 carat modified pear-shaped fancy vivid blue diamond ring is flanked by white side diamonds and mounted in platinum. It achieved $2,714,500 USD at Christie's New York. -
Source:ChristiesOctober 18, 2011
This 5.23 carat modified oval-cut fancy pink diamond VVS2 clarity achieved $932,500. It was set with a 2.28 carat fancy intense blue modified marquise-cut diamond, within a baguette-cut diamond surround, mounted in platinum, VVS2 clarity which achieved $914,500 Christie's New York. -
Source:SothebySeptember 20, 2011
A platinum, pear-shaped fancy intense blue diamond and diamond pendant necklace from a private collection realized $782,500, equaling out to $302,123 per carat, after a pre-sale estimate of $500,000 - $700,000 at Sothebys. -
Source:ChristiesJune 13, 2011
A pair of diamond earrings by India-based jewelry designer Nirav Modi sold for over $1.38 million at a recent Christies jewelry auction in Hong Kong. The centerpiece of one of the earrings is an oval-shaped 2.22-carat blue diamond, set within a diamond frame and matched with a pear-shaped Golconda white diamond at its top. The jewels are reversed in the other earring. A larger white diamond weighing 2.06 carats hangs from the circular frame while a smaller blue diamond on the other end of the ear piece. The diamonds, which include smaller pink ones, are mounted on a spine of 18-karat white gold. -
Source:SothebyApril 14, 2011
A Blue diamond Ring featuring a 3.18 carat Internally Flawless marquise-shaped fancy vivid blue diamond, set within a contemporary openwork diamond mounting achieved USD $3,274,500 at Sothebys New York. -
Source:ChristiesApril 12, 2011
Christies sold this square emerald-cut Fancy Vivid Blue IF 3.25-carat diamond for $1.1 million per carat or $3.6 million. -
Source:Natural Color Diamond AssociationMay 18, 2011
An "Ocean Blue" 6.60 carat Internally Flawless Fancy Intense Blue a rectangular-cut diamond $5,465,814 ($828,000 per carat) during the sale Christies Geneva. -
Source:ChristiesOctober 20, 2010
The Bvlgari Blue Diamond, a ring designed in the 1970s, was expected to fetch around $12 million but the two-stone ring set a new record price per carat for a blue diamond at auction when it achieved $15.7 million to an Asian collector at Christies New York. Featuring a triangular-shaped Fancy Vivid blue diamond of 10.95 carats - paired with triangular-shaped colorless diamond of 9.87 carats - it was the largest triangular-shaped Fancy Vivid blue diamond ever to appear at auction. -
Source:Art Knowledge NewsApril 10, 2010
A magnificent 5.16-carat pear-shaped Internally flawless fancy vivid blue diamond, one of the 11 blue diamonds that was a part of the De Beers Millennium Jewels Collection sold to Moussaieff of London for a high 6.4 million ($1.24 million per carat) after fierce bidding Sothebys London. -
Source:Affluent PageMay 11, 2010
A 7.64 carat fancy intense blue cushion-shaped diamond mounted in yellow gold and platinum had competition from at least three potential buyers before selling to an anonymous client for $8,034,503 at a Sothebys auction in Geneva. -
December 2008
The 35.56 carat cushion-shaped internally flawless Fancy Deep Blue Natural Colored diamond was renamed the Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond after Laurence Graff achieved more than 24 million USD at Christies auction. The GIA has noted the rare diamond to be "the largest Flawless they have graded to date. The legendary deep grayish-blue gem from India passed through the hands of many royal families and spent two centuries in the House of Bavaria as the family diamond of the Wittelsbachs, according to Christies. -
Sample from Rare Invesment CollectionNovember 1995
A 4.37 carat Oval brilliant Fancy Deep Blue achieved $2,485,393 ($568,740/carat). -
Sample from Rare Invesment CollectionApril 1995
A 13.49 carat Emerald Fancy Deep Blue achieved $7,482,498 ($554,670/carat).
Green Diamonds
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Source:Sotheby'sNovember 17, 2008
A rare 2.52 carat green diamond was Sothebys Geneva sold to an anonymous buyer for a $3.08 million. It was the largest vivid-green diamond ever to appear at auction and the sale set a new world-record price per carat for a green diamond at auction. -
Source:Christie'sMay 2008
A 10.36-carat square fancy green diamond ring sold at Christies Geneva. The estimated price was US$2-3 Million and it achieved US$3.5 Million. -
Source:Christie'sApril 2000
A 1.73 carats 'Belle Epoque' fancy vivid yellowish green mine-cut diamond ring of Christies New York –achieved $886,000 ($512,135 per carat). -
Sample from Rare Invesment CollectionOctober 1999
A 0.90 carat Round brilliant Fancy Vivid Green sold for $736,111/carat, $662,499. -
Sample from Rare Invesment CollectionApril 1988
A 3.02 carat Pear Brilliant Fancy Yellowish-Green diamond sold for $1,704,998 ($564,569/carat).
Red Diamonds
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Source:LivingFlashilyNovember 15, 2007
A 2.26 carats Octagonal-shaped fancy purplish-red diamond ring from Christie's Geneva achieved US$ 2,667,567 /Sfr 2,961,000. -
Sample from Rare Invesment CollectionOctober 1996
A 0.25 carat Natural Fancy Red Oval brilliant- achieved $81,500 ($326,000/carat). -
Sample from Rare Invesment CollectionApril 1987
The Hancock Red Diamond is a 0.95 carat Fancy Purplish-Red Round brilliant that achieved $880,000 ($926,315/carat).
Black Diamonds
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Sample from Rare Invesment CollectionOctober 1996
The Circular Briolette, a 46.53 carat natural Fancy Black diamond achieved $112,509 ($2,418/carat). -
Source:FamousDiamondDecember 1990
The Black Orlov- a 67.50 carat Cushion Brilliant Fancy Black achieved $98,955 ($1466/carat). -
Source:RedlacreNovember 2011
The Amsterdam Diamond - a 33.74 carat natural Fancy Black modified Pear Brilliant achieved $352,000 ($10,432/carat).
Silvermist(Gray) Diamonds
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November 2011
A 10.67 carat Silvermist (Gray) diamond estimated at $120,000-200,000, achieved $1.19 million, a world record price for a Silvermist diamond at the recent Christies auction.
Purple Diamonds
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Sample from Rare Invesment CollectionNovember 1990
1.04 carat Bullet-shape step cut Fancy Purple sold for $98,000 ($94,240 carat). -
Sample from Rare Invesment CollectionApril 1987
A 0.54 carat Round brilliant Fancy Reddish-Purple sold for $66,000 ($122,222 per carat).