Indian Dream – Most Expensive Diamond Ever Sold at Christie’s
Do you have a few extra million dollars lying around? Did you just pick up the phone and bid $39 ,323,750 on a diamond? No? Well, someone did! An anonymous collector bidding by phone just parted with $ 39.3 million at Christie’s. This was no ordinary sparkler – a rare 34.65 carat Fancy Intense Pink diamond named the Princie, which originated from the ancient Golconda mines in India. It is the most expensive diamond ever sold at Christie’s – or in the US.
According to Christie’s, Princie was first recorded as a possession of the Royal Family of Hyderabad and was offered at auction in 1960 as ‘Property of a Gentleman’ – later revealed to be none other than the Nizam of Hyderabad himself! The diamond was purchased by Van Cleef & Arpels in those days for 46000 pounds, the equivalent of $ 1.3 million today.
Why ‘Princie’? The diamond’s unique name was bestowed at a party at the firm’s Paris store, where it was christened the “Princie” in honor of the 14-year-old Prince of Baroda, who attended the party with his mother Maharani Sita Devi.
One wonders how the anonymous bidder is enjoying this fabulous diamond. Certainly not wearing it to the grocery store, we hope! A word of advice – don’t forget it on the kitchen sink when you’re washing your hands!
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