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Flawless diamond to be auctioned An exceptionally rare 102.39-carat diamond may become one of the most expensive stones ever to sell at auction when it goes under the hammer in Hong Kong next month. Although auction house Sotheby's declined to provide a pre-sale estimate, diamonds of similar size and quality have previously attracted bids anywhere from $12 million to more than $30 million. Cut from a 271-carat rough diamond discovered in 2018 in Ontario, Canada, the oval stone has achieved top rankings in each of the "four Cs" - cut, color, clarity and carat weight - by which a diamond is judged, the auction house said. It has been classified as "D color," the highest grading for a white diamond, and is considered to be internally and externally "flawless," placing it among the world's most chemically pure, transparent and symmetrical diamonds. It also belongs to a rare subgroup of diamonds that contain little to no nitrogen. Only seven D color flawless (or internally flawless) diamonds weighing more than 100 carats have ever appeared at auction before, according to Sotheby's. Unusually, the rare oval diamond is being offered without a reserve, meaning it will be sold regardless of the size of the highest bid. Bidding will open online from Sept 15, with the sale concluding at a live auction in Hong Kong on Oct 5. |