LONDON ¨C A flawless diamond, the size of a large strawberry, is expected to fetch a world record price when it goes on sale at Sotheby¡¯s in London this month.
Weighing just over 102 carats, the round, brilliant white stone is smaller than a 163-carat oval diamond sold in Hong Kong in 2013, which currently holds the record price per carat.
But Sotheby¡¯s, which also handled that Hong Kong sale, expects the smaller stone¡¯s rarity and high quality will see it attract an even higher price.
¡°That (stone sold in Hong Kong) fetched $260,000 a carat, currently the world record for any colorless diamond. This one being a round brilliant cut ¡ª the asking price will be north of that,¡± Patti Wong, chairman of Sotheby¡¯s Diamonds, told Reuters.
The diamond is the only stone over 100 carats to have been given the highest grades in every criteria by the Gemological Institute of America, which judges a precious stone¡¯s quality, Sotheby¡¯s said.
It has not disclosed the asking price for the stone, which will be sold in a private sale.
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