Emperor’s Treasure steals the spotlight, The Pink Dawn absent in Hong Kong

April 16, 2023

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Emperor’s Treasure steals the spotlight, The Pink Dawn absent in Hong Kong

Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels auction in Hong Kong generated more than $US49 million ($AU73 million) in sales despite the surprise withdrawal of a number of headline items.

Hosted on 4 April, the lead item was a pair of earrings featuring pear-shaped fancy pink colour diamonds weighing 11.1 and 10.8 carats. Swiss company Diacore purchased the earrings for $US6.1 million ($AU9.1 million).

Sotheby’s also hosted the 50th Anniversary Luxury Evening auction on 5 April, and of note was the sale of the Emperor’s Treasure, a jadeite, ruby, and diamond necklace for a return of $US7.8 million ($AU11.6 million)– comfortable exceeding the pre-auction estimate of $US5 million.

The Pink Dawn – a 10-carat fancy colour purplish-pink diamond – was excepted to return more than $US21 million ($AU31.3 million); however, the piece was absent from the Magnificent Jewels auction.

The Algieba Star, a 113-carat fancy colour yellow diamond was expected to return more than $US8.9 million ($AU13.2 million) at the evening auction; however, it was likewise absent.

According to reporting from Rapaport News, a spokesperson for Sotheby’s did not respond to a request for comment on why the items did not feature at their respective auctions.

In December the mysterious withdrawal of a pink diamond from an auction in New York generated international media attention after it was revealed the diamond was reported as stolen property.

The diamond was expected to fetch $US25 million ($AU37.2 million), however, it was withdrawn without explanation prior to the Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction.

Court documents would later reveal the pink diamond was stolen from its owner in Qatar by a psychic under the guise of “cleansing the jewellery of bad spirits.”