Christie’s to Offer 204ct. Yellow in New York

RAPAPORT… A 204.36-carat, fancy-intense-yellow diamond with a high estimate of $5.5 million is set to lead the New York sale at Christie’s next month.

The cushion modified brilliant-cut, VVS2-clarity stone, called The Dancing Sun, is the largest polished diamond originating in North America, having been cut from a 552.74-carat rough unearthed at the Diavik mine in Canada, Christie’s said last week. The auction house will offer the stone at its Magnificent Jewels sale on June 8 alongside six smaller diamonds originating from the same rough, ranging from 1.06 to 14.52 carats.

Another prominent lot is the Chrysler Diamond, a pear-shaped, 54.03-carat, D-color, internally flawless stone. Originally purchased by Harry Winston from the estate of Thelma Chrysler Foy, the daughter of Walter Chrysler, the stone is now set in a necklace together with 43 smaller pear brilliant-cut diamonds. The piece carries a high estimate of $4.5 million.

Christie’s will also offer The Flawless Match, a ring featuring two pear-shaped diamonds. The jewel, which includes a 2.52-carat, fancy-vivid-blue diamond and 2.43-carat, D-color, internally flawless, type IIa diamond, is set to go under the hammer for up to $3.5 million.

Meanwhile, the auction house will highlight a group of 20 jewels by designer JAR, from an important private collection. That will be headed up by a pair of natural-pearl and diamond earrings with an upper valuation of $1 million. Pieces by Carnet and Lorraine Schwartz will go up for auction, as will several from Graff, some of which Christie’s will offer without reserve, it noted.

The Jewels Online sale will precede the New York auction, running from May 20 to June 4, and will feature colored and colorless diamonds, as well as signed jewels by Bulgari, Cartier, Graff, Harry Winston, JAR, Tiffany & Co., and Van Cleef & Arpels.

Image: The 204.36-carat yellow diamond. (Christie’s)