Asian man buys rare pink diamond auctioned for record $31.6 mn

The rare gem called the 'Unique Pink' was discovered in a South African mine five years ago

An Asian man has paid a record $31.6 million for an extremely rare 15.38 carat pear-shaped pink diamond auctioned at Sotheby's, making it the most expensive fancy vivid pink diamond ever to go under the hammer.

The rare gem called the 'Unique Pink' is set in a simple ring and was bought yesterday by an Asian private buyer who bid for it over the telephone and whose identity has not been disclosed.

"The Unique Pink set a new world record for a fancy vivid pink diamond. It's the highest price ever paid for a fancy vivid pink diamond," David Bennett, worldwide chairman of Sotheby's international jewellery division, told reporters.

"It is difficult to imagine a diamond that better illustrates the term vivid pink than this outstanding stone. The color is simply astonishing," Bennett was quoted as saying by the CNN today.

The seller was the New York-based company Cora International.

The most expensive pink diamond ever to sell at auction remains the 24.78 carat 'Graff Pink', which sold for $46.2 million at Sotheby's in November 2010.

However, yesterday's 'Unique Pink' sale eclipsed the previous record for a fancy vivid pink diamond, set by the 'Sweet Josephine' auctioned in November last year.

The 16.08 carat diamond had sold for $28.5 million to Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau, who purchased it for his then 7-year-old daughter.

The Unique Pink was discovered nearly five years ago in a South African mine. The seller was the New York-based company Cora International.