A record-breaking 204.36-carat fancy intense yellow diamond is to be auctioned by Christie's New York, with a high estimate of $5.5m. (update: Diacore Diamond company bought it. 20/06/2021)
The Dancing Sun (pictured) is the largest polished diamond produced in North America since the first mine opened there 30 years ago.
It has been graded by GIA as natural color, VVS2 clarity, excellent polish and symmetry.
It was cut from the largest gem-quality rough ever discovered in the American continent - a 552.74 stone (previous article) unearthed in 2018 at the Diavik Diamond Mine, close to the Arctic Circle, in Canada's Northwest Territories.
The same rough yielded several other diamonds, among them six other polished gems, from 14.52 to 1.06 carats, to be sold at the same auction.
204 Fancy Intense Yellow VVS2 2215187233 4950000USD
10.80 U to V VS2 2215187309 68750USD
3.22 M VVS1 EXEX 6214193819 10000USD
2.06 J VVS1 EXEX 5211193799 9375USD
2.53 S to T VS1 6214193811 6875USD
1.06 KSI1 2211193813 1375USD
The stones are being sold for the Arctic Canadian Diamond Company.
Previously the biggest rough mined in North America was the 187.66 carat Foxfire.