The mysterious giant black diamond "Mystery" sold for tens of millions of dollars

Recently, the largest cut diamond on the planet, a giant natural black diamond of 555.55 carats, was sold for £3.2 million (excluding commissions) in sotheby's online auction, which is about 27.57 million yuan. It is reported that because the origin of this black diamond is "shrouded in mystery", this black diamond was named "Enigma (Enigma)".

Black diamonds, also known as carbon diamonds, are the hardest of natural diamonds. It consists of randomly oriented tiny diamond particles, so it absorbs more light and produces a black appearance. According to Sotheby's, the structure of the black diamonds makes it almost impossible for them to be cut and polished, so it took more than three years for the "mystery" to be polished from the rough that was over 800 carats when it was first unearthed to its current appearance.

Black diamonds typically form between 260 million and 3.2 billion years — earlier than dinosaurs, compared to Earth, which only "existed" for 4.6 billion years. Because the black diamond contains trace amounts of nitrogen and hydrogen, two chemical elements found in space, and "meteoric nitrogen titanium", a mineral found in meteorites, there are many speculations about the production of black diamonds: some say that they were formed by meteor impacts; some say that supernova explosions formed diamond-containing asteroids, which are the result of the asteroid's collision with The Earth. Aaron Celestian, a geologist at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, thinks black diamonds may be buried very deep inside the Earth, "much deeper than any diamond mine we know."

Tobias Kormind of 77 Diamonds, Europe's largest online jeweler, believes that while Enigma's price has not reached record-breaking levels, there is no denying that Enigma "is an incomparable diamond" . It is understood that this black diamond has previously been rated as one of the largest diamonds by the Guberlin family in Switzerland and the Gemological Institute of America, and was included in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2016. And the "mystery" is also inextricably linked to the number 5: not only does it weigh 555.55 carats, but it is also cut into 55 facets, and the shape of the diamond is inspired by the Middle Eastern palm symbol "Hamsa", a symbol of "protection, power and strength".

Traditionally, diamonds have been sought after by jewelry lovers and collectors for their clarity and colorlessness. Black diamonds are not usually used in jewelry, but mainly for industrial drilling. But in recent years, as the prices of several natural black diamonds such as Black Orlov (67.5 carats), Amsterdam Diamond (33.74 carats) and this "mystery" have risen, black diamonds have suddenly become a highly sought after rare gemstone. Tobias Kormind said demand for rare, high-quality black diamonds is on the rise, "And while many of the new wealthies are currently eyeing the latest NFT fad, the results of this auction confirm that investing in a real, tangible, and unique asset remains a strong attraction." ”

For more information, please download the 21 Finance APP