‘The Rock’, a pear-shaped diamond that weighs almost as much as a golf ball, is set to go under the hammer in the Swiss city of Geneva. 

A dazzling component of a sale by auction company Christie’s, the 228.31-carat white diamond will be auctioned along with another stone known as ‘The Red Cross Diamond’. 

‘The Rock’, a record-setting stone, is the largest white diamond to ever be auctioned. It was mined in South Africa and adorned by its former possessor as a glitzy Cartier necklace. Previously, a record-setting white 163.41-carat diamond was sold in 2017. 

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Max Fawcett, the head of Christie’s jewelry department located in Geneva told Reuters that ‘The Rock’ is “a perfectly symmetrical pear-shaped form and …one of the rarest gems ever to be sold at auction,” and is an exception to the tendency of large stones sacrificing some of their shapes “ in order to keep the weight.”

The British auction house is also auctioning ‘The Red Cross Diamond’, which is a 205.07-carat cushion-shaped yellow gem. Christie’s first sold it in 1918 at an auction in London that was conducted to sell household things to extend help to the British Red Cross Society as a war effort. According to Fawcett, the diamond will be sold at an estimated price range between $7 million and $10 million.

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Part of the proceeds from Christie’s auction will be donated to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The unspecified portion of proceeds aims to help bring safe and clean water to the people impacted by Russia-Ukraine’s ongoing conflict.

Christie’s Luxury Week, which commenced on May 6, is currently being held at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva. The event will conclude on May 11.