Flawless 163-Carat Diamond Sells for $34 Million in Geneva Auction

  • Christie’s sells De Grisogono necklace in Geneva auction
  • Price was on the low side, online jeweler 77Diamonds.com says

A necklace, known as Creation I, featuring a 163.41 carat diamond.

Photographer: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images

A flawless 163-carat clear diamond fetched $34 million at Christie’s in Geneva -- not enough to dispell concerns about the health of the market.

The stone, the centerpiece of a gem-studded necklace designed by De GrisogonoBloomberg Terminal founder Fawaz Gruosi, was the largest of its kind ever auctioned. It’s 40 percent bigger than a diamond Sotheby’s sold in 2013 for only $3 million less, said Tobias Kormind, head of London-based online jeweler 77Diamonds.com.