The Glowing Rose, a 10.08-carat vivid pink diamond that was expected to sell for around $20m was pulled from Sotheby’s High Jewelry Sale in Geneva last week.
It was withdrawn prior to the sale on 12 November. A notice on the Sotheby’s website simply says: “This lot is no longer available.”
The cushion-modified brilliant VVS2 stone (pictured), set in a platinum band featuring baguette and brilliant cut white diamonds, would have been only the third vivid pink cushion-cut diamond over 10 carats to come to auction in the last 10 years.
It was cut from a 21-carat Type IIa rough stone recovered in 2023, from a mine in Angola and was due to appear at auction for the first time.
Two days earlier (10 November) another pink diamond pulled from another sale, The old-cut Golconda 6.95-carat fancy vivid purplish pink diamond was due to lead the sale was withdrawn by Phillips from its Geneva Jewels Auction: V event, in agreement with the consignor.
The Sotheby’s High Jewelry Sale generated around $37m, with 94 per cent of lots sold and 98 per cent of the sold lots exceeding their estimates.
Top lot was a 4.50-carat internally flawless oval mixed-cut fancy vivid blue diamond that achieved more than $5.9m.
Each November, Geneva takes centre stage in the world of fine jewellery, and Sotheby’s 2025 High Jewellery and Royal & Noble Jewels sales reaffirm why the city remains its beating heart. This year’s auctions bring together a breathtaking display of natural diamonds, historical heirlooms, and masterful craftsmanship that celebrate centuries of artistry and provenance.
At the forefront of the Sotheby’s High Jewellery Sale is The Glowing Rose, an extraordinary 10.08-carat Fancy Vivid Pink diamond estimated at around USD 20 million. Its rare, “pure pink” hue—free from secondary tones—places it among the most valuable gemstones in existence. Comparable to celebrated stones such as the Williamson Pink Star and Pink Legacy, this exceptional diamond embodies the geological miracle of atomic distortion, which gives natural pink diamonds their ethereal glow. Stones of this size and purity are exceedingly rare, making The Glowing Rose the undeniable star of the season.
Colour remains the hallmark of this year’s Geneva sale. A pair of Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond earrings, weighing 38.66 and 38.88 carats, are expected to achieve between CHF 2,000,000 and CHF 3,800,000. Their radiant colour intensity and impressive carat weight represent the highest standards of fancy diamond grading. Equally captivating is a 4.50-carat Fancy Vivid Blue diamond, internally flawless and estimated at CHF 4,400,000 to CHF 5,800,000. The blue hue, caused by trace boron, adds to its rarity and appeal, offering collectors the coveted trifecta of exceptional colour, clarity, and size.
Among the coloured gemstones, a 7.69-carat “Royal Blue” Kashmir sapphire set in a ring-pendant combination by Van Cleef & Arpels is a standout. Revered for their velvety “sleepy” lustre, Kashmir sapphires are among the most desirable in the world, and this piece exemplifies the pinnacle of gemological beauty. Further artistry is showcased through a pair of sapphire, tsavorite garnet, and diamond earclips by JAR—vividly imaginative and estimated at CHF 300,000 to CHF 500,000—reflecting the contemporary genius of Joel Arthur Rosenthal.
The sale also includes signature creations by Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Graff, and De Grisogono. Highlights include a 10.04-carat marquise-shaped D-colour diamond ring by Graff (VVS2 clarity, estimated CHF 320,000–560,000) and a De Grisogono ruby and diamond bombé ring featuring two step-cut diamonds (estimated CHF 55,000–75,000).
In tribute to a century of Art Deco design, Sotheby’s presents an array of geometric masterpieces from Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, embodying the symmetry and elegance that shaped modern jewellery aesthetics. Two private collections will also headline the event: one dedicated exclusively to Van Cleef & Arpels, and another—Aria of Jewels: The Collection of Antje-Katrin Kühnemann—featuring exceptional Cartier and De Grisogono pieces from the late philanthropist’s private trove.
The Royal & Noble Jewels: A Journey Through History
Complementing the High Jewellery Sale, Sotheby’s Royal & Noble Jewels auction unveils some of the most historically significant diamonds and heirlooms ever offered. Among them is a diamond brooch once owned by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, lost during his flight after Waterloo and later recovered by the Prussian Royal family. After more than two centuries in private hands, it now re-emerges for the first time at auction.
Also featured is a light pink diamond ring with royal lineage, once belonging to Empress Catherine I of Russia and later to Princess Neslishah Sultan, estimated between CHF 240,000 and CHF 400,000. A natural pearl and diamond jewel formerly owned by Cunegonde of Saxony (cousin of Louis XVI) carries an estimate of CHF 340,000 to CHF 500,000, while a diamond tiara with a wild roses motif from the Duchess of Portland (1774–1844) is expected to fetch CHF 100,000 to CHF 170,000.
Adding to the grandeur is a Cartier emerald and diamond necklace featuring an 11.78-carat Colombian emerald, commissioned in 1932, exemplifying Art Deco refinement and royal provenance.
Celebrating Provenance, Craftsmanship, and Natural Rarity
From Napoleon’s lost brooch to The Glowing Rose, Sotheby’s Geneva continues to highlight how exceptional gems transcend beauty—they embody heritage, artistry, and history. These November 2025 auctions remind the world that in fine jewellery, rarity, provenance, and craftsmanship remain the ultimate symbols of enduring value.
About DCLA The Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia (DCLA) is the official CIBJO-accredited laboratory for Australia, recognised for its expertise in diamond grading and certification. DCLA continues to support transparency and integrity within the global diamond trade, celebrating events such as Sotheby’s Geneva that showcase the brilliance and authenticity of natural diamonds.
Sotheby’s is set to showcase one of the world’s rarest diamonds during its upcoming series of luxury auctions and exhibitions in Abu Dhabi, held from 2 to 5 December at The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort. The events form part of Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week, which will feature masterclasses, panel discussions, and curated exhibitions highlighting fine jewellery, timepieces, collector cars, luxury real estate, and other exceptional assets.
The highlight of the auction is “The Desert Rose”, a 31.86-carat fancy vivid orangy-pink diamond, the largest of its kind ever graded. This extraordinary pear-shaped gem—first unveiled in Sotheby’s “Beyond: The World’s Rarest Diamonds” exhibition earlier this year—makes its auction debut with an estimated value of USD $5–$7 million.
The timing of the event coincides with one of Abu Dhabi’s busiest weeks, which includes the Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Milken Institute Middle East and Africa Summit 2025, Abu Dhabi Finance Week, and Bitcoin MENA. Together, these prestigious gatherings are expected to attract a global audience of collectors, investors, and cultural leaders.
Following Sotheby’s successful inaugural sale in Saudi Arabia earlier this year, the Abu Dhabi auctions further underscore the Middle East’s growing influence in the global luxury and cultural landscape. Saadiyat Island, home to institutions such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the forthcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and the Zayed National Museum, continues to establish itself as a world-class destination for art and high-value collectibles.
The Desert Rose diamond’s debut marks a milestone in coloured diamond history—its rarity, hue, and size exemplify the exceptional standards that define the world’s most coveted gems.
Sotheby’s is to offer for sale the largest fancy vivid orangy pink diamond ever graded, at a debut event in Abu Dhabi in December.
The pear-shaped gem, known as the Desert Rose, weighs 31.86 carats and is expected to fetch $5m to $7m.
It is the jewelry highlight of Sotheby’s inaugural Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week of exhibitions, sales, masterclasses and panel discussions.
The Desert Rose is part of a single-owner collection of watches and jewelry, including vintage and contemporary signed pieces, that is estimated to raise more than $20m in total.
Among the watch highlights is an exceptionally rare Rolex “Oyster Albino” Daytona, reference 6263, produced in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with an estimate of $500,000 to $1m.
Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week takes place from 2 – 5 December on Saadiyat Island, just off the Abu Dhabi coast.
It coincides with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and features auctions of collector cars, real estate, and international fine art exhibitions.
The Kao Legend Collection represents an extraordinary achievement in diamond cutting and curation. Cut from a single 108.39-carat pink diamond crystal unearthed at the renowned Kao Mine in Lesotho, this suite features seven magnificent pink diamonds each documented in detail by the GIA Monograph.
At the heart of the collection lies the Kao Legend, a 20.49-carat diamond graded Fancy Intense Purplish Pink by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The accompanying diamonds in the collection range in colour from Fancy Intense Purplish Pink to Faint Pink, showcasing a delicate and rare spectrum of pink hues.
What sets this collection apart is not only its shared origin and harmonious beauty but also the diamonds’ classification. All seven are Type IIa diamonds known for their exceptional chemical purity and rarity, comprising less than 2% of all natural diamonds. Type IIa pink diamonds are especially coveted for their remarkable clarity and vibrant colour saturation.
The Kao Mine, one of Lesotho’s most prominent diamond sources, has established a reputation for yielding high-quality pink diamonds. Alongside the Kao Legend, the mine also produced the celebrated Pink Eternity, a 47.80-carat gem of international acclaim.
For gemmologists and collectors alike, the Kao Legend Collection exemplifies nature’s artistry and the pinnacle of diamond excellence.
Prices of fancy color diamonds remained stable in the third quarter of 2019, according to the Fancy Color Diamond Index (FCDI) published by the Fancy Color Research Foundation.
The prices of pinks remained stable this quarter. The slight decrease of 0.1 percent overall was due to a 3 percent decrease in the 5 carat fancy pink category. However, all fancy vivid pinks rose by 0.4 percent, with 1 and 3 carat fancy vivid pinks increasing by 1.6 percent and 1.7 percent.
Blue diamond prices increased just 0.1 percent. The sharpest increase came the 1.5 carat fancy vivid blue category (2.1 percent). Over the past 12 months, the price of this category has appreciated by 10.6 percent. The sharpest drop during this quarter (-2.2 percent) was in the 1.5 carat fancy intense blue category.
The prices of yellow diamonds decreased 1.5 percent during Q3. The largest price decrease of 3.5 percent was in the 3 carat fancy vivid yellow category. Only 2 carat fancy intense yellow diamonds did not experience a fall in prices.
Fancy Colour Diamonds
Continuing a trend seen during the past year, the fancy vivid category outperformed (0.1 percent) the fancy intense (-0.5 percent) and fancy (-1.0 percent) categories.
