Two unique, precious gem stones are currently being exhibited at Sotheby’s Dubai before they go under the hammer as part of the auction house’s Magnificent Jewels auction in New York next month.
The Eternal Pink, a 10.57-carat diamond among the most vivid pink diamonds to come to market, and the Estrela de Fura, a 55.22-carat ruby that is the largest to appear at auction, will be on display at Sotheby’s in DIFC until May 26.
Estimated to be worth more than $35 million, the Eternal Pink is a polished cushion-cut Internally Flawless Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink Diamond, the highest possible grading for a coloured diamond taking into account the colour, carat, clarity and cut of the stone.
“Diamonds have such an exceptionally long history,” Sophie Stevens, head of jewellery at Sotheby’s Dubai, tells The National.
“They've been referenced throughout ancient texts for millennia, they've always been revered as stones of power, of might, of strength. It's something tangible that the Earth produces that's also so beautiful. They've endured for centuries and carry a romance about them.”
The CTF Pink Star – a 59.60-carat oval mixed-cut Fancy Vivid Pink, Internally Flawless diamond – was sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in April 2017 for a record price of $71.2 million.
The Eternal Pink could break the price-per-carat record for any diamond or gemstone sold at auction. The current record is held by The Williamson Pink Star, a 11.15-carat Fancy Vivid Pink Internally Flawless diamond, which sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in October last year.
The Estrela de Fura, which translates from Portuguese to mean Star of Fura, is expected to fetch more than $30 million. It was mined in Montepeuz, Mozambique in July 2022 by Dubai-based Fura Gems, originally weighing 101 carats – the largest gem-quality ruby ever discovered by the mining company.
When it was first discovered, even in its unpolished and rough state, the ruby was considered an exceptional find for its outstanding clarity and rich red hue.
Stevens said that the Estrela de Fura was specifically carved by a master cutter in Thailand under much supervision to ensure the tailoring of the stone would display its full colour and transparency.
“The wonderful thing about the Estrela de Fura is its significant size,” Stevens says.
“We've never seen anything like this before in terms of gem quality rubies of 55 carats but it's so clean as well and the colours are exceptional. So the cutting was really heavily monitored and supervised to bring out those kind of qualities.”
With the combination of its size, rich colour and the untouched-by-heat treatment of The Estrela de Fura, the ruby could break the record for the most expensive ruby sold at auction.
The current record is held by the Sunrise Ruby, a 25.59 carat Burmese stone, auctioned at Sotheby’s Geneva for $30.3 million in May 2015.
“We invite people to come and see these exceptional gems at Sotheby’s Dubai this week where they will be on view until Friday,” Stevens said.
“And we encourage people to do so because quite simply, you won’t see anything like them ever again.”
The two jewellery pieces are part of Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels auction and will be on show at Sotheby’s Dubai at DIFC until May 26.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Day 1, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dimuth Karunaratne had batted with plenty of pluck, and no little skill, in getting to within seven runs of a first-day century. Then, while he ran what he thought was a comfortable single to mid-on, his batting partner Dinesh Chandimal opted to stay at home. The opener was run out by the length of the pitch.
Stat of the day - 1 One six was hit on Day 1. The boundary was only breached 18 times in total over the course of the 90 overs. When it did arrive, the lone six was a thing of beauty, as Niroshan Dickwella effortlessly clipped Mohammed Amir over the square-leg boundary.
The verdict Three wickets down at lunch, on a featherbed wicket having won the toss, and Sri Lanka’s fragile confidence must have been waning. Then Karunaratne and Chandimal's alliance of precisely 100 gave them a foothold in the match. Dickwella’s free-spirited strokeplay meant the Sri Lankans were handily placed at 227 for four at the close.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
BABYLON
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
New schools in Dubai
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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Bugatti Chiron Super Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,600hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.4seconds
0-200kph in 5.8 seconds
0-300kph in 12.1 seconds
Top speed: 440kph
Price: Dh13,200,000
Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,500hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.3 seconds
0-200kph in 5.5 seconds
0-300kph in 11.8 seconds
Top speed: 350kph
Price: Dh13,600,000
Mumbai Indians 213/6 (20 ov)
Royal Challengers Bangalore 167/8 (20 ov)
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Racecard
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
