Heritage Auctions is proud to present The Angelina – an exceptional natural fancy pink diamond weighing 6.17 carats. The oval-shaped treasure leads Heritage’s Dec. 3 Holiday Fine Jewelry Signature® Auction.
Natural pink diamonds are among the rarest and most captivating gemstones on Earth. Only 1 in 10,000 diamonds has a fancy color, and pink is one of the scarcest hues. Less than 0.01% of all diamonds mined annually display natural pink coloration, and those surpassing 5.00 carats with richly saturated tone reside at the absolute pinnacle of rarity, gems so scarce that few ever have the privilege to witness one.
The Angelina’s rarity becomes even more profound when one considers how these gems are created. Natural pink diamonds are formed deep within the earth’s crust, where extreme heat and pressure alter their molecular structure. This rare “deformation” bends light in a way that produces their signature pink hue. Most natural pinks that survive are small, heavily included or fractured, making The Angelina an extraordinary accident of nature.
“Stones of this caliber are seldom seen at auction, and demand has only grown stronger,” says Jill Burgum, Heritage’s Executive Director of Fine Jewellery. “Extraordinarily rare, fancy pink diamonds over 5.00 carats with remarkable clarity remain the ultimate prize for discerning collectors, sought after now more than ever.”
According to the Fancy Color Research Foundation (FCRF), fancy pinks have appreciated by roughly 116% over the past decade, Fancy Pink Diamond, Diamond, Gold Ring...outpacing all other fancy color categories for their investment potential.
The fresh-to-market Angelina comes from the Estate of Willa Dean Lyon and takes its name from its owner’s granddaughter. A Texas native, Lyon was a respected member of her Orange County, California, community, where her husband, William Lyon, was a prominent homebuilder and property developer. Together, they championed numerous causes and received recognition for their philanthropy, with the Orangewood Children’s Home being closest to their hearts. The Angelina was a personal favorite in Lyon’s collection, which also included notable jewels by David Webb.
The allure of pink diamonds is no secret to the world’s elite. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, David and Victoria Beckham, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively – each is among the very few to acquire natural fancy pink diamonds of distinction.
Though their popularity is on the rise, pink diamonds have been sought after for hundreds of years. The earliest records of pink diamonds trace back to the early 17th century and the founding of India’s famed Golconda mines, which produced many of the world’s most storied diamonds. More recently, the Argyle mine in Western Australia, which began operating in the 1980s, became the world’s most significant source of pink diamonds, producing up to 90% of the global supply. The mine’s 2020 closure, however, has greatly reduced the availability of pink diamonds, intensifying interest and demand for the rare stones.
Heritage invites collectors and enthusiasts to experience The Angelina in person during viewings held across the country: Heritage Auctions, 9478 W. Olympic Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212: Wednesday, Nov. 12-Saturday, Nov. 15, 10 am-5 pm PT Heritage Auctions, 445 Park Ave., New York, NY 10022: Wednesday, Nov. 19-Friday, Nov. 21, 10 am-5 pm ET; Saturday, Nov. 22, 11 am- 4 pm ET Heritage Auctions, 222 W. Hubbard St., Chicago, IL 60654: Monday, Dec. 1-Tuesday, Dec. 2, 10 am-5 pm CT