Author: Balfour, Ian
Title: The Wittelsbach Diamond
Description: London, Christie's, 2008. Hardcover. Color-pictorial glossy boards with photo of the diamond; 45 pp. with color images throughout. The catalogue from the auction of this historical gem, held December 10, 2008. With an essay, facsimiles of documents, reproductions of artwork relating to the stone, and more. A beautiful and informative book. Quite scarce. From WIKI: On 10 December 2008, the 35.56-carat (7.112 g) Wittelsbach Diamond was sold to London-based jeweller Laurence Graff for £16.4 million sterling, or US$23.4 million, at the time the highest price ever paid at auction for a diamond. (The previous record had been held by a pear-shaped 100-carat (20 g) stone named the Star of the Season.) The record was eclipsed on 16 November 2010, when a 24.78 carat pink diamond was sold for £29 million Sterling, or US$46 million, again to Mr. Graff. In June 2011, Graff apparently sold the diamond to the former emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa, for at least US$80 million. VG .

Keywords: European Decorative Arts ; Wittelsbach Diamond ; ; Jewelry - European


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