507-carat rough diamond sold for record USD 35m

London: Diamond supplier Petra Diamonds Ltd said Friday it sold a 507-carat diamond for USD 35.3 million, breaking the record for the highest price ever paid for a rough diamond. The stone as big as a chicken egg and weighing just over 100 grams was estimated as among the world`s top 20 high-quality rough diamonds. It was discovered in September at South Africa`s Cullinan mine.

London-listed Petra said the gem was purchased by Hong Kong-based private jewelry retailer Chow Tai Food Jewelry Co Ltd. The price reflected "the incredible rarity of the diamond, which combines its remarkable size with exceptional color and clarity, and at 507.5 carats it is the 19th largest gem diamond ever discovered," Petra CEO Johan Dippenaar said in a statement. "It has the potential to produce one of the world`s most important polished gems," he added. PTI