A model displays a 24.78-carat Fancy Intense Pink Diamond that will be on Sothebys' auction of Magnificent Jewels on Nov. 16, 2010 during a press preview held in Hotel Beau Rivage, Geneva, Switzerland, Nov. 10, 2010. (Xinhua File Photo)A 24.78 carat pink diamond was sold at CHF 45.44 million (45.62 million U.S. dollars) in an auction held by the Sotheby's in Geneva on Tuesday, breaking the record for any diamonds and jewelry ever sold at an auction.

The Sotheby's told the press afterwards that the diamond was bought by the British jeweler Laurence Graff, who had also purchased the historic Wittelsbach diamond at 24.31 million dollars in December 2008, a record kept up until today.

The pink diamond, graded as Fancy Intense Pink by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), is described by the Sotheby's as "exceptionally rare and truly magnificent pink diamond of the purest, vibrant hue," with type IIa classification which comprises less than 2 percent of all germ diamonds.

The diamond was purchased some 60 years ago from Harry Winston, well-know American jeweler who also had been the owner of the Hope Diamond, and it has been preserved as a personal collection since then.

In an interview with Xinhua on November 10, David Bennett, Chairmen of Sotheby's International Jewelry Division, had estimated the pink diamond to be sold between 27-38 million dollars.

Source:http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/7202062.html