Now this 18.04 carat viridian gemstone boasts a rare combination of pristine clarity, considerable size and vivid saturation. The 'Rockefeller Emerald' is noted to be one of the world's most valuable examples of faceted emerald today, having been initially estimated to sell for between 4-6 million US dollars. The stone's green flair has mesmerized onlookers at the Christie's New York auction event, where it was later purchased by the famed American diamantaire Harry Winston for 5.5 million dollars. The record-setting amount of $305,000 per carat, is the highest per-carat price paid for a single emerald in all of history.
The 'Rockefeller Emerald' is a fine-market example of Colombian sourced emerald that possesses an intense coloration coupled with remarkable transparency. Stones like these are not easily found, even in the largest of beryl mines across many different continents.
The bewildering stone was set into a magnificently crafted platinum ring by Mr. Raymond Yard, a jeweler who's personal history has been closely tied to the Rockefeller family, especially its patriarch John D. Rockefeller, Jr. since the early years of his career. His works have been featured at auction events around the world, organized by prominent names in the industry, such as Sotheby's and the aforementioned Christie's auction company.
The advent of this sale has breached past the previous auction record holder- a 23.46 Bulgari pendant owned by Elizabeth Taylor, that was sold for 6.5 million dollars by Christie's during an early 2000 event. The Rockefeller emerald now has an equally famous historical home in the hands of Harry Winston, whose own diamond house has been a pioneer in the trade for several decades.
(Video tour, image credits and narration courtesy of Christie's Auction House and its representatives)
