Black as a Diamond

 

 

It's out of this world. Really, this black diamond is clearly from outer space. 

Appropriately nicknamed "The Enigma," this hunky black rock heads to Sotheby's London for auction soon. The rare naturally faceted inky hued stone has its origins in outer space, explains Sotheby's experts.

Before they were glamorized in modern jewelry, black diamonds were known as carbonado. There have been some placed in striking jewelry--occasionally in large sizes too. And the stones have garnered abundant loyal fans owing to their dramatic appearance and exotic look.

Extra-Terrestrial Roots

Its creation is likely to have been the result of either a meteoric impact or "from a diamond-bearing asteroid that collided with Earth," Sotheby's reports.

They can be dated to up to 3.8 billion years. Yup. This is old. The telltale give-a-way in the black diamond is the presence of nitrogen and hydrogen--which points to interstellar space. But it also contains the mineral osbornite which occurs in meteorites. So there you have it. That's some provenance.

 

It's in the Numbers

Details, details. It boasts 555.55 carats, and get this, it has exactly 55 facets. Pre-sale estimates place the sale of this stone around £5M ($6.8M US)--shouldn't it be £5.555M or something? At any rate, it's only an estimate. What we often see is that eager bidders blow right through these pre-sale estimates--and it's likely to happen this time around. 

 Good Luck Bidding!

The thing to know is that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Online bidding goes from Feb 3-9, so you still have time to paddle up, and make it your best and highest offer.