Geneva auction sells huge diamond for $26.7M

By John Heilprin

Published May 15, 2013 4:00am ET

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Geneva auction sells huge diamond for $26.7M — FILE -In this April 30, 2013 file picture a Christie's employee displays the largest colour flawless diamond, weighing 101.73 carats, during a preview at Christie's auction house in Geneva, Switzerland,. The largest pear-shaped colour flawless diamond is expected to reach US $ 30 million and it will be the hightlight at the Christie's auction on Wednesday May 15 , 2013 in Geneva. (AP Photo/keystone, Salvatore Di Nolfi,File) | Salvatore Di Nolfi

GENEVA (AP) — A huge diamond unearthed in Botswana commanded an unearthly price of $26.7 million from Christie’s auction house Wednesday amid the spring ritual of well-heeled bidders flocking or phoning in to Geneva’s luxury sales.

The pear-shaped gem accounted for more than a quarter of the $102 million in sales rung up by Christie’s Wednesday night, a night after Sotheby’s had $78 million in sales.

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