Christie's to auction ‘The Evening Star’ diamond at its 'Magnificent Jewels from a Distinguished Private Collector' auction

Christie's is including ‘The Evening Star’ diamond, mined from India’s Golconda mines, as an exceptional piece at its "Magnificent Jewels from a Distinguished Private Collector," auction. The auction is a single-owner sale of 10 jewels and will be held on December 10, 2009, reports say.

The Evening Star is a pear-shaped, 39-carat, D-color diamond and is estimated to be worth around $3.6 million to $5.5 million. Its name was derived by a habit of the unknown wearer, who adorned it to evening galas, as a pendant on a diamond necklace of 68 graduated pear-shaped diamonds embedded in platinum. The necklace is estimated to be worth $400,000 to $600,000, and is being offered as a separate item in the sale. There are also a pair of matching diamond ear pendants with two pear-shaped, D-color diamonds of 10.21 and 10.51 carats carrying a sale price estimated at $1.7 million to $2.5 million, respectively. The Evening Star and the stones in the matching earrings are classified as Type IIa diamonds.

The Golconda mines, the source of the Evening Star diamond are famous for producing diamonds like the Hope Diamond and the historic Wittelsbach Diamond. It is said that Golconda diamonds are known as 'diamonds of the first water,' meaning diamonds having a water-clear transparency, with soft, luminescent quality, reports add.