Diamond: Sold for $21.47 million

Sale in Switzerland of huge 76 carat diamond named Archduke Joseph sets record for Golconda mine source of Queen of England's Koh-i-Noor diamond.

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Indian diamond fetches record price at Geneva auction

14 NOVEMBER 2012

GENEVA (AFP) - The flawless "Archduke Joseph" diamond, from India's famous Golconda mines, broke several world records when it was sold at an auction in Geneva late Tuesday .... for $21.47 million (16.9 million euros) 

The price which the 76-carat jewel fetched at the Christie's sale is a record for the auction of a clear, colorless diamond.

It is also the highest auction price per carat for such a gem and the record for a Golconda diamond, the same mines which produced the Koh-i-Noor that adorns the Crown of the Queen of England.

It's a cushion-shaped diamond, weighing 76.02 carats, of D color the purest, most colorless variety of diamond, a rarity and a specialty of the ancient Golconda mines in the Indian state of Andhra Paradesh.

The "Archduke Joseph," which was bought by an anonymous bidder, once belonged to the Habsburgs, former rulers of the Austrian empire.

The diamond takes its name from the Archduke Joseph (1872-1962) who was for a short period the Hungarian head of state.

The diamond was sold in 1936 to a still-anonymous buyer and, hidden in a safe, escaped the attentions of the Nazis during the Second World War. It reappeared on the international scene at a sale in London in 1961. In the 1990s it was sold again, in Geneva, for $6.5 million...

(Source: AFP, Indian diamond fetches record price at Geneva auction, 14 NOVEMBER 2012) 


Diamond Auction Vocabulary

diamond - a very hard and clear gemstone used in expensive jewelry เพชร (See Wikipedia)

gemstone - a a very valuable stone usually cut into a particular regular shape, precious stone especially when อัญมณี, เพชรพลอย

the Archduke Joseph diamond - "a colorless, antique cushion-shaped brilliant, originally weighing 78.54 carat, purchased by Molina Jewelers of Arizona sometime in the late-1990s and slightly re-cut to 76.45 carat to improve clarity and symmetry. It is a D color (that is: colorless) Internally Flawless diamond (in short: a "D.I.F." or a "D.I.F. diamond")" (See Wikipedia)

brilliant - a diamond cut, "cut with numerous facets so as to have exceptional brilliance. The shape resembles that of a cone and provides maximized light return through the top of the diamond" (See Wikipedia)

carat - a unit for measuring the weight of gemstones and pearlsa equal to 200 mg (See Wikipedia)

flaw - without anything wrong with it, without defects or imperfections ข้อบกพร่อง
flawless -   ไม่มีข้อบกพร่อง
a flawless diamond

clear - can see through, like glass or clean water ใส
a clear, colorless diamond

jewel - Same as "gemstone" 
the 76-carat jewel

Golconda mines - location of famous diamond mines in India (See Wikipedia)
India's famous Golconda mines

ancient - very old ที่เก่าแก่ ที่โบราณ
the ancient Golconda mines

fetch a price - bought for a certain price
the price fetched

record - the best or most ever achieved สถิติ
world record - the best achieved (in the whole world)
national record - the best achieved in a country

record price - the highest price ever (for selling this kind of thing)
fetch a record price

Indian diamond fetches record price

break a record - to make or set a new record (to go beyond or surpass the previous record)
broke several world records

auction - selling things by competitive bids, selling to the person who offers that best price (See Wikipedia) การขายโดยการประมูล, การขายทอดตลาด
auction house - a company in the business of holding auctions to sell things

the diamond was sold at auction for $21.47 million

Christie's - Christie's auction house, a famous auction house with headquarters in London and New York (See Wikipedia)
Christie's sale

gem - Same as "gemstone" 
the highest auction price per carat for such a gem

Koh-i-Noor - once the largest known diamond at 105.6 carats and weighing 21.6 grammes, the diamond is currently set into the Crown of Queen Elizabeth and on display at the Tower of London  (See Wikipedia)

adorn - to make beautiful,  beautify or ornament ตกแต่ง,  แต่ง
crown - jewelry with stones and precious metals worn on the head by kings, queens and princes มงกุฎ

the Koh-i-Noor diamond adorns the Crown of the Queen of England

cushion cut diamond shape - "an antique cut that most often resembles a cross between the Old Mine Cut (a deep cut with large facets that was common in the late 19th and the early 20th centuries) and a modern oval cut... This cut is not as fiery or brilliant as many of the newer cuts, but it has a marvelously romantic and classic look ..." (See Wikipedia)

It's a cushion-shaped diamond

pure - contains 100% of some substance and not mixed with anything else บริสุทธิ์
purest - the most pure บริสุทธิ์ที่สุด

variety - many different types of things or people ความหลากหลาย
a variety of diamond

a diamond of D color the purest, most colorless variety of diamond

a rarity - สิ่งหายาก
a specialty of - special knowledge, know-how or expertise ความชำนาญพิเศษ

state - government รัฐ
the Indian state of Andhra Paradesh.

head of state - ผู้นำประเทศ, ประมุขแห่งรัฐ
the Hungarian head of state

anonymous - name not given; did not give name ไม่ออกนาม
bidder - a person or company who makes an offer to buy something at a specific price ผู้ยื่นเสนอราคา

anonymous bidder
bought by an anonymous bidder

still-anonymous buyer
the diamond was sold in 1936 to a still-anonymous buyer

the Hapsburgs - the House of Hapsburg, one of the most important royal families of Europe, "best known for being the origin of all of the Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and Spanish Empire and several other countries, the House takes its name from Habsburg Castle, a fortress built around 1020–1030 in present day Switzerland" (See Wikipedia)

the diamond once belonged to the Habsburgs, former rulers of the Austrian empire

a safe - a strong metal container for keeping money and other valuable things, preotecting from thieves ตู้เซฟ, ตู้นิรภัย

attention - ความสนใจ, ความตั้งใจ, ความใส่ใจ
escaped the attentions of - people didn't see it or notice it, or didn't think it was important

the diamond was hidden in a safe and escaped the attentions of the Nazis during the Second World War

international - ระหว่างประเทศ between countries
the diamond reappeared on the international scene at a sale in London in 1961