World’s largest cut diamond, the Enigma, sells for $4.3 million

Exquisitely cut to be precisely 555.55 carats with 55 facets, the Enigma is the world’s largest known cut diamond, as reported by Guinness World Records. The incredible shadowy gemstone fetched an impressive $4.3 million at auction today at Sotheby’s London. Additionally it has been certified by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the Gübelin Gem Lab as being the largest fancy black natural diamond that they have ever examined and certified.

Described as a “cosmic wonder” by Sothebys, the Enigma is named after its mysterious origins. As a black or carbonado diamond, it is believed to have originated in outer space. Unlike most diamonds that form deep underground, carbonado diamonds are found closer to or on the Earth’s surface. They also contain osbornite, a mineral found in meteorites. Some scientists therefore suggest the Enigma was created from meteoric impact. Others propose it came from a supernova explosion and fell down to Earth, fully formed. While the extraterrestrial theories have potential, the billions of years old black diamond remains a fascinating mystery for geologists.

Carbonado diamonds are especially hard and not easy to cut. It took three years for experts to cut and polish the Enigma to perfection. This unique one of a kind special cut was inspired by Ran Gorenstein from Belgium, who also commissioned the work. The shape of the diamond draws inspiration from the Hamsa, the Middle Eastern palm symbol signifying protection, strength and blessings. It also means 5 in Arabic, tying in nicely with the carat weight and number of facets.

Sotheby's Jewellery Specialist Nikita Binani says the enigma diamond is a "unique and precious object of curiosity". She furthers adds that “this diamond has been treasured for over two decades by the owner, and the diamond itself has never been exhibited publicly or offered on the open market, so we are thrilled to have the opportunity to tell its story to the world…Its sale represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire one of the rarest, billion-year-old cosmic wonders known to humankind."

Interestingly, Sotheby’s will also be accepting cryptocurrency as part of the payment for this sale.

UPDATE #1: It has now been revealed that the new owner of the Enigma is Richard Heart, founder of many cryptocurrency platforms including Hex.com - which he will be renaming the diamond after.

UPDATE #2 (Aug 2023): Richard Heart is currently facing allegations from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for using funds obtained from the sale of unregistered securities to acquire the Enigma.