argyle mine

World's Rarest Barbie Fetches a Record Price for a Good Cause

Filed under: Auctions, Charity, Celebrity Design

You may remember our listing of the World's Rarest Barbie by Stefano Canturi, which was up for auction at Christie's to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Not surprisingly, this auction set a record for Barbie herself, fetching a whopping $302,500.00.

This doll, which exudes Canturi's signature cubist design, wears over three carats of white diamonds and a necklace bearing a one-carat Fancy Vivid Pink emerald-cut diamond from the Australian Argyle mine -- a magnificent stone the lucky buyer could easily reset, if he or she dares disassemble Canturi's creation.

Christie's New York hosted the auction on October 20th, and the extravagant Barbie was bid on by buyers both in the room and over the phone. The doll was won by a private collector in Asia, and 100% of the proceeds went straight to BCRF.

This price beats the previous Barbie record, set by Christie's South Kensington in 2006: $17,091.00 for the 1965 Barbie in "Midnight Red."

Tags: Argyle mine, auction, Barbie, pink diamond, Stefano Canturi

Rare Pink Diamond Up For Auction In Canada

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Auctions

A rare 10.11 carat orangy-pink diamond is causing a stir in Canada. The stone is the top lot in a jewelry auction being held by Circa Auctions at the Park Hyatt hotel in Toronto, Ontario on October 3rd. The Toronto Star reports that is is the most expensive diamond ever auctioned in Canada. It is estimated to bring in $2.5 million to $3 million Canadian. The fancy intense organy-pink cushion cut stone came from the Argyle mine in Australia (famous for its pink diamonds) and is rated as a VS2 stone meaning it has some small inclusions. The Star article says that the Sultan of Brunei is said to have the largest collection of pink diamonds. The purchase includes "naming rights" to the stone.

Tags: argyle mine, diamond, pink diamond