“This diamond is a true natural phenomenon. Much more than a jewel, it is a unique and precious object of curiosity,” says Nikita Binani, Sotheby’s London deputy director and jewellery specialist, in a statement. “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.”
The stone’s origins are mysterious. It’s thought that a meteoric impact or a diamond-bearing asteroid that collided with Earth created The Enigma, making it one of the toughest diamonds in existence, according to Sotheby’s.