Auction house Sotheby’s Dubai has unveiled a diamond that’s literally from out of this world.
Sotheby’s calls the 555.55-carat black diamond — believed to have come from outer space — “The Enigma.” The rare gem was shown off on Monday to journalists as part of a tour in Dubai and Los Angeles before it is due to be auctioned off in February in London.
Sotheby’s expects the diamond to be sold for at least 5 million British pounds ($6.8 million). The auction house plans to accept cryptocurrency as a possible payment as well.
Sophie Stevens, a jewelry specialist at Sotheby’s Dubai, told The Associated Press that the number five bears an importance significance to the diamond, which has 55 facets as well.
“The shape of the diamond is based on the Middle-Eastern palm symbol of the Khamsa, which stands for strength and it stands for protection,” she said. Khamsa in Arabic means five.
“So there’s a nice theme of the number five running throughout the diamond," she added.
Stevens also said the black diamond is likely from outer space.
“With the carbonado diamonds, we believe that they were formed through extraterrestrial origins, with meteorites colliding with the Earth and either forming chemical vapor disposition or indeed coming from the meteorites themselves,” she said.
Black diamonds, also known as carbonado, are extremely rare, and are found naturally only in Brazil and Central Africa. The cosmic origin theory is based on their carbon isotopes and high hydrogen content.
The latest state of play with the Supreme Court showdown as Senate Republicans appear to have the votes they need to fill RBG's seat. Plus, does anyone really know why the stock market goes up or down?
The software giant said Monday that it is paying $7.5 billion for ZeniMax Media, the parent company of video game publisher Bethesda Softworks.
Americans’ household wealth rebounded last quarter to a record high as the stock market quickly recovered from a pandemic-induced plunge in March.
As the school year starts up in the middle of the pandemic, the town of East Hampton, Long Island is getting ready to welcome new faces in their classrooms.
Jill and Carlo look back on the life of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, plus what her death means for the election and the Senate confirmation battle to come.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a diminutive yet towering women’s rights champion who became the court’s second female justice, has died at her home in Washington.
An Associated Press review found growing allegations that a gynecologist performed surgeries and other procedures that detained migrant women never sought or didn’t fully understand.
Carlo decides to wake up on time to join Jill for a discussion about the NYC decision to delay school reopenings, a mask for every household, the race for the White House and the best outfit for fall.
College towns across the U.S. have emerged as virus hot spots in recent weeks as schools struggle to contain the virus.
President Trump slaps down his own CDC director, historic flooding along the Florida panhandle, the Big 10 is back on and more.
