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.

Share:
More In Culture
Two Reasons Why Advertisers Prefer Hulu Over Traditional TV
Hulu viewers have made a conscious decision to watch something on the platform, so they are more engaged, according to Peter Naylor, senior vice president of advertising at the streaming service. And since Hulu runs fewer ads than cable networks, viewers pay more attention to each one, he tells Cheddar's Jon Steinberg.
New Summer Thriller Invites You to a "Beach House"
Fans of "Get Out" and "A Quiet Place" may have a new film to watch out for this summer. "Beach House" is an eerie thriller that turns innocent infatuation into a dangerous, maybe violent, game, says actress Willa Fitzgerald, who plays the movie's protagonist Emma.
Puma Claws Back into the Basketball Business
The athletic brand has signed deals with projected number one overall pick in the NBA, Deandre Ayton, and has integrated music and fashion into its marketing. Former ESPN host Bram Weinstein says that could give Puma an edge over competitors.
Why 'Drunk History' Will Never Get High
The Comedy Central show may have turned one intoxicating substance into a success, but it won't be capitalizing on the cannabis legalization movement. "My fear with marijuana would be, it would all be theories," says Derek Waters, host and creator of the Emmy Award-winning comedy.
High Times Preps For IPO With Crowdsourcing Drive
The cannabis culture company launched an equity crowdsourcing campaign on its own website Tuesday ahead of an official IPO expected this quarter. CEO Adam Levin told Cheddar shares will be offered at $11 apiece.
Behind the Scenes of the Carters' Louvre Music Video
Beyoncé and JAY-Z released a surprise album -- "Everything Is Love" -- over the weekend, sending fans into a frenzy. They also released a six-minute music video for a single called "Apesh**t" that was shot at the Louvre. The museum was completely on board with the idea because it felt it paid homage to the world's most iconic works of art, says Bossip's senior editor Jennifer Cunningham.
Gary Vee Is 'All In' on Voice
Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of VaynerMedia, joins Cheddar CEO Jon Steinberg from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity to discuss the future of voice technologies like Amazon's Alexa and the Google Home. He says development for the platform is just getting started.
Load More