Abigail Klein Leichman
September 2, 2014
Photo courtesy of Leibish & Co.
Photo courtesy of Leibish & Co.

A rare Purple Orchid diamond, weighing 3.37 carats and worth $4 million, is to be unveiled this month by Leibish & Co. of Ramat Gan, seat of Israel’s diamond exchange.

According to the purveyor of colored diamonds and colored diamond jewelry, purple diamonds of this color and clarity almost never appear in nature. This particular gemstone came from a mine in South Africa, one of the only mines where purple diamonds can be found in the world.

“As it happens with all monumental diamond discoveries, the owners of the diamond traveled to many of the main diamond trading hubs to show it off and thus generate interest from the appropriate buying parties,” the company explained in a statement.

“Our chief diamond buyer, Shmulik Polnauer, was informed that this unbelievable rough diamond had been found, and he flew to India to see it for himself. After four days of negotiations, the owners, who choose to remain anonymous, came to an agreement with Shmulik, and he bought it in the rough at a size of over 4 carats.”

After four months of meticulous polishing to bring out its radiant orchid color – which happens to be the Pantone Color of the Year — the cushion-shaped stone will go on display to the public for the first time at the Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair starting September 15.

“The cause of purple in diamonds remains a mystery, which only adds to the glamour and attractiveness of diamonds like these,” said founder and president Leibish Polnauer. “There are very, very few diamonds on the market above 3 carats with purple as the main color, which is what makes this exquisite diamond so rare.”