'Majestic Pink' Offered for Sale; It's the 4th Significant Pink Diamond in the News This Year

It's only August, but we believe that 2012 will go down in history as "The Year of the Pink Diamond."

Back in February, we learned about the discovery of an extremely rare 12.76-carat light pink rough diamond called the Argyle Pink Jubilee, a stone that was eventually donated to the Melbourne Museum. In April, diamond dealer Brett Stettner placed the winning bid of $15.7 million for The Clark Pink, a 9-carat cushion-cut purplish pink diamond from the estate of the reclusive heiress Huguette Clark. Then, in early June, the 12-carat “Martian Pink” went on the auction block and was sold to an anonymous telephone bidder for $17.4 million, or $1.45 million per carat.

The latest significant pink to hit the market is the "Majestic Pink Diamond," a 12.27-carat cushion-cut fancy pink diamond with an impressive VVS1, Type IIa designation, which means that it is nearly flawless. The diamond, which is set in 18-karat rose gold and platinum, is being offered for sale by M.S. Rau Antiques in New Orleans. The asking price is $7.85 million.

Online buyers can get a look at the sparkler, starting on August 8th at 1stdibs.com. It will also be on display from August 23-26 at the Baltimore Summer Antiques Show at the Baltimore Convention Center.