The Harry Winston jewelry firm purchased the largest diamond ever offered at auction for a record $26.7 million in Geneva Wednesday. The raw original 236-carat, colorless stone was extracted from a Jwaneng mine in Botswana, and the cut and polish process lasted 21 months. Now, the pear-shaped, flawless-clarity diamond weighs 101.73 carats and has been named the "Winston Legacy." Rahul Kadkia, head of jewelry at Christie's Switzerland and Americas, called the piece the "most perfect diamond ever offered for sale at auction." The auction also broke records for the highest prices for pearls and sapphires, according to a Christie's auctioneer.
