A 24-Carat Pink Diamond Hidden for 70 Years is Headed to Auction

The biggest pink diamond of the autumn auction season has spent most of its life out of sight. Christie’s announced on October 9, 2026, that The Bulgari Pink — a 24.00-carat Fancy Intense Pink emerald-cut diamond set in a ring by Bulgari — will headline its Magnificent Jewels sale in Geneva on November 10, 2026, with an estimate of CHF 10–15 million, or $12–18 million.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Christie's

The stone comes from the collection of what Christie’s calls a distinguished European noble family. It has stayed in private hands for more than 70 years and has never been offered at auction. That combination of size, color and untouched provenance is what tends to bring serious bidders into the room.

According to family lore, the current owner’s great-grandfather bought the rough diamond in India during the 1950s and later entrusted it to Bulgari. The Roman jeweler turned it into the ring that survives today. At the time, Bulgari was becoming a destination for some of the world’s most discerning collectors, and it was a natural home for a stone this rare.

The timing matters to the story. The 1950s were when Rome became the center of postwar glamour. Major Hollywood productions were filming at Cinecittà Studios, and the international stars who followed them gave the era its nickname, “Hollywood on the Tiber.” Bulgari’s Via Condotti boutique became a meeting point for that crowd, including Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton and Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer.

The gem itself carries the coveted Fancy Intense Pink color grade in a refined rectangular step cut. It is classified as Type IIa, a category that makes up fewer than 2% of all gem-quality diamonds. Christie’s compares its hue and proportions to the most celebrated historic diamonds, including stones from legendary sources such as Golconda.

Pink diamonds at this size rarely come to market, and ones with a named maker and a single family’s ownership history come up even less often. Bulgari has long been a high-jewelry heavyweight, and it sits on our list of the best fine jewelry brands to know in 2026. A 1950s Roman provenance only adds to the appeal.

The ring leads Christie’s Autumn Luxury Week in Geneva, and the result will be worth watching. If it reaches the top of its estimate, it will be one of the year’s defining jewelry lots.

Christie’s Magnificent Jewels live auction takes place at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva on November 10, 2026; The Bulgari Pink is on view there from November 5 to 10.

For more of Haute Living’s jewelry coverage, see our jewelry section.