Sotheby's has recently called its 555.55-carat black diamond, set for auction soon, "The Enigma," which is believed to have come from outer space.
As specified in an NPR report, the Dubai-based auction house recently revealed a diamond "that's literally out of this world."
This rare gem was exhibited to journalists early this week as part of the Dubai and Los Angeles tour before it gets auctioned off in London next month.
Sotheby's expects the diamond to be sold for approximately $6.8 million. More so, the auction house is also planning to accept cryptocurrency as another possible form of payment.
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The Largest Faceted Diamond to ever come to Auction, The Enigma, at 555.55 carats, is unveiled at Sotheby's Dubai, on January 17, 2022, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
A Diamond From Outer Space?
In an Associated Press report, jewelry specialist Sophie Stevens from Sotheby's Dubai said that the number "5" bears an essential implication to the diamond, which comprises 55 facades, as well.
In a similar WFDD report, she also said that the diamond's shape is derived from the Middle-Eastern palm symbol of the Khamsa, which means strength, and it stands for protection. Also, the Arabic word "Khamsa" means five.
Therefore, the jewelry specialist explained a "nice theme of the number "5" that runs throughout the diamond. Stevens also added, the diamond possibly came from outer space.
Also, according to Stevens, with the carbonado diamonds, it is believed that "they were formed through extraterrestrial origins," with meteorites that collided with the Earth, and either developing chemical vapor disposition or coming from the meteorites themselves.
Black diamonds, also called "carbonado," are very rare, and they naturally exist only in Brazil and Central Africa. Essentially, the intergalactic origin concept is based on the gems' carbon isotopes and their hydrogen content.
Specifically, black diamonds were initially discovered in the 1800s in Brazil and have since been found, as mentioned, in central Africa. To date, the said two countries have remained the only sources of the so-called "natural fancy color black diamonds."
Originating From a Star-Like Environment
According to a Krikawa Jewelry report, high hydrogen content proposes that black diamonds come from "a star-like environment," similar to that of "hydrogen-rich interstellar space."
Additionally, the theory that space is the black diamonds' birthplace is commonly accepted in the scientific field. The fact that these diamonds have varying carbon isotopes are rich in hydrogen, and merely do not follow the rules of diamond mineralogy are all pointing to a cosmic origin.
Thorough investigations of the black diamonds show these stones to be most closely matched to other diamonds discovered just in outer space.
Diamonds Born in 'Dying Stars'
Nonetheless, the exact origin, as well as how black diamonds started to exist here on earth, is very much "matters of argument."
Essentially, black diamonds are also "born in dying stars," later falling to this planet either within meteorites or in fragments.
Examined under infrared radiation, they have been found to have a chemical range specifying that they come from a time prior to the formation of the Earth, putting them at approximately 4.5 billion years of age.
A recent report about the newly unveiled black diamond is shown on Sky News Australia's YouTube video below:
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